Has Byron Mallott lost control of the State Seal?

By
Suzanne Downing
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4

 

It appears the Governor’s Office has lent the Alaska State Seal to a group of Alaska nonprofits fighting the Pebble Mine.

The group of anti-mining interests put out a long series of statements today praising the EPA decision to slow-walk any mining in Bristol Bay.

The State Seal was included like a logo along with the other logos.

The question is, did the lieutenant governor lose control of the State Seal?

One of his main jobs is to protect the seal, but it looks like it’s being used in an improper capacity, yet with the governor’s quotes and the contact information for his press secretary

The State Seal implies the joint statement is an official document of the state, which is why guarding it is a constitutional duty, an oath sworn by the lieutenant governor. Here is what Lt. Gov. Byron Mallott allowed to go out today:

WHAT IS THE PROBLEM?

The issue is not that the governor has an opinion on Pebble, but the mining prospect is on State land, and by opposing Pebble so vigorously along with groups that could eventually sue the state, Walker is putting the regulatory authority of the state into legal jeopardy.

Must Read Alaska wonders if this is what “guarding the State Seal” looks like.

 

4 COMMENTS

  2. “You had ONE job to do…….that’s all, one job” (besides elections)

    It saddens me that so many people here fell for the propaganda storm from the ADN, and went to the polls and voted for the Walker/Mallot clown show.

    I’ve told people that Parnell was a good governor, but bad at being a politician, and I still believe it. It’s very hard to find someone who can be both.

  3. This is not an oversight. Environmentalists are shopping for a Democrat to oppose Walker. Walker has tried to be on both sides of ANWR but from an environmentalist’s perspective he came down on the Sullivan-Murkowski-Young (and Trump) side. Walker has asked that the Tongass NF be once again exempted from the Roadless Rule. Therefore opposing Pebble is a very necessary check-off and an easy call for Walker despite the terrible policy and legal implications described by MRA here. Will it be enough to stave off any Democrats being recruited by state and national environmentalists? Could a woman, backed by environmentalist’s money, beat out Walker and a Republican in this year of the Me-Too movement (the Year of the Woman) and with the Salmon measure on the ballot? The issue of the high dollar travel and fly-fishing magazine Seven now on the newsstands has a feature story on Pebble that may hint at the kind of money that could come into a gubernatorial campaign if the candidates were aligned with national environmentalists on all Alaska issues – Tongass, ANWR, salmon measure, etc. Look for Walker to do something on global warming soon to placate national environmentalists, and look for the House Majority to line up behind him.

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