Bill Walker now says he’s not officially endorsing Begich

By
Suzanne Downing
-
10

BUT USES STATE RESOURCES TO CAMPAIGN FOR HIM

Gov. Bill Walker flew to Fairbanks and spoke to a group of laborers at Fairbanks Local 375 Pipefitters, where he waxed extensively about the upcoming election and why he supports Mark Begich.

He did so all on the State of Alaska’s dime.

Walker told the group at the Fairbanks Pipeline Training Center that he is “very concerned about the damage that Mike Dunleavy would do to Alaska and that’s why I did what I did, to make sure it was a two-way competitive race,” according to a report in the Fairbanks News-Miner.

Walker said Begich is the best choice for Alaska.

“On issues associated with Alaska first, Alaska labor issues, the gas pipeline and resource development, I think we’re more aligned; certainly on health care we’re more aligned,” Walker said. “Also on the fiscal plan, I think you just can’t be reckless and you shouldn’t be able to buy your election with my grandchildren’s future, and that’s what we’re seeing right now with Dunleavy,” the News-Miner reported.

But then he said he doesn’t officially endorse Begich.

“But I do believe he would be better for Alaska than Mike Dunleavy,” he said, according to the News-Miner.

Walker continued discussing how his campaign is working hard to let voters know he is not running.

Campaigning as the sitting governor, using state resources, is something he’s done all year, and more so in the summer and fall. But he’s split the expenses with his campaign, and that gave him a tremendous advantage. Now, however, he’s out of the race, and he’s using his offices and state resources to make an undeclared contribution by the Governor’s Office to the Begich campaign. Clearly illegal.

“We’ve done a lot. We’ve been sending out emails, we’ve sent out all sorts of messaging to let people know that we have withdrawn from the campaign. We’ve told them why, we’ve told them the issues that we are aligned with, with what’s important to us and find the candidate that matches that, those kind of priorities and hope that they will support them. We’ve gone a long ways in that regard,” he is reported as saying.

Then, after finishing his campaign stop for Begich, Walker flew to Anchorage. He had already sent out a news release to reporters in advance, telling them he was going to vote. They showed up.

He held a press conference after voting, and told them he had voted for Begich. The reporters didn’t just catch him by happenstance — they were advised he’d have a press conference. The point of it? To promote a candidate.

All on the state dime.

Walker quit his campaign on Oct. 19 and said he supported Begich to ensure that Dunleavy wouldn’t win.

But in Fairbanks on Friday, he said that he doesn’t officially endorse him. And in Anchorage, he said he voted for him.

“I don’t align with (Begich) on everything, obviously, that’s why I have not given him an endorsement. But I certainly think that he is better for Alaska than Dunleavy is,” he told the Anchorage Daily News.

Whether he has or hasn’t endorsed Begich is a matter of confusion at this juncture. The media is reporting it both ways, and doesn’t seem prepared to challenge him on why he’s promoting Begich in his official capacity — since he no longer has a campaign capacity with which to split expenses.

10 COMMENTS

  1. Who will have the courage to bring the Walker administration up on these obviously illegal things by Governor Liar?

  2. Yes, the outgoing Governor is just pure class. The sooner this puppy is permanently at his place in Hawaii, the better.

  3. Both Google and Bing give prominence to Wikipedia in searches related to the governor’s race. There has been an effort over there the past two weeks to actively confuse the difference between Walker suspending his campaign and the fact that he is still a valid candidate as far as the ballot is concerned. Not surprising when you consider that for years, Wikipedia has given inordinate weight towards individuals associated with John-Henry Heckendorn in its coverage of Alaska politics. Don’t go looking to Conservapedia as an alternative, as they’re still hopelessly stuck on Sarah Palin.

  4. OPEN LETTER TO THE GOVERNOR

    Dear Governor Walker:

    At the very least, you owe Alaskans an explanation for your recent actions. I supported you in the 2010 Republican Primary and again in 2014 when you changed hats and ran as an Independent with Democrat Byron Mallott. Now, you are encouraging Alaskans to support Mark Begich, a lifetime Democrat.

    How can you expect fellow Alaskans to provide even a scintilla of confidence in your judgment? You couldn’t deliver a gas pipeline, you tried like hell to initiate an income tax, you took our right to a full PFD, you castigated Brett Kavanaugh, and finally, you bailed on us because you teamed up on the Third Floor with a sexual pervert.

    And you want us to believe your judgment is still sound enough to follow you through on a Mark Begich endorsement? Who’s side are you really on?

    The public trust has been betrayed by you. Yet, you still want us to follow your personal judgment. If you could, with the remainder of any integrity left in your heart, please tell us how you expect Alaskans to take you seriously.

    I know you follow Must Read Alaska. Ms. Downing will surely print your response. We just want the truth, so we can understand what kind of governor we really had these past four years.

    Sincerely,
    A very disappointed Alaskan.

      • Editor’s Note: This is obviously a spoof letter that has been submitted and is not from the real Gov. Bill Walker. Nevertheless, it is an enjoyable and humorous read.

        Dear Disappointed Alaskan:

        Thank you for your open letter, and to Ms. Downing for her popular blog site, Must Read Alaska. It’s true, I do read Ms. Downing’s articles and the accompanying comments.

        These past few weeks have been sheer torment for my family and I. Please believe me, I had no idea that Lt. Governor Mallott would be involved with the indiscretions as alleged by alternate news sources. I was informed only about inappropriate comments made to a woman. I did not know that it rose to a higher level. On behalf of Mr. Mallott, I apologize to all Alaskans for his weird choices and indiscretions.

        I did try my best to present unity among Alaska’s political parties. Unfortunately, the divisions amongst the electorate has risen to an intolerable level since the fall of 2016. Our country is being taken in a very different direction that I had anticipated. There are two schools of thought in this matter: either Alaska is being left behind in the wake of a new era of politics, or, Alaska is trailblazing and carving out new territory from which our state
        is a voice for others to follow. In about 24 hours, Alaskans will decide which school of thought prevails.

        After much mental anguish and personal reflection over the past three weeks, I have decided to change my position. Our state should not, and cannot, survive the economic tortures that Mark Begich would inflict if he becomes governor. I’ve had a long-term affiliation with unions in this state, but a recent epiphonic awakening convinces me that our state will suffer huge economic losses with Mark Begich and Vince Beltrami in charge. Further, as much as I enjoy eating salmon, Proposition One’s passage would sink our ability as a state to function optimally. I would rather eat caribou and moose, and dine by the heater in my Escalade.

        Therefore, in all reason and intent, I proudly urge Alaskans to vote for Mike Dunleavy for Governor. I have come to this decision on my own. I will work closely with Mike to make sure the transition process is smooth. The last thing I desire is for Alaskans to look at my tenure skeptically and with shame. I have done my best and I am thankful to have served my state to the best of my ability, regardless of the people I regretably hired to surround me. Soon, they too will be on their merry way.

        Sincerely,

        Bill Walker
        Governor

        • Mr. Walker, I was skeptical of you the very first time we met at State Fair in 2010. I have watched you ignore the basic needs of the people of this great state while you were solely focused on your pie in the sky gas pipeline.

          I have watched you and your cabinet make every excuse you could muster up regarding the states failing at dealing with these very issues that will be left for others to fix. As a lawyer in our state, I hope you are more on the up and up with your clients then you have been with the residents of Alaska. Your political career has been destroyed, your credibility has been called into question more so then any governor in state history, and yet you insist on staying quiet about Byron Mallott.

          Mr. Walker, what else are you hiding from us? As a lifelong Alaskan please allow me to offer you a single but very important recommendation. When you signed for your current job, you promised complete and total honesty and transparency! Do you recall?

          I hope you have a nice retirement.

          Harold

  6. Walker has gone into political
    Oblivion. He is like a photon. He matters zero! Permanently! He is probably not worth our energy in pointing out his failures and lies.

Comments are closed.