The Anchorage Assembly at Tuesday’s meeting is set to approve a new lobbying contract with a firm that employs former US Senator and former Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich, raising questions about transparency in city government.
According to Assembly meeting documents, the firm Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP was selected from seven applicants to provide federal and state lobbying services for the Municipality of Anchorage. The initial contract runs from July 1 through Dec. 31, at a not-to-exceed cost of $90,000. Two optional one-year renewals at $200,000 each could bring the total contract value to $490,000.
Begich, who also owns hotel properties periodically leased by the city for use as homeless shelters, is named in the contract as the “Lead Lobbyist.” Though he is not a registered lobbyist, his involvement in municipal matters is ongoing. He arranged for the sale of Municipal Light & Power when Mayor Ethan Berkowitz was in office, and his contracts with the city to house homeless individuals in his hotel properties has been worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.
The lobbying contract outlines specific safeguards to address potential conflicts of interest, requiring Mark Begich to disclose whether he is acting on behalf of the city in any meeting or communication with municipal officials. If no such disclosure is made, it will be presumed that he is not representing the city. Likewise, failure to disclose a conflict of interest will be taken to mean none exists.
The firm’s responsibilities include engaging with Alaska’s congressional delegation, monitoring and influencing key legislation, and pursuing federal funding opportunities on behalf of the city. Brownstein is also required to provide at least two briefings per year to both the Administration and Assembly, as well as regular written reports detailing its lobbying activities.
The contract comes at a time when Mayor Suzanne LaFrance and the Assembly are working to increase Anchorage’s influence in Washington, DC, and Juneau amid shifting federal and state funding priorities.
Also notable is that LaFrance’s chief of staff, Susanne Fleek-Green, formerly served as state director for Sen. Begich during his tenure in the US Senate and she served as former Mayor Ethan Berkowitz’ chief of staff, as well as her job in the Biden Administration running Lake Clark National Park and Preserve.
While Mark Begich is the Democrat uncle of Rep. Nick Begich III, a Republican currently representing Alaska in Congress, there is no indication that the contract would involve any lobbying directed at his nephew, the congressman. But the contract is awkward and does not acknowledge that conflict of interests that Mark Begich has.
The Assembly is scheduled to vote on the contract during its June 24 meeting. The agenda for the meeting is at this link.
Wow, to be able to make hundreds of thousands of dollars living off the taxpayers. Begich’s hotels were obsolete and unprofitable so he got them cheap. Then the homeless got moved in, he had 100% capacity, and I imagine a nice refurbishment was done. Now more money for lobbying efforts which will attract more Liberals to Anchorage and Juneau.
oh what a huge surprise, the anchorage assembly is once again proving they are as politically bias as they come. Gee do you think they considered any other agencies, NOT!