Mayor Dave Bronson issued a veto for AO2023-133, an ordinance approved by the Assembly on Jan. 16 that gives the Assembly vast subpoena powers that include the ability to subpoena municipal volunteers.
Bronson said that he was concerned about overreach by the Assembly as well as the potential for weaponiazaiton of the subpoena authority.
Upon gaveling in at the regular Assembly meeting on Tuesday, the Assembly overrode the veto by a vote of 9-3.
Bronson said, “The Assembly subpoena process changes voluntary participation into mandatory participation—even in the face of citizen objection. Uncontrolled Assembly subpoena powers will create a chilling effect on citizen volunteers participating in their municipal government.”
The original subpoena power, enacted in the 1990s, referred only to municipal spending and policy. The new powers give the Assembly vast authority to subpoena volunteers on nearly any public matter. If a person refuses the Assembly subpoena, the Assembly can sue and have a judge force the person to appear before the Assembly.
Recently, the Assembly subpoenaed four people who were observers of the municipal elections.
“Citizen participation in Municipal governance is voluntary under normal circumstances. Citizens are encouraged to participate through their Community Councils, Boards and Commissions, public commentary at Assembly meetings, or by contacting their Assembly Member. The Assembly subpoena process changes voluntary participation into mandatory participation—even in the face of citizen objection,” Bronson wrote in his veto explanation.
“Uncontrolled Assembly subpoena powers will create a potential chilling effect on citizen volunteers participating in their municipal government. In a recent incident, four Anchorage residents were subpoenaed by the Assembly in relation to an election matter. Three of them sought legal representation, eventually persuading the Assembly to accept their voluntary appearance at a public meeting instead of a mandated one. For these citizens, the subpoena process itself became a form of punishment or penalty, and the broadening of this process raises deep concerns,” Bronson wrote.
“Moreover, critics argue that the expanded subpoena powers are unnecessary. The Municipality already has a prosecution department for handling misdemeanors. Ultimately, the additional financial burden falls on the Anchorage taxpayer.
Because this ordinance allows the Assembly to mandate citizen testimony in an otherwise voluntary public venue, expands Assembly power to subpoena testimony and document production, and imposes additional financial burden on the Anchorage taxpayer, I hereby veto,” he wrote.
Assembly Chairman Chris Constant said the mayor had been giving bad information to the public about the Assembly’s push for subpoena powers.
“And I understand why he’s doing that, giving cover for the fact that we have had an experience where his administration has had actors who have done very abusive things to the public process and we have, in fact, needed to have their testimony so we could understand the genesis of the efforts that were undertaken by these individuals to, in effect, impune our elections, and overturn, effectively, our elections,” Constant said.
The new subpoena power by the Assembly is another step in its march toward taking away the power of the mayor’s office. The mayor and the Assembly represent two very different visions of Anchorage that are nearly always at odds.
The veto can be found here.
Let the inquisitions begin. Say in line, serfs.
As Anchorage races to become the new Seattle. Can the new Portland be far behind?
After that? The Union of the Anchorage Soviet Socialist Republic.
We can see by EVERY photo these commies post which FLAG they are true to (hint, its not America or Alaska).
This is the weaponization of our local elections. ANCHORAGE ASSEMBLY MAJORITY ARE EVIL, here is the final proof. LAWFARE IN ALASKA. WEAPONIZATION of our local government (lets all remember the borg queen ADQ who started all this during the plandemic.
Since the state uses the muni to process ballots, does our local assy also have the ability to interfere with our state and federal elections too?
Lawfare, plain and simple. We the voting citizens get screwed by these lefty “democrats” and RINOs.
Every single day and twice on Sundays.
Great post Molly I totally agree!!!👍 They gotta go!
It be good to not the three members that voted against the assembly. I think I know who they are, but could you confirm?
Well of course they did, because that is what communists do. They force their agenda down the throats of the voter’s and the floggings will continue until morale improves or you are physically, morally, spiritually and financially spent. These kind of people in government have forgotten the core principles of service. Principle one, you are not King! You are supposed to serve the people and respect their rights under the U.S. Constitution. Principle two, any ordinance or administrative process that isn’t in line with the Constitution and the rights of the people is null and void. The people therefore should not comply due to the criminal nature of the governing body. Just the fact they have a rainbow flag instead of an American Flag in front of them is an egregious insult to our country and our people.
Imagine this Assembly crowd controlling from the mayor’s office in June. When they not only control the assembly but also the executive office once again.
Sigh
Get subpoenaed, plead the Fifth: “On the advice of counsel, I invoke my fifth amendment privilege against self-incrimination and respectfully decline to answer your question.”
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Repeat the invocation several times, it should sink in.
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Eaglexit can’t happen fast enough, no?
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To Eaglexit sponsors, what’ll keep this sort of thing out of the new Assembly?
You might be surprised but there is a great deal of support for EaglExit from those outside of Eagle River.
Does seem like many more would go with Eaglexit if they could.
Mayor Bronson, you are swimming in a demon-infested pool. I hope that Anchorage figures out a way to drain that demon-infested pool before it kills everyone.
Getting rid of conjured up voting month AND conjured up method for delivery and receipt of the ballots is the only way.
There is one answer: VOTE against every one of them, no democrats, no rinos, no alphabet agenda humans.
Get out the conservative vote and remove these demons from their perch.
As history has shown, the left centralizes power for the sole purpose of hand-strapping their political rivals and subpoenas will be extended, primarily, to “investigate wrong doings” associated with any associations with such political rivals. Our assembly lives with the expectation that they will hold a perpetual philosophical majority, but if at any time they lose such a position, they will function as an over active lame duck organization with the sole purpose of removing such powers.
Yes, Bronson is swimming in a pool of demons. Having poll watchers is NOT the solution. If you attended the talks by the inexhaustible Dr. Douglas Frank, you will understand WHY the assembly moves with such arrogant assurance that they will continue in power. No … the majority of Anchorage voters are NOT Leftists. The Dominion voting machines are not rigged, nor are they connected to the internet in the normal way. What they do is “talk” to cell towers, just as your iPhone does, even when you think it is “off”. The vote shortfalls for communist candidates is assessed, and then made up by mail-in ballots during the time of early voting and the full week of awaiting them all to arrive. Unless and until they move to paper ballots and same-day voting, this election fraud will continue. Frank proved this to numerous state officials, hacking into the Dominion machines in real time with his own laptop in their offices. Bronson needs to say this OUT LOUD. What on earth has he got to lose?
Thank you for bringing up the Dr Frank data! People, look for Dr Frank on many of the social platforms and check out what he has to say! Solid information and he has suggestions for how we take our state back, but it is going to take everyone to grow a pair and get your feet on the ground and moving in the right direction.
That clearly is a sprint to a dictatorship
You get what you elect. This is a clear sign that voters will not tolerate miscreants interfering with election workers
Define “interfering?”
So the Marxist Nine can just unilaterally rewrite the Anchorage Municipal Charter?
REALLY?
How is this grossly illegal move not being legally challenged?
Because Anchorage doesn’t care. They are happy to be ruled.
That lesson was made abundantly clear with the way the citizens rolled over during Covid.
You know MA, I don’t see a great uprising in Juneau either, so one surmises that you like to be ruled too (and if memory serves Juneau was even nuttier than Anchorage during Covid)
The question is really one of financial wherewithal. Taking these creeps to court for changing the rules is unaffordable for most. Then you have the mail in vote and the clerk running the counting, who clearly appears to be in their pocket. Now they suppress the free observers…. Elections should be held in the light of day, not behind closed doors with only certain people allowed to “observe”.
And you’d be wrong about Juneau. Again. As usual.
There are two huge holes in your argument.
1-the subject is Anchorage, not Juneau. It’s a sad attempt at conflation.
2-no one here is claiming we’re a “conservative” community.
Thanks for playing. Be sure to get your consolation prize on your way home.
Oh funny!
I guess you lambasting Anchorage is A-okay, but not you looking in the mirror. Yes I am aware that Juneau is a commie bastion, which seems to support my assertion that you too are “being ruled”.
Thanks for the laughs!
What’s wrong with issuing a subpoena to a volunteer campaign worker who may be covering up election fraud?
Protesting election security is not a wise move unless you plan to cheat.
Would that not be more in line with a criminal investigation? and does or should the legislative branch have that authority? our US congress does have that right, but can they actually enforce it? i have seen where they have issued a subpoena and no one shows up to the hearing. they cannot enforce it……because to ignore it really has no consequences.
I do not understand why the Mayor is not using the judicial ruling he won about separation of powers. The Mayor won so why not fight?
Oh… look.
Leftists are consolidating power to the All_Powerful_State.
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What a surprise. (Said no one ever.)
Someone needs to bring a banjo to the meeting.
That bus load of clowns on the Anchorage ASSembly reminds me of Pelosi and her renegades during the Trump administration. Only in a mini version. Are there enough sane voters in Anchorage to get rid of those idiots? Asking for a friend.
Writ of Quo Warrento. Tell us where exactly did you get this express authority in the founding documents? You are not given authority over people’s bodies, you idiots.
Just in case there is any doubt, this is not how government is supposed to be run in a free society. It is more like a military coup, very similar to certain African countries. The only difference is that the people have not taken the African response as of yet. A subjective rule without military backing such as Cuba seldom works for long. We must always remind ourselves how civilized we are. It’s become a burden.
Look it up. Writ of Quo Warrento is a demand of an actor or actors as to where exactly they received a delegation of power to commit a possibly illegal act. It includes a defined remedy. This athletic bunch needs to learn that they bring each one of them authority both personal and subject matter exactly what they have at home. They are not convening a continental Constitution every Tuesday in Anchorage and rewriting the US Constitution. No illegal group activity is allowed.
In my devotional reading this morning I come across the learning duet 2:31. “I have begun to deliver . . . . . Now begin to conquer and possess” the Lord is talking about the Israelites entering into the promised land. It reminded me of the way the devils works as soon as saten conquers territory he possesses it. He knows the Bible, after all he used to live with the Word, but a thought came to mind is us saints mediating on the Word out loud so he can hear the Words of scripture coming from the saint’s mouth. So I thought I think while I am working on memorizing scripture I also be learning to not read scripture out loud to myself. Any way! These Anchorage leftists are only doing what Christians should do when they take their families, their children, and eventually their communities and state back from the enemy we move in to possess it as these guys in the Assembly are aggressively working toward possessing all of us in the municipality.
They can say whatever they want. They still can’t mandate that a private citizen appear before them for any purpose. It is a violation of the Bill of Rights guaranteed under the US Constitution. As long as people continue to believe these useless idiots have the power they continue to expound on, the rights we enjoy will be slowly eroded.
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