LEITH NEWS FILES FROM THE PAST

Maria Finoshina...a Russia Today war correspondent took time out in 2015 from her reporting on the war in Syria to contact this editor and track down the now "CONVICTED NAZI TERRORIST CRAIG COBB" for an interview.

After giving her his cell phone number she tried to contact him but failed and eventually drove to Sherwood, North Dakota where he lives hoping to catch him.

She did indeed meet with him outside of his dilapidated house and conducted her interview which can be seen along with 3 other video segments on the City of Leith "Videos" page by CLICKING HERE.

Maria is currently in and out of Syria filming a documentary on the "Children Of Syria" and you can view a trailer and a short film below of her production.

It should be noted that although Russia is supporting the Syrian regime with war materials Syria's President Bashar al-Assad is preventing her from continuing to film her documentary. Hypocrisy has no limits it seems.

Many people in our state may not like what I write about or film or photograph but if someone doesn't do it then the people of North Dakota will be in the dark and unprepared for what may or may not come next. Just look at the pipeline protest. North Dakota sure as hell wasn't ready for that.

My coverage of the now "CONVICTED NAZI TERRORIST CRAIG COBB" during the Leith crisis, my coverage and participation along with the Mayor of Leith Ryan Schock and Leith City Councilman Lee Cook of bringing the former Grant County States Attorney Todd Schwarz up on charges before the North Dakota Supreme Court Disciplinary Board, my coverage of the Grant County Commission meetings with video for over two years, my involvement and coverage in the recall election of former Grant County Commissioners Keith Payne and Don Roth did not go unnoticed as they are all now GONE from Grant County and its government.

Without the news coverage of Bismarck Tribune reporter Lauren Donovan and Blake Nicholson of the Associated Press much of what I accomplished would never had gotten into the main stream media.

While helping people around the world may be a noble cause we cannot allow undocumented people from war torn areas of the middle east without first vetting them extensively.

The children should come first with their parents and single military age men should be denied entry into our country.

I saw so many of the children of Vietnam having their lives destroyed by the communists of Russia, China, North Korea and yes, even the United States during my multiple tours. Of course this is just my opinion.

The news we get from the main stream media does not begin to cover the real truth about the war(s) in the middle east and so we should resort to getting our news from all sources including the Russians, Breitbart News and the Daily Mail out of the United Kingdom.

Much of the news media outlets in our country are run by ratings and advertising dollars and not true journalism. Of course this is still my opinion.

"CONVICTED HOME GROWN DOMESTIC NAZI TERRORIST CRAIG COBB" GIVES OWNERSHIP OF BURNED DOWN NOME, ND CHURCH BACK TO ORIGINAL OWNER

By Gregory Bruce - Editor - Grant County ND News - May 12, 2017

That's all the news this editor (a former victim of his terrorism) will write. (Rest In Hell Cobb - I know you visit this website)

By: Mike Nowatzki, Forum News Service, INFORUM (Written December 5, 2013)

LEITH, N.D. - The girlfriend of one of two white supremacists charged with terrorizing residents of Leith has filed a restraining order against the man who maintains an unofficial website about the town.

Webmaster Greg Bruce said a Grant County sheriff's deputy served him with the temporary restraining order Wednesday afternoon.

The order bars Bruce from having contact with Deborah Henderson except through an attorney, or from saying anything slanderous, harassing or threatening about her or her family on the www.leithnd.com website or any other Internet source.

"Myself and other residents of the city of Leith are terrorized by these people and I am now being victimized again by being told to keep my mouth shut. How does that work?" Bruce wrote on the website, where he posted a copy of the restraining order.

In a phone interview Thursday night, Henderson said Bruce is "constantly saying really terrible things against me."

"He's just harassing me to the point where me and my children don't feel safe," she said, noting the website's homepage has a link to a report for suspected child abuse or neglect that she believes is aimed at her family.

Henderson and her boyfriend, Kynan Dutton, relocated with their children in October from Oregon to Leith, where they moved in with Craig Cobb, the white supremacist who has purchased property in the city of about 20 residents and invited like-minded people to join him with hopes of creating an all-white enclave.

Dutton, 29, and Cobb, 62, each face seven felony counts of terrorizing for allegedly approaching Leith residents with loaded firearms last month. Dutton also is charged with misdemeanor disorderly conduct stemming from his behavior during a Leith City Council meeting Oct. 18.

Both men are being held without bond and are scheduled to appear Monday in Grant County District Court in Carson.

Henderson continues to live in Cobb's house with her three children ages 6 to 11. She said two of Cobb's acquaintances recently came to the house and removed all of Cobb's belongings, saying Cobb plans to relocate to Louisiana when his legal troubles in North Dakota are resolved and that the house will eventually be signed over to her.

Henderson said she has "never done anything to anyone in town," and that she's just trying to raise her children in peace. She said she's not associated with the National Socialist Movement as her boyfriend was, and considers herself a separatist, saying, "I just know from experience with trial and error that it's better to stay with your own."

The restraining order against Bruce states that he may appear Monday to contest the order signed by Judge Thomas Schneider. Bruce said he had planned to be in court anyway as a witness and victim in the terrorizing cases, and he said the city's hired attorney, Thomas Kelsch, may appear to represent him if necessary.

Kelsch did not return a phone message Thursday.

Henderson said she hopes to get the order extended.

Bruce, who lives in New Leipzig, said the restraining order infringes upon his First Amendment rights to freedom of speech and freedom of the press. He said he's never said anything slanderous about Henderson though he added, "I've come close" and he said he plans to continue writing about her.

"I'm under the impression I can write anything I want as long as it's not slanderous or libelous," he said.

Bruce said his legal representation, if needed, will be paid from the Leith Legal Defense Fund. The group UnityND is holding a spaghetti supper to benefit the fund from 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday at United Tribes Technical College in Bismarck.

Photo By Gregory Bruce - Broken Arrow Productions

Courtesy Of The Bismarck Tribune - By Lauren Donovan (Written - November 17, 2013)

LEITH, N.D. - Craig Cobb and Kynan Dutton were taken to jail in handcuffs Saturday afternoon, after Leith citizens called 911 for help because the two men were confronting them with guns in a threatening and intimidating manner.

The two men are neo-Nazis and moved in take over Leith's government, posting new signs with ugly racial slurs and flying swastika flags on Cobb's property in town.

Their use of guns with Leith residents raises three months of tension to its highest level yet, and Grant County Sheriff Steve Bay said residents should feel at ease at least for now that the men are in custody at the Mercer County jail in Stanton.

The sheriff said because it's the weekend it could take time for the paperwork, but he's assembling evidence for three separate charges of terrorizing against Cobb, 62, and Dutton, 29.

Dutton is already on bond for a charge of disorderly conduct for drunken behavior in Leith and further charges could violate his bond conditions.

Bay said Dutton's rifle and Cobb's shotgun had not been confiscated and he planned to attempt to recover them from Cobb's residence later Saturday.

Deborah Dutton remained at Cobb's house with five children, ages 4 through teens. She accompanied the men around town, but carried a cell phone to record the interactions, not a weapon.

She said she had nothing to say when contacted by the Tribune.

In a text message to the Tribune before he was taken into custody, Cobb said, "Because of the many violences (sic) and harassments against we (sic) and the children, we have commenced armed patrols of Leith." In a follow up text, Cobb said he has new plans to name some of his property the "Adolph Hitler Pvt. Park of Leith."

The sheriff said he knew that "sooner or later" the situation would escalate and said he's relieved that no shots were fired.

Leith City Councilman Lee Cook was involved in one of the incidents Saturday. He said he and Gregory Bruce had just arrived at Cook's home when Cobb and Dutton came over with guns and stood at the edge of his property.

Cobb lives across the gravel street.

He said Dutton had his finger on the rifle trigger, but said the guns weren't aimed directly at them.

Both Cook and Bruce, who's been posting updates about the neo-Nazi activities on a Leithnd.com website, called 911. Bruce took photographs of Cobb and Dutton and submitted them for publication with this story.

Another Leith resident, Miller Ferrie, told Cook that Cobb and Dutton, both carrying guns, followed her to her house Saturday afternoon. She told Cook she was in hysterics when she called 911 because her husband came outside and words were being exchanged.

For safety reasons, Cook moved his family out of Leith weeks ago. He said he was in town to install security cameras on his home.

Cook said he doesn't think Leith is peaceful, even with the two men in jail.

He said Cobb was cocky and arrogant when he approached with the gun.

"He thought he was something. He thinks he owns this town," Cook said.

He said his reaction to the men being in custody is bittersweet.

"They deserve more than what they get. I know it's not over. Cobb is obviously desperate," Cook said.

Cobb is a hate crimes fugitive from Canada with a long history of association with hate groups and white separatist believers. He purchased 13 properties in Leith and plans to take over the town government with other neo-Nazis. 

Photo By Lauren Donovan - Bismarck Tribune

Besides implicating Cook in the murder, Cobb posts details of the murder, pictures of the murderer, Cook's tax statements, and names and contact information for Cook's family and friends.

Cobb said his attacks on Cook and others in town are fair play, the result of being put under duress.

"I'm about at the point of telling them where to get off. I'm not interested in their abuse," Cobb said. "If that's personal, what they've done to me is very personal."

Mark Potok is editor of the Southern Poverty Law Center's Intelligence Report and Hatewatch blog. Cobb has been on their watch lists for years.

Potok said vicious, personal attacks are trademarks of Cobb's and neo-Nazis in general.

"Cobb is a particularly vicious human being. He comes off like Geppetto (from Pinocchio), a hunched over old man with slightly amusing ideas. But this is the man who moved to Estonia so he could post videos of Russian neo-Nazis sawing heads off non-white immigrants. He really is that terrible," Potok said.

He said Cobb is filled with rage. "It never leaves him. He's happy to make Cook miserable," he said.

Cook asked the Tribune to make public the story of his daughter's murder so it's no longer a secret weapon Cobb can use against him on websites popular with racists and other haters.

This week, Cook talked about the murder openly and not without obvious difficulty.
Krystle Cook was bludgeoned with a baseball bat by her mother's boyfriend, Mike Andes. The Cooks, who lived in Longview, Wash., were divorced. The murderer, with help from male relatives, buried her body in a tree row and poured bags of lime over her to hasten decomposition.

It took nearly a year to unravel the murder and more than two years for it to come to trial, after which Andes was sentenced to 25 years in prison. The motive was apparently to get the daughter out of the way to get closer to her mother and her mother's money, Cook said.

Cook said his successful real estate and property development business, worth $5 million, was in shambles and summoning the will to live every day took all he had.
He met his wife, Heather Cook, through church and they eventually decided to make a clean break from Washington.

"We moved away to get a different perspective here," he said. Cook's mother has a family connection in the Richardton area, so he started there and in July 2012, found an available, affordable house in Leith.
Their three children could ride horse with neighbor kids and they were living the quiet prairie life they'd imagined.

"We loved it. The people are so good. You can find land, but not people like this," Cook said.
This past July, they purchased a different home in Leith, one with a barn, a shop and a little more land. It put them right across the street from Cobb, who Cook said seemed strange, but was rarely around.

Several weeks later, everything changed, when Cobb's plans to populate Leith with other neo-Nazis and take over the town government went public, first in the Tribune.

Within two days, Cobb was fired from his job and living in his Leith home more or less fulltime. He has since been joined by two other white supremacists - one is Kynan Dutton, of Oregon, whose wife, Deborah Dutton, returned to Leith Thursday with three children. She had fled and left two children behind when Kynan Dutton exploded into a drunken rampage at a Leith city meeting three weeks ago. He has since been charged with disorderly conduct.

Cook said he's no longer comfortable leaving his family in Leith when he's at work, so they are all living in a camper closer to his job site.
"I wouldn't feel so vulnerable if (my daughter's murder) hadn't happened. That's why I'm so protective. It's magnified 100 times because of what I've experienced," Cook said.

Cook said he believes Cobb is more dangerous now because his plan is failing. Leith is working with an attorney, financed through donations to a defense fund, and put a moratorium on building until it has zoning and a land use plan. It's also taking steps to require water and sewer, which Cobb doesn't have hooked up in his home.

"They're imperiously dictating how I'm going to live," Cobb said.

Cobb has invited former federal prisoners to join him in Leith. "I received 6 or 7 letters from prison today when I picked up my held mail. We seek all politically, racially aware Whites - this includes combat war vets - Viet Nam, Iraq, Afghanistan and long time incarcerated whites (especially from federal prisons). We intend to collectively and cooperatively run our own affairs and become the political majority in Leith via the American way - the ballot box. 

We very much need your help and active participation," he said in a White Nations post.
Potok agrees that Cobb is dangerous, but says, "He's not a big man in the movement. He's a loathsome individual, but he's not a leader. He leads nothing." It's why Potok believes Cobb's plan for Leith "is ludicrous on its face."

Still, Potok said he doesn't discount anything.
"Anyone who traffics in images of human brutality is someone to be careful with. 

Common sense dictates you've got to treat him like a rabid dog and he is a rabid dog," he said.

Cook said he's inspired to remain in Leith because people all around the world are supporting the town in its stand against being taken over by white supremacists.

"I'm not glad I'm in the middle of this, but I'm not a quitter. Our refusal to give up is the bottom line," Cook said. 

Courtesy Of The Bismarck Tribune - By Lauren Donovan (Written - October 27, 2013)

 The city of Leith approved a building moratorium and took other steps Sunday night to prevent white supremacists from living on property without sewer and water and squatting in tents and trailers. Law enforcement was only required to remove Craig Cobb from sitting at the city council's meeting table and to intervene when Cobb told members of the Standing Rock Sioux tribe they were off the reservation and should go back home.

Cobb, a hate crimes fugitive from Canada with extremist neo-Nazi views, purchased a home and 12 other lots and is encouraging others to join him in taking over the town. The new ordinances will require Cobb to put water and sewer into his house, where three other white male supremacists and two young children are also living with space heaters and no working furnace.

The city approved the second reading of a moratorium that prevents any new building until planning and zoning is put into place. It held first readings on the adoption of a uniform building code, on a requirement that residences must have water and sewer and an ordinance that prevents tents and campers from being on a lot for more than 10 consecutive days.

Under the ordinance, anyone without water and sewer will have 30 days to come into compliance, or face fines or possible condemnation. Cobb said the town got by for decades without the ordinances. "Why now? Is it a wonderful coincidence that the moment I show up these are necessary?

It's patently unfair," Cobb said. He said he may rename Leith the "Village of the Damned" when he takes it over. He said residents are "evil and nasty." The meeting was attended by about 50 people, mostly Leith residents and supporters.  

Courtesy Of The Bismarck Tribune - By Lauren Donovan (Written - November 1, 2013)

Lee Cook moved to Leith not to escape his past, but to move beyond it. He never imagined that he would be in top fold headlines once again, or that the 2000 murder of his young daughter would be used to goad him and open old wounds.

Cook is a city councilman in Leith, which for nearly three months the tiny Grant County town has been the focus of national and international news coverage about plans by white supremacists to take over the town's government. Leith is fighting back with new ordinances, but white supremacist Craig Cobb has moved the confrontation into extremely personal realms with Leith residents.

Few have been spared some level of humiliation. But Cobb's attacks on Cook rise to a level beyond name calling, racial slurs or ridicule. In one of his posts, Cobb speculates that Cook's personality may have had "something to do" with instigating the murder of Cook's then 17-year-old daughter.

On White Nations, a website for white supremacists, Cobb writes, "From what I've personally seen of his acne faced childish drama (and his wife's), I do wonder if his pugnacious, punkish behavior might have had something to do with instigating the killer beyond what might have happened with a more mature, stable man."

Cobb also walked up to Cook, holding a recorder, at Sunday's town council meeting and loudly said, "Was your daughter murdered?

Did you have anything to do with aggravating it?" Cook, 49, a big burly sized man who's heading up a crew for a well-known contractor in the area, said he sat on his hands and bit his tongue that night.

"I didn't say a word. I knew what he wants me to do, he wants me to beat him so he can sue me," Cook said in an interview Thursday.

"It's so evil for someone to go there. He doesn't have limits. He's desperate to make something happen because he's losing his battle to take over the town."  

Photo by Lauren Donovan - Bismarck Tribune

"NOTORIOUS CONVICTED HOME GROWN DOMESTIC TERRORIST" CRAIG COBB'S 4 YEAR PROBATION ENDS ON APRIL 29TH OF NEXT YEAR!

Cobb will then be "FREE" to roam the streets of Leith or any other town in North Dakota or even the country all thanks to the former Grant County North Dakota States Attorney TODD SCHWARZ and the North Dakota Assistant Attorney General PAUL EMERSON and the soft peddling plea deal they gave him.

The stories below, written by the Bismarck Tribune reporter Lauren Donovan are a small sampling of the struggle the tiny town of Leith, North Dakota and its citizens endured during the "REIGN OF TERROR" the "NOTORIOUS CONVICTED HOME GROWN DOMESTIC TERRORIST" Craig Cobb and his band of NAZIS thrust upon them in their efforts to take over the town.

A meeting took place in the Leith, North Dakota Community Center on October 27, 2013. Two of the Neo-Nazis Craig Cobb & Kynan Dutton were present before the meeting began to rant & rave about what only "THEY" knew!

This caused many of the people there to support the citizens of Leith to verbally disagree with the Nazis! There was some angry shouting & shoving & Harassment!

Just 3 days later on October 30, 2013 the now '"NOTORIOUS CONVICTED HOME GROWN DOMESTIC TERRORIST" CRAIG COBB had a confrontation with the former Grant County Sheriff Steve Bay in the New Leipzig, North Dakota cafe.

He had driven the 20 miles from Leith, North Dakota to inject himself (presumably) into the Joel Heitkamp show of KFGO which was broadcast live from the New Leipzig cafe (the Leipziger) to raise funds for the City of Leith's legal defense fund.

He found himself too late as the radio talk show host had packed up and left.

It was just by chance that this editor was able to film and follow the disappointed Cobb out the door and down the street to his car.

Leith City Council OKs Building Moratorium

Courtesy Of The Bismarck Tribune - By Lauren Donovan (Written - October 27, 2013)

The city of Leith approved a building moratorium and took other steps Sunday night to prevent white supremacists from living on property without sewer and water and squatting in tents and trailers.

Law enforcement was only required to remove Craig Cobb from sitting at the city council's meeting table and to intervene when Cobb told members of the Standing Rock Sioux tribe they were off the reservation and should go back home.

Cobb, a hate crimes fugitive from Canada with extremist neo-Nazi views, purchased a home and 12 other lots and is encouraging others to join him in taking over the town.

The new ordinances will require Cobb to put water and sewer into his house, where three other white male supremacists and two young children are also living with space heaters and no working furnace.

The city approved the second reading of a moratorium that prevents any new building until planning and zoning is put into place. It held first readings on the adoption of a uniform building code, on a requirement that residences must have water and sewer and an ordinance that prevents tents and campers from being on a lot for more than 10 consecutive days.

Under the ordinance, anyone without water and sewer will have 30 days to come into compliance, or face fines or possible condemnation.

Cobb said the town got by for decades without the ordinances. "Why now? Is it a wonderful coincidence that the moment I show up these are necessary? It's patently unfair," Cobb said.

He said he may rename Leith the "Village of the Damned" when he takes it over. He said residents are "evil and nasty."

The meeting was attended by about 50 people, mostly Leith residents and supporters.

North Dakota cannot let the damage this man and his band of NAZI thugs start up again so read this story below so one will forget.

The "NOTORIOUS CONVICTED HOME GROWN DOMESTIC TERRORIST" Craig Cobb's four (4) year probation will come to and end on April 29, 2018 (next year).

He will then be free of his electronic ankle bracelet so he will no longer be required to remain in North Dakota.

He has tried unsuccessfully to buy and keep property in Leith, Regan, Antler, Landa and Nome, North Dakota. He was arrested, tried and put in jail for terrorizing citizens of Leith which, included this editor.

He was released after the prosecutor Todd Schwarz let him off on a plea agreement that 'PISSED OFF' the Mayor of Leith Ryan Schock, Leith City Councilman Lee Cook (a victim) and yes, me (Gregory Bruce) this website's editor and victim.

Schwarz eventually quit Grant County and has now moved on to McKenzie County causing more problems up there by helping to prosecute the County Sheriff Gary Schwartzenberger.

He then got permission to go to Missouri to visit his ailing elderly mother whom he hadn't had a relationship with for more than 40 years.

On his way back to where he lives (to this day) in Sherwood, North Dakota he stopped in Smith Center, Kansas and tried to purchase property in nearby Inavale, Kansas but was once again unsuccessful. The woman he tried to buy the property from gave him his money back when she found out who he was. 

Cobb and neighbor fixing ramshackle house roof in Sherwood, North Dakota

His next move was to travel north to Red Cloud, Nebraska where he did purchase some property in a sheriff's sale but a judge ruled against him as the town's citizens banded together and paid the back taxes for the owner.

This town eventually found itself in the news all over the world in video and in print much like the City of Leith and Grant County, North Dakota did. 

Eventually the town had enough and demolished the building he was trying to buy. There is a video that tells the story of how yet another North Dakota town dealt with the "NOTORIOUS CONVICTED HOME GROWN DOMESTIC TERRORIST" Craig Cobb and his incessant desire to inflict hate and racism upon its people.

Cobb's next move was to attempt a purchase of another property in neighboring Landa, North Dakota. He was turned down by the bank and the owner.