An ordinance that would give the Anchorage Assembly the power to override the will of the voters and remove the mayor from office was introduced on Tuesday, over the objection of Eagle River Assemblywoman Jamie Allard, who attempted to have the ordinance tabled indefinitely.
Several members of the public spoke against the ordinance, accusing the Assembly majority of trying to thwart the will of the people and violate the separation of powers between the legislative and executive branches of government.
Assembly Chairwoman Suzanne LaFrance threatened the public on several occasions for their applause for the speakers objecting to the Assembly’s actions.
The liberal majority was unmoved by public testimony. The ordinance, introduced by Assemblyman Chris Constant, will be set for a public hearing for May 24.
Mayor Dave Bronson’s office issued a statement on Wednesday, calling on the public to come to his support and prevent the Assembly from setting up its coup:
“As evidenced by the outcry of residents to this ordinance at last night’s Assembly meeting, the Mayor firmly believes Assembly Member Constant has gone too far with his proposal. The Mayor fundamentally believes in the separation of powers doctrine that underpins our republican form of government. As the Chief Executive of this city, the Mayor has a duty and obligation to defend the powers of the executive branch and considers this ordinance an attack on the Office of the Mayor. The Mayor intends to use every tool at his disposal to protect the integrity of the office, and oppose Mr. Constant’s overreaching and draconian ordinance,” the Mayor’s Office said.
Read: Coup underway as Constant readies ordinance to remove mayor
“Removal of any elected official, especially when that removal is done by another branch of government, should be a last resort – a nuclear option – under our system of government. We have elections; we have referendums; we have recalls. All these options are preferred and are less divisive tools than impeaching and removing an elected official, which is what Mr. Constant’s ordinance allows. Mr. Constant’s ordinance will do nothing but divide our community further, and give enormous power to the Assembly, enabling them to remove ANY mayor (not just Mayor Bronson, but all future Mayors) for any reason the Assembly deems to be a “breach of public trust.”
“In the nearly 50 years since Anchorage became a unified government, our community has never needed an ordinance like this. It’s clear this is a partisan and politically driven ordinance by a member of the Assembly seeking attention in their bid for Congress.
“No Mayor should be subject to a coup by an Assembly that doesn’t agree with him politically. Mayor Bronson calls on the people of Anchorage to oppose AO 2022-60 and to let Assembly Member Constant know that he has gone too far,” Bronson said.
I wish Anchorage would wake up and rid themselves of this Assembly.
The mail in fraud makes it so they never get voted out which is why the idiots continue doing what they do.
Surprised? I’m not.
You let the assembly run wild over the city for 6 years. When they violated your constitutional rights during Covid you did nothing. There have been elections and recalls and exactly 1 seat in the assembly changed hands.
You taught them you are willing to be treated like cattle. Milked until dry then disposed of.
Your apathy empowered tyranny.
Nice going, Anchorage. Brought this on yourselves.
Actually, Anchorage brought this on the rest of Alaska. After all, “As Anchorage goes, so goes Alaska.”.
I would hope that those who voted for Bronson would actually rise up and do what they need to do- should have done long ago- to reign in these terrorists. You all can’t allow this to happen! Maybe time to take a page from the left and get rowdy.
It’s vary hard to believe that Mr Dunbar is an officer in the Alaska Army National Guard, In my opinion he is a disgrace to the uniform, and I am ashamed for the service . If this is how he supports the chain of command then he should resign.
Homosexuals in uniform who will die for their orientation.
He’s a Lawyer that is all you need to know about him. He should have been removed from the National Guard when he made the commit about the US Constitution be inherently racist. That is a violation of the oath of office everyone in the military takes to defend the Constitution.
NO PRESIDENT HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM OFFICE THROUGH IMPEACHMENT EVER! ‘Commie’ Constant trying to make it easy VIOLATES THE SEPARATION OF POWERS and the PEOPLE’S DEMOCRATIC CHOICE through voting!
_________
“…the Framers meant for the phrase “high crimes and misdemeanors” to signify only conduct that seriously harms the public and seriously compromises the officer’s ability to continue. If the phrase is given a less rigorous interpretation, it could allow Congress to influence and control the President and the courts.
“Impeachment… must be closely limited to situations of conduct that inflicts *serious harm* on the public and that seriously compromises the officer’s ability to function in office. Otherwise, it could undermine our constitutional system of separation of powers and thwart our fundamental commitment to democracy [the people’s choice through election].
“Three Presidents—Andrew Johnson, Bill Clinton and Donald Trump—have been impeached by the House of Representatives. None of them was convicted by the Senate.
Article online:
Kinkopf: The Scope of the Impeachment Power: What are “High Crimes and Misdemeanors”? — “No President has been removed from office through impeachment”
Behold the face of pure, naked evil.
So democrat congressional candidate Constant and his band of Merry little men and women propose to modify the Muni charter without benefit of a vote. Sure makes you wonder what he might decide to do as a congress critter.
Happily, if the Law doesn’t apply to the Assembly, it doesn’t apply to the rest of us either. Cheers –
And, in true 3rd world dictatorship fashion, the Mayor’s office does not have an equivalent method of removing any member of the assembly.
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If there is a complaint against the mayor, it goes through an assembly employee, the Muni Clerk. And, if there is a complaint about a member of the assembly, it goes through, the very same employee. The balance between the legislative and the executive branch has just been tipped strongly toward the legislative branch.
The problem with many assembly members is they believe we are living in a democracy. They say it all the time and they are incorrect. A pure democracy is mob rule and they constantly act like a mob. We live in a democratic republic in a nation of laws that are SUPPOSED to be subservient to the supreme law of the land, the US constitution. The constitution was written to protect the US citizen from government and to prevent government from developing tyrannies to rule over the individual. It is time to take the assembly to court over these egregious violations of the US and Alaska Constitutions and throw them out in the street or into jail.
Liked your comment very much! I was told that a pure democracy would be 3 wolves and 1 sheep voting on what to have for dinner. Every time I hear the constant “democracy” this and “democracy” that, I feel like clenching my jaw. It is ubiquitous in our society and was being touted even when I went to school 60 years ago. Our founding fathers were vehemently against that system of government. I approached Don Young once and called him on it and for a couple of years, he didn’t say it so much. But eventually he returned to the easily said old habits. Glad to see that someone else understands the Constitution.
They want to rule with an iron fist.
Kennedy democrats have been replaced by totalitarians fascists.
EXACTLY
In my opinion, the Assembly is doing this in attempt to scare and control Bronson. The left saw that they could neuter Dunleavy through scare tactics and now they want to do it with the the 2nd most powerful office in Alaska. They may just find that Bronson isn’t a push-over and will fight them at their own game.
When/if real republicans ever resume a majority in this town and they use this: they will be sued by LaFrance,Constant,Rivera et al for using a blatant plan of government overreach that is unconstitutional and unlawful. The ADN will accuse the right of being obstructionist and childish and spiteful. The people of Anchorage will agree with the MSM ant the quagmire will resume.
I think the assembly should be given a notice to cure their usurpations of removal of the public from public meetings since the public outranks the assembly. Each person has the right to speak uninfringed at meetings ( Maxim of law: the beligerant man has his rights). Public servants might have to wait five weeks or more before an issue is sufficiently heard. I believe each instance of infringement has a cost of $300,000 per instance of violation with punitive damages trebling available payable by the public servant. It may be treasonous to have a pattern of working against the people’s expressed will. Servants do not become sovereign rulers contrary to popular contemporary custom in Anchorage. Is the US Constitution out the window at this time?.
“The mayor will serve by democratic vote, subject to approval by the assembly. Actually, to make things simpler, the assembly will appoint the mayor and we can skip the hassle and expense of voting”.
The public is in agreement with the Mayor. The public expresses disagreement with the assembly majority and their administrative contracted employee. The service of creating a pathway to avulse the public’s elected Mayor is not requested at this time. But, how can we avulse assembly members who usurp the US Constitution and will not serve the public’s wishes; but, who instead command the public to speak an infringed three minutes or be removed from association in publicly announced, invited meetings because some lady wants some guy to speak in ladylike tones. These people are too much.
Just a reminder of this Assembly: $450.000 was wasted on non-refundable earnest money for the purchase of the Tudor Alaska Club. The purchase was voted down by midtown voters. $1.1000 settlement paid to failed apartment and grocery stores. Wasted millions of federal $$s meant to help struggling businesses used to enrich political allies. They want millions to repair the Sullivan Arena that they allowed the homeless to destroy. And they want to recall our Mayor? Watch 2000 Mules.com. It was taken off You Tube, however, you can either rent it or purchase it. With ranked voting that is exactly what will happen in Alaska.
Does the mayor recognize he’s is here sitting as mayor because of God wanted him there instead of any opponents? That’s all the encouragement needed. I hope he recognizes it! More important does
he know it!? When the God of isreal wants someone in a position no one can shorten their season. Democrats tried to shorten trump’s presidency. He served his first term with success! Every way possible tried they couldn’t unseat trump before his first term expired. He was supposed to be there.
The issue of “Should Anchorage have a way to remove the Mayor?” is not the same question as “Do I trust this Assembly more than this Mayor?” We can give different answers to both questions.
In essence, they propose a Charter Amendment without involvement of the general public or a vote of the people. They really aren’t gonna like playing under their new rules. Cheers –
Christopher, the only Constant thing about you is that you are a weak bully, within that you attempt to engage within strength that is not your own, but rather you attempt always to overrun any opinion not attuned unto your own, which is really a weakness, not a strength…. just saying…oh, and that you are a pathetic little bully that has no right unto the power which you perceive to unto yourself possess….
These people have hate in their hearts and arrogance corrupting what they have left for principles. They are impossible. And their egos have so many leaks that they have to do this in order to keep them inflated. And when they hear anyone scrutinize them they just roll their eyes. That’s because the journalism they respect never holds them accountable for anything. They are despots that condemn Russia but want the power that Putin, the oligarchs, and the Kremlin have. This is only a couple levels away from having an opposing candidate arrested…. actually it’s probably closer than that.
This is no longer left and right or liberals vs conservatives. This is about a hive mind that is out of control. Even many liberals can see that, just not enough of them.
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