The sudden resignation of Minot Mayor Tom Ross has cast a shadow over North Dakota’s fourth-largest city. Ross stepped down following an explicit video mishap that led to a sexual harassment investigation, claiming the inappropriate content was accidentally sent. Did Ross’s attempts to keep the incident private contribute to the severity of the situation?
Mayor’s Explicit Video Creates Crisis
Minot, North Dakota Mayor Tom Ross has resigned after inadvertently sending a video of himself masturbating to City Attorney Stefanie Stalheim. The incident, which Ross claimed was a case of mistaken identity in his contacts list, quickly escalated into a full sexual harassment investigation that ultimately led to his departure from office.
The explicit video was sent shortly after Ross and Stalheim had concluded a professional phone call discussing a police officer’s suicide, making the timing particularly inappropriate. Ross immediately attempted damage control, asking Stalheim to delete the video and keep the matter private, a request that would later factor into the formal investigation.
Tom Ross, mayor of Minot, North Dakota, resigns after he sent an explicit video of him pleasuring himself to a city attorney. pic.twitter.com/nJCLGB1ppH
— Thomas Sowell Quotes (@ThomasSowell) April 3, 2025
Investigation Reveals Harassment Impact
Two weeks after receiving the explicit video, Stalheim filed a formal harassment complaint against Ross. The city attorney had reportedly been conflicted about reporting the incident due to Ross being her direct supervisor and her pending annual review, highlighting power dynamics that complicated the situation.
The subsequent investigation concluded that Ross’s actions “directly caused Stalheim’s inability to work in an environment free from unreasonable sexual harassment and created an offensive work environment.” This finding effectively validated Stalheim’s complaint and set the stage for the mayor’s resignation.
The mayor of one of North Dakota's largest cities resigned after an investigation into him mistakenly sending a lewd video to the city attorney. https://t.co/Oe1OfOEvFj
— CBS News (@CBSNews) April 3, 2025
Resignation and City’s Path Forward
Ross took full responsibility for the incident in his resignation, stating, “I do take responsibility for this mistake. I tried to immediately correct it and was unable.” He also expressed that he held Stalheim “in the utmost regard and respect” and explained that he had delayed his resignation to respect the investigation process.
Minot, a city of approximately 47,000 residents located about 50 miles south of the Canadian border, now faces decisions about leadership succession. The city will observe a 15-day period during which residents can petition for a special election to replace Ross, who was elected mayor in 2022 after serving two years on the city council.
If insufficient signatures are gathered for a special election, the city council will appoint a new mayor to serve until the next regular election. The scandal marks an unexpected disruption for the fourth-most populous city in North Dakota, which must now work to restore stability in its municipal government.