The Alaska House of Representatives’ leftist majority today voted to move a “Sense of the House” condemnation against Rep. David Eastman of Wasilla into the Military and Veterans Affairs Committee, which already has a hearing scheduled to investigate the veterans’ group known as the Oath Keepers.
The Sense of the House, offered by Rep. Grier Hopkins of Fairbanks, says that Eastman has spoken about government Covid-19 vaccine and mask mandates and compared them to actions taken by the Nazis during the Holocaust, a comparison he finds “offensive and unacceptable.”
Undaunted, on Thursday during the House floor session’s “Special Orders” part of the agenda, Eastman made comments comparing vaccine mandates to events that led up to the Holocaust.
The House spent more than a half an hour on the question of whether the Sense of the House should be sent to committee or debated and voted on the floor right then and there. There clearly were not the votes to pass it on the floor.
The vote to send it to committee was 21-17, with Republican Rep. Kelly Merrick from Eagle River voting with her fellow Democrats, who control the House. Merrick joined the Democrat-led majority last year. Republican Rep. Steve Thompson was absent from the floor during the vote, and Democrat Rep. Ivy Spohnholz had an excused absence.
Eastman, who rose to make several points of order during the extraordinary proceedings that were operating far outside the Mason’s Manual rule book, said the matter — even if it was an attack on him — deserved debate on Wednesday on the floor, not to be buried in a committee.
View the House proceedings at this link.
The Military and Veterans Affairs Committee has scheduled a hearing to attack the Oath Keepers, scheduled for Thursday under the committee’s chair, Democrat Rep. Chris Tuck. Rep. Eastman is a member of the Oath Keepers, some of whom were arrested but not yet convicted for actions taken on Jan. 6, 2021 as Congress was certifying the Electoral College. Eastman, while in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 6, stayed far away from the Capitol.
It’s clear that along with the scheduled hearing on Oath Keepers, and now the insertion of the Sense of the House, the committee is engaged in a McCarthy-style inquisition.
The hearing on Thursday will feature Alex Friedfeld with the Anti-Defamation League’s Center on Extremism. He will talk in depth about the Oath Keepers and the militia movement in the United States. Friedfeld is a former New York City police officer and has a masters degree in security studies from George Washington University.
Friedfeld was featured in this Rolling Stone story about Oath Keepers.
Hour 2 of the hearing will include a presentation from Jon Lewis, a research fellow at George Washington University who previously worked as a research assistant at the International Institute for Counterterrorism and the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point. He has written an article about the Oath Keepers and their role in the Jan. 6 break-in at the U.S. Capitol.
In January Lewis co-wrote a scathing article on Oath Keepers in a blog called Lawfare.com.
The Legislature has been in session for 23 days. In recent weeks, the House Democrats tried to strip Eastman from all of his Committees, but that effort failed to win enough votes to move forward, since it would have required more than a simple majority. Several House Democrats want to have Eastman expelled from the House altogether, but they can’t muster the votes to accomplish that mission.
In the past, the Democrats have censured Eastman for statements he made to the media about the role of Medicaid, pregnancy, and rural Alaskans getting government-paid trips to the city. That made some Democrats so mad they demanded he apologize, which he refused to do.
Eastman unsuccessfully called for a Sense of the House over a beer and ping-pong party that legislators on the Left engaged in during the Capitol’s Covid shutdowns in 2021.
Read: Beer pong, leg wrestling, and a terse memo from Legislative Affairs in a time of Covid
There’s really nothing else going in the world right now, certainly not in Alaska that deserves this amount of energy and time spent on it. Are we paying to bring in the two “experts” or are the paying their own way here to excoriate Rep. Eastman? Democrats are worthless.
I keep thinking to myself every time Stutes and her minions pull something I figure that’s about as bad as it can get. Then they come up with something that makes everything else they have done look like it wasn’t worth recognition.
WHO ELECTED THESE CLOWNS?
We did. We did this to ourselves.
Q: WHO ELECTED THESE CLOWNS?
A: The usual suspects – democrats, unions, greens, Bush
Cheers –
9. We will NOT obey any orders to confiscate the property of the American people, including food and other essential supplies.
It is a matter for his voters. Remember Senator Byrd was a member of the KKK and was supoorted by Democrats until his death in 2010 including vigorous support of both Clintons. The same Democrat party who cannot prove any crimes or overt racism by their boogie man.
LOL. Since when is honoring your oath to defend the Constitution an “evil”?
Leftists are Fools.
When it involves a seditious attack on the Capitol building to attempt to overthrow a true and fair election at the request of a sitting President. Eastman is a member of one of the organizations that planned and executed such an attempt. It doesn’t get any more dishonorable than that even if he did not participate directly. He is a West Point graduate, and even 80 some of his classmates think he should be gone.
He has, in effect, disavowed his oath to defend the Constitution, and that is truly unamerican, if not strictly treasonous. If he is not willing to disavow his allegiance to the Oath Keepers and the defeated President, he is a scoundrel masquerading as a patriot.
Your radical leftist delusion and farcical exaggeration is running rampant again, Homo.
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Yes, the first-ever “insurrection” in history in which not weapon was present, and in which not one authority figure was killed or harmed.
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Go peddle your disingenuous lies and hysteria in the rigidly censored ADN comments section.
David Eastman should be in the Speaker’s chair. Maybe then the people’s business could be conducted in a responsible and mature manner. His stature stands head and shoulders above the majority of the so called ‘majority caucus’ members. Louise Stutes seems incapable of leading anything, the zoo that we have representing us is a pure disgrace!
The tyranny of fools.
Thank you John.
If I say the same thing about vaccines and masks NEA Grier going to call for my resignation also.
This is ridiculous. Reminds me of the Karen who gets flicked on the shoulder and falls down screaming assault.
“Sense of the House” is an oxymoron.
Dang, you beat me to it. I was going to ask how you can have a sense of the house when there is no sense in the house. God help us. It appears that once again no work will get done.
“Nonsense of the House” would be much more apropos.
I will just say this in regards to this incredibly cynical, hypocritical and unjustified witch hunt against Rep. Eastman, and the attempt to slander, slur and demonize the honorable and honestly patriotic group Oath Keepers:
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“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible, make violent revolution inevitable.”
Trolling for a revolution, are you? Good luck with that.
Homo, the revolution is already happening, it is simply currently being led by nihilistic neo-Bolsheviks through almost every institution of authority — the courts, public schools, universities, the corporate-medical-industrial complex, the corporate media, and others.
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But prepare for the Thermidorian Reaction.
These people disgust me. Can we deport them to China so they can live in their communist utopia they want so badly?
This will result in:
A. Civil war
B. Civil unrest
C. Stutes going bald
D. Mike Dunleavy calling for four special sessions.
Enough is enough. Each and every Alaskan needs to contact their representative and tell them to get off their dead azz’s and get to work on the budget and solving the PFD issue now. This is just another partisan delay activity put in place as they finally release their grip on Wuhaun mandates, to claim they have saved the population from the pandemic. Pathetic game of slight of hand and twist of fate. Next will be state income tax
The D controlled house had the time for this nonsense since they quickly formulated a State budget.
Oh wait…
Maybe if so-called Republicans like Kevin McCabe wouldn’t begin their “defenses” of Eastman with words like ‘I have serious concerns about the Oath Keepers’ — we wouldn’t be here. Whether you like Eastman or not you have to admire the man has impeccable personal integrity and background. He hasn’t flinched once. Nor has he wavered in his beliefs. Pro Tip RINOs: The Constitution means absolutely nothing without a Minuteman next to it with a musket. That may offend those not brave enough to speak their mind or think they can win by being Politically Correct. But that’s just the way it is.
Eastman for speaker or governor or Senator. Bring the legislative session to the road system, so we can be smelled by the politicians. Kind of a take off of a sentence by Harry Reid.
Sounds like to me hopkins doesn’t want us remembering the anti semitic laws the germans passed prior camps being formed. You know! I don’t want to die a grusome murder. Seeing how insenstive and cold people are today, the ones still wearing masks and staunchly support vaccine mandate, i already see what side of the line i’d be standing. You know! What the public can do? Check out books about the holocaust and german history between 1911-1939 that way if more alaskans study this period hopkins can’t assist wiping it from memory when the state knows history and relates it to today. I was looking thru pages of loussac childrens biography books about the holocaust and the pictures were horrific. I am glad i didn’t study the holocaust as a child, i would’nt handle the pictures like an adult can with adult eyes. I would put a parent disclaimer ‘viewer discetion advised.’ Even as an adult it was hard to see. Every body had a family history and a profession before they were singled out. You’d have to hate as deep as the ocean to not care about their life to do what i saw in those pictures. Much as the hatred brewing behind the masks i am seeing today agianst anyone unmasked. I try to nod at them and their eyes look away. You better not tell anyone you still not recieved a covid shot lest you get a glare and lost friendship. I never seen anything like peoples sudden attitude change.
Jen, as I saw on a anti-Covidian protest sign a few weeks ago:
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“If you ever wondered if you would have been compliant during the Nazi’s rise to power — now you know!”
They need to get off this Eastman thing & do the things that really need to get done. It’s a diversion. Eastman holds only 1 vote. What do his constituents say?? Or maybe nobody’s bothered to ask? Did they know he was in the Oath Keepers when they voted him in? I also looked over the Constitution to see where membership in Oathkeepers was prohibited and couldn’t find that part.
The Anti-Defamation League is literally a racist organization. until Feb 2022 The ADL defined racism as “the marginalization and/or oppression of people of color based on a socially constructed racial hierarchy that privileges White people.” How dare anyone from that organization speak in our state.
PS Kelly Merrick is a liar of the lowest order. Dante would put her in the 9th pit of Hell with the rest of the betrayers.
You know! Just as Homo. E stated twice ‘ignorance is expensive’ as it destroys life, or self suffiency, or reputation. starting with this years legislature i think they are just as ignorant as the public (democrat, republican, or non partisan alike) they don’t know enough about those years. If People knew todays people could never treat one another with such contempt and leaders, media, and celebrities never would dare to single out the people by masked and vax people and unmasked and unvaxed people if they knew the wwll generations history what they on the otherside of the german, poland, holland side remembers and what all saw that hatred brought about. Interesting thing about hatred is it gradually builds up. Thats why the scripture says let no bitterness take root. Ignorance is expensive it takes human life and worth. .
The more they attack this guy the better he looks.
Kelly Merick is a joke and Chugiak Eagle River will remember her. Her deception to her constituents was so bad, she has been driven out of the Party she claimed to represent.
Embolden by her own action, plus a lack morals, “ Little Lisa “ is running for higher office, State Senate.
No matter how much money her Demo Rat husband props her up with. The lies and BS that comes out of that women is beyond the Pale, and we will not forget.
She votes more consistently with the Left than Independent Josiah Patkotak. She is a Democrat on every issue, including forced jabs
David Eastman, Persecuting you is all they have left in their bag of tricks, they are empty and hallow and pathetic. Actually it is laughable! With all of the problems we as a State face this is the focus of the Leadership? With every passing day the House leadership just proves how feckless they really are!
In the words of Dick Winters, Hang Tough!
These guys constantly decide that their STUPIDITY and feeling OFFENDED is more important than the real issues facing Alaskans. They’ve been ignoring the REAL issues for YEARS. If only more of THEM were OATH KEEPERS!
Just look what happened in Ottawa — the chief of police himself is clearly NOT an Oath Keeper, as he’s turned criminal himself in arresting law-abiding citizens and stealing from them.
Clearly, we need MORE Oath Keepers!
We Alaskans have the opportunity to clean out the festering sore that the legislature has become.
It’s called an election.
It’s coming soon.
But will enough people be sufficiently fed up with the antics of the Grand Inquisitor Wannabes?
I pray that we do yet doubt that we will.
Please prove me wrong.
I too, worry that the citizens being neglected do not follow close enough, the atrocious behavior of both the Anchorage Assembly and our State Legislature. Both bodies require a total overhaul, while installing honest, competent, and just people to act as our true representatives!
Happy Alaska? You voted these fools in.
I watched the first few minutes, and the ineptitude of the leftist leadership (with no interest on moving forward with any business of true significance or consequence) got me to thinking that we need a new word:
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“ninCOMstutes”
noun
a foolish or stupid person whose narrow political interest overrides the best interests of every member of the State they are sworn to serve
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The whole thing played out as the “Senselessness of the House”. So stupid…
North, a very good comment! Yes the Karen from Kodiak is completely a nincomstutes!
The Alaska Legislature is currently debating whether to take action against an elected State Representative, allegedly based on an organizational affiliation, whereby he took a solemn oath to support and defend the constitution of the United States of America. I’m betting, few of the legislators have any understanding of the organization in question (Oath Keepers), nor could many of them be accused of adhering to the oath they took upon entering public office.
A quick scan of US Congressional lawmakers serving in government shows a claimed or demonstrated association with various spiritual beliefs. These “beliefs”, often described in official terms as religions, are a constitutionally protected right of American citizens. They identify as African Methodist, Anglican, Antioch Orthodox, Baptist, Buddhist, Catholic, Christian, Christian Reformed, Christian Scientist, Church of Christ, Congregationalist, Eastern Orthodox, Episcopalian, Evangelical, Greek Orthodox, Hindu, Jewish, Lutheran, Methodist, Mormon, Nazarene, Pentecostal, Presbyterian, Protestant, Quaker, Seventh Day Adventist, Southern Baptist, Unitarian, United Methodist and some unspecified.
I have to wonder, if an investigation were conducted into everyone who claimed one of these religious affiliations, would it reveal anyone of dubious character, some yet to be caught thieves, rapists, murderers or already convicted felons? Would everyone claiming that same religious affiliation suddenly be adjudicated guilty of crimes committed by others?
It wasn’t that long ago that “profiling” was soundly condemned by Erect Homos and Yankers as an ineffective and unfair investigative strategy. Religious, cultural, racial, occupational or geopolitical identifications have no bearing on criminal activity. It would be a grave mistake to use that premise to manipulate political power, as it could quickly come back to haunt those who resort to such measures.
Eastman should demand a commensurate investigation of anyone in the legislature who either donated to or supported, violent and lawless groups such as Black Lives Matter or Antifa who were responsible for billions of dollars of property damage and countless violent assaults and even murders in the past two years. How much money is the legislature paying the two biased grifters from Outside to tell them what they want to hear? Stutes is an embarrassment to the State of Alaska.
Excellent observations!
A diversion to preserve the status quo. Rember this moment when they are burning per diem in special sessions to rush legislation through.
Sense of the House? Oxymoronic.
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I get the sense that Grier Hopkins may be in trouble in the upcoming fall election. This dope from up in Fairbanks needs his uncle to bail him out with a redistricting lawsuit, his doper pappy to send him living expense money in Juneau, and his bro-in-law to start up his ballot harvesting machine. The Interior mafia Democrats would have done better with a clown.
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