Kevin McCabe: What do we really know about the Oath Keepers?

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By KEVIN MCCABE

I am very concerned about the alleged issues surrounding Rep. David Eastman and his membership in the Oath Keepers.

I am, however, far more concerned with the consequences of any contemplated action, to the Legislature, the government of Alaska as a whole, and the conservative Mat-Su delegation. What I mean when I say that is simply this: Representative Eastman’s voters sent him to the Legislature three different times.

Who am I and or who do other legislators (or any of us who are not his constituents), think we are to usurp their votes and to remove their representation?

Look, I don’t always 100% agree with all of my 39 colleagues. Some of them I disagree with a lot of the time. And I disagree with Rep Eastman a lot.

Sometimes it is process, and sometimes it is politics. But is it my job to try to remove a legislator if I disagree with them? No. That job belongs to his or her constituents. And there are two ways to do that – through the ballot box, or by recall petition.

Most Americans know about the concept of “due process;” and the American ideal of “innocent until proven guilty” which has legal basis found in the 5th, 6th, and 14th Amendments, as well as English common law and many other documents found in our legal (including both Alaska and US Supreme Courts) procedures and precedents.

So with no “due process” and the idea that an American is innocent until proven guilty by that due process, can I as a legislator, set myself up to be judge and jury and “punish” a fellow legislator sent to do the states work by his voters? Should I vote to “cancel” those constituents votes? Do you really want me to? Because that is what some of you are asking legislators to do. 

Many of those calling for Eastman’s ouster do not even know, or have never seen, the Oath Keepers manifesto, rules, platform or ideals. In short, Alaskans are believing the hysterical left bloggers, the left leaning mainstream media, and the Twitter warriors instead of reading the Oath Keepers constitution themselves. I read about them over a decade ago when Oath Keepers approached me about membership.

From what I remember many folks are taking the Oath Keepers platform and ideals completely out of context; especially in light of our history. Remember, our Declaration of Independence says this:

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.–That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, —That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.”

Is the Oath Keepers’ platform much different? Do we know? If you support removing Eastman, do you know? Have you seen the Oath Keepers platform or do you just believe  what the media/bloggers are writing? If so, ask yourself what their agenda is?

Finally, where does it end? Should we remove half the legislature because they are NRA members?

Should we find the social media posts of those legislators who supported BLM, Occupy Wall-Street, Occupy Seattle, or Antifa, and vote to remove them as well?

Should we remove legislators who are supported by various financial support groups and PACs, who also have an agenda that appears to run contra to our constitution?

Where does it end?

This whole thing is not an attempt to uphold our constitution. It is a thinly veiled personal and political hatchet job. No, this is about some who do not like a Representative’s positions, and his district’s politics, trying to get rid of him.

It is about some far far left Democrats and Socialists who see this as a way to remove a Republican from the House, shift the voting paradigm of the conservative Mat-Su, and create upheaval and strife for the conservative minority; all while cancelling the political stance of the district voters and the Mat-Su in general. 

Frankly I am dismayed to see so many smart people, educated in civics and American history, buying into this. The consequences to our state, of removing a representative in such a manner, are too great – and I cannot support this method.

Keep in mind that it could be any representative next;  but for now, the focus seems to be on shifting the voting block of the conservative Mat-Su delegation.

There is a recall procedure and a ballot box. If a representative’s constituents want him or her removed, then these are the two methods to use.

Rep. Kevin McCabe has represented District 8 as a member of the Alaska House of Representatives since 2021.

83 COMMENTS

  1. Oath keepers approached me about membership a few years ago and I was so impressed with their sincerity and commitment to integrity that I didn’t feel like I was good enough to fit in.

  2. Thanks Kevin for your opinion! I tend to agree with you. If every legislator in Juneau was of equal ethical quality and as honorable as David Eastman seems to be, the citizens of Alaska just might be inclined to renew their trust and appreciate their service again.

  3. Agreed. No matter what ones’ opinion of Mr. Eastman is, it is up to his constituents to remove him. This cancel culture has gotten out of hand.

    • There may be some restraint from removing him from the House, for the reason you give Dave, but they have every right to remove him from his committee assignments.

      • And why do “they” have the right to remove Eastman from his committee assignments, Bill? For what rational reason?
        .
        You and your other radical leftist ilk refuse to acknowledge that what is happening here is purely an ideological witch hunt and lynching, nothing more and nothing less than that.

        • They appear to have the votes to remove him from most of his committee assignments for the rational reasons they’ve already stated. You don’t like their reasons but you aren’t involved-they don’t have the votes to remove him from the House likely for the reasoning Dave used above.
          Eastman has been a trainwreck for most of his time in the House, been removed by his own party from his committees before, and eventually his constituents will be getting the message that they are poorly represented by his antics. And I don’t expect things to improve, for Eastman, once those Oathkeepers are convicted of their crimes.

          • Define “has been a trainwreck”, Bill.
            .
            What I really think you are trying to say, but refusing to do so openly, is that Eastman has not been a go-along-to-get-along RINO sellout, and for that crime he is being hounded, targeted and punished by his unprincipled, self-serving and corrupt state house fellow legislators.

          • For starters Jeff, he was kicked off his committees by his own party two years ago and then the late Kenai Rep. wouldn’t go along with the R majority with only the one member (Eastman) who couldn’t be counted on for anything. Now he is shown to be a member of an organization whose leaders have been charged with sedition against our government and he is still a member. Further, a colleague of his (Ed Rebrook) while at West Point has accused him of being both a holocaust denier and a white supremacist. He should be kicked out of the House but his party of minority members needs him and is willing to play ball for their own ends. Clearly a “trainwreck.”

  4. Well stated. I really think those who want the power to do this now will rue the day because it will come back to bite you!

  5. David Eastman tends to support everything associated with the US Constitution and telling the truth! I appreciate that. Sometimes we have to callout our errant, and erring bros and sisters to say “Hey! You are hurting others! Cut it out!”. He does that whether they are black white brown or what. I appreciate that. That’s why exactly you legislators are out of line to interfere with his straightforward service to Constitutional values. Thanks to the constituents that send him in. You are the good guys.

  6. The extreme liberal, socialist, Marxist agenda that is being pushed on Alaska/America is what needs to be focused on. America has a clearly written Constitution and Bill of Rights which includes freedom of speech, worship, etc. as defined by the 1st Amendment and the 2nd Amendment guarantees our rights to bear arms. Everyone should carefully study the Constitution and Bill of Rights. We must remember that we are on the precipice of losing our rights as these liberals, socialist, Marxist continue on their march to remove right after right and squash any dissenting opinion that does not fit their narrative. Rogue liberal politicians like 8-9 of the Anchorage Assembly are the ones that must be removed from office. Hell bent on pushing their agenda even if it means breaking the rules and or changing the rules. We must have civil discourse to work out differences and politicians, and others that shout the loudest or riot or tear down statues or try to change history or belong to “secret’ organizations are the ones that need to be silenced.

    • Please don’t refer to them as ‘liberals.’ They are the most illiberal, narrow minded (and vicious) people there are. They are leftest, Marxist neo-comms and have infiltrated all through Alaska. They are active participants in the Great Reset and Alaska and Alaskans are mere pawns.

  7. “…….Should we find the social media posts of those legislators who supported BLM, Occupy Wall-Street, Occupy Seattle, or Antifa, and vote to remove them as well?…….”
    I’m game for that. Big time.

    • And just why do they belong in jail, Oldman? Simply because they challenge the corrupt political establishment to which you craven cowards and bootlickers are beholden?

    • Nice set of blinders you are wearing. No wonder you pull a cart all day for the left. Leave the critical thinking to the rest of us.

    • It really says a lot about you, that you believe that people who have sworn to take seriously their oath to defend the Constitution of the United States, “belong in jail”.
      .
      Perhaps you would be happier and more comfortable living in N. Korea since you appear to hate this country and its Constitution……

  8. I don’t know if I’ve ever met an Oath Keeper but I’m pretty certain they are not the ones doing the car jackings and drive by shootings.

    • I thought that was Rap Music Culture Thugs? No? The left tries to say it is white supremacist, that’s right.

  9. It was actually Republicans not far left Democrats and socialists that wanted Eastman removed in the last election cycle. Eastman’s disruption is why Republicans are in the House minority, the next election will deyermine if Eastman’s constituents continue not wanting representation.

    • IMHO, the REPUBS can be just as crooked as the DEMS….Take for instance the recent unanimous vote not to lower their Per Diem…..

      Its really up to the voters in his district.

    • Eastman isn’t the problem. Never has been. It’s the rinos and republicrats who split their time between self service and joining the marxists. Zero excuse for that. ‘Compromise’ with marxists amounts to compromising a clean bucket of water and a bucket of manure. How long until you have two buckets of crap? Looks like that’s what we have now.

    • Your first sentence is true. But if Representation is really “Can’t we have a civil discussion about my plans to have you destroyed if you don’t obey?” You got it wrong Frank. It’s a long struggle against socialism, but it’s time to fight.

  10. You are dismayed? I would use a stronger word, since allot of our so called elected officials probably didn’t go to Juneau legitimately. There are dirt-bag politicians in our States legislature that could not care a less about our Constitution because if they did, our lives would have more freedom and prosperity, period. When you see politicians pushing leftists policies because they think they know better than the rest of us what is good for us, there is a problem. When a PFD that was put in place for the people of Alaska is plundered by thieves in our legislature, there is a problem. When wokeness and racist CRT training is being pushed on our children, there is a problem. David Eastman is not the problem, he is part of the solution. It is called “Representative” government, which is in short supply these days. Politicians have one job. Represent the people of this nation in accordance with the Constitution which is there to guide you and restrain you! If you are ignoring the people and representing China and the corporatocracy, you are a cancerous growth on freedom!

  11. The oath keepers didn’t mind trying to usurp the election when they attacked the Capitol on january 6th and tried to block the peaceful transition of government. Trump just this weekend stated that he still supports the act of overturning the election. So yeah, it makes sense to apply that same logic here. Otherwise you’re just a hypocrite. The Alaska constitution is clear in this case though. No legislator can be seated who belongs to an organization that supports the overthrowing of the government. Period. End of story. Eastman must go. And his support for overturning the last election is proof enough that he can be tossed out without a second thought. Fair is fair. Sorry.

    • May I remind you the January 6th visit to YOUR foreign, now destitute, enclave was the largest visit of regular everyday Americans to what they believed in error as “their” capitol DC. There were more there that day than MLK speeaches or any other to register their concern that foreign powers had successfully influenced the “election” process deletoriously. Did any elected official meet with delegations from their state there on their dime? I don’t think so. Does it take a demon to recognize demons? You must be in the financially challenged alphabets yourself to “know” what you alledge. Why do you come here posing as a concerned Alaskan?

      • G, can you argue the comment? Or are you just going to argue with yourself vigorously? At least you’re burning calories there.

      • You haven’t spoken to me since I mentioned you appear to be an alphabet in rather poor disguise. Enjoy your sojourn to the hinterlands of AK and shoveling.

    • Always the kneejerk establishmentarian and servile bootlicker to those in power, arent’ you, John?
      .
      Government SHOULD fear the people, not the other way around! Government represents nothing more than institutionalized coercion, and its power should ALWAYS be challenged.

    • I guess it isn’t usurpation when Democrats make objection to electors and the outcome of elections as they have done every time in recent history anyone has been elected other than a fellow communist, excuse me, Democrat. Then, sometimes I forget that hypocrite and Democrat are synonyms.

      The Soros Junta and its allies gaslighted a disturbance on 6 January. Immediately Pelosi and a bunch of howling mad lefty lunatics started screaming insurrection, a word few of them would have known the meaning of, but some lawyer for one of the communist front groups had discovered Section 3 of the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution. That’s why every third word coming out of Democrat “leaders” is “insurrection.”

      The Oath Keepers are mostly present or former military or law enforcement, and as such are among the few public officers and employees who were/are required to swear an oath to uphold the US Constitution. Under Section 3, if a person had previously sworn an oath to uphold the US Constitution engaged in rebellion or insurrection or gave aid and comfort, they were barred from holding public office. The Alaska Constitution doesn’t have a direct analog to Section 3, but it does have Treason language that includes giving aid and comfort. The irony was that Section 3 was intended to bar former US military officers and elected and appointed officials of the US who either engaged in “the rebellion”, as the Civil War was referred to in those days’ or gave aid and comfort. The bulk of the offices and activities barred were removed by the mid-1870s and the bars against all but the very highest Confederate officers and officials were removed in 1898, by which time most of the major figures were barred by death anyway. The US was anxious to have better relations with The South as the Spanish-American War threatened and the US needed to move troops through the former Confederacy and base many there. That said, the language is still in the Constitution and as the Trump years showed, the Left can find a federal judge, at least at the trial court level, to do anything the Left wants.

      • My goodness, it’s kind of sad to see Art spinning off into space like this. He used to have reasonably arguable premises, but it appears that name calling has taken over. I understand that this can happen to all of us.
        (Save your snarky comments about me spiraling into imbecility. I’ve heard them all, well, many of them, already. That doesn’t mean you might be right. Or, perhaps, not wrong.)

          • Why do you ignore the fact that no democrats suggested pardoning criminals attacking the government, while your dear Republican leader just this weekend claimed he would? Those guys attacked police officers, and chanted hang mike pence. Are you a supporter of lawlessness now Art, merely because your team does? That sounds like a partisan agenda. Are you so entrenched you can’t see that you’re the one cheering on fascism?

        • Seems he has reasonably arguable premises. You may just be unequipped to respond coherently. Ignore the snark and engage. There was plenty more then just name calling in his post. Set him straight, “NO FEAR”.

          • Jay, surely you can muster an argument then. All Art produced was whiny distractions without substance. If all you can do is lie and pretend political games rises to the level of a violent attack on the capitol, then you’re not producing an argument. You’re making excuses. Which means you know you’re on the wrong side of history and you don’t care. When people wonder how Germans could have allowed the slow fall into fascism, look at yourself in the mirror and see an example of the gutless attitude that ushered in the worst horrors of humanity.

          • You are once again projecting again, John. It is strictly YOUR side, the rigidly dogmatic and ideological radical left, who are threatening (and bringing!) authoritarianism into this country, including the corporate-medical fascism with which you are so much in love.

          • Complaining about ridicule? I’m criticizing the lack of substance, despite run on paragraphs with seemingly endless ranting. Does that compute?

      • Art, the US joint chiefs described the attack on january 6th as an insurrection. Quick, make some excuse for why you ignore what happened on january 6th, and why us military officers are all wrong suddenly. Because that’s all you can do.

        • Yeah, and tell us again the one about the 17 intelligence agencies that had proof of Trump’s “Russian collusion”.
          .
          You really love to lay it on thick, don’t you? Are you, can anyone honestly be, truly so gullible and lacking in critical thinking ability and judgement as you routinely display here?

          • Seymour, like most of the other lefty trolls here, are nothing more than “talking-point-o-matics,” not capable of any analysis or original thought.

        • The US JCS is a bunch of political hacks, always has been. The military operates in spite of The Pentagon, not because of it. The US has won a lot of battles because of the courage and skill of the American soldier; it hasn’t won a war in over 70 years because of the fecklessness of the “perfumed princes” at The Pentagon.

          • Mr. Chance –
            You sir are a breath of fresh air, with enlightened, and historically accurate, responses. The leftist trolls who attempt to compete with your level of experience and intelligence, fail miserably, as measured by anyone with a 2-digit IQ or a 3rd grade mentality (like the smug Yanker guy in Juneau).
            The only people in the Alaska Legislature threatened by an “Oath Keeper” are those who have no intention of abiding the solemn oath they took upon entering office. (The Juneau delegation immediately comes to mind, though claimed members of both parties are guilty?)
            Teaching a pig to sing might be a waste of time, but it’s fun to watch how annoying it is to the pigs. Keep up the fine work!

  12. Get ready, another special session will be “needed “ because the get it done motto got screwed along with the per diem cuts!
    The motto of ‘screw the people’ reigns again

  13. Thank you for the excellent letter Representative McCabe.

    It seems apparent that any legislator that puts their name and energy into undoing what the voters did, readily self-identifies themself as lacking the critical thinking skills necessary to be worthy of their elected position in a constitutional republic, such as we have been blessed with. Joining a politically motivated attack on an individual and using any means necessary to eliminate that individual is what the communists are known for. It is unsurprising that we are here as the ideological subversion that has taken place over these last few decades has been very effective.

    Those who celebrate censorship and fail to look closely and analyze WHAT is being censored and WHY, are typically the same as those above. Subversion complete. NEVER allow them to thrust their low roof over your head!

    • I stand with David Eastman! We can stand alone and divided or together.
      Our problems right now do not originate with the oathkeeper, far from that! We have a problem with everything political. Medical, media, military, elections and politicians to name a few.
      Let the voters decide if they choose David to represent them.

  14. How can anyone really think elections will be fair. The Federal government is too powerful, it’s to be feared. And you people demonize other groups that really believe the elections were stolen. I hope you morons wake up . This is tyranny.

  15. This is merely a time consuming distraction so the left can give a false impression of doing something. The liberal legislators do this every year to try to elevate their spiritually bankrupt selves above everyone else. Here is what their job is: Get the budget prepared. We don’t want them to do anything else. Cut the Health Department budget. Considerably. Their hefty advertisements $$$ regarding the waning covid shots enhancements is not public service we desire or need. I understand Pfizer may “need” the purchases. Wise up.

  16. Small minded legislators in Juneau trying to overturn the vote and representation of the voters? Eastman is part of the solution, not the problem.

  17. Do a search for Olavo de Carvalho, there was a recent article on him on American Thinker. This guy took down the communists in Brazil and his message is clear. The tactics of the left are to destroy anyone who disagrees with their ideology and he was very successful in combating them, though his real interests were in philosophy. The video of him explaining all this is very powerful with subtitles, but in his spoken word must be amazing. Warning, it’s pretty graphic!

  18. From what I can tell, when sorting out the various and sundry takes on Oath Keepers, Mr. Eastman is a proponent of usurping the government of the country if it doesn’t ascribe to his particular requirements. That seems to be the aim of the Oath Keepers. Their leadership seems to think that if they think it, it is unthinkable that there may be reasonable, democratic alternatives; they are right (far Right), and you are wrong (far Wrong).
    I don’t know how Mr. Eastman’s people think of him, but it seems to me that they could do a lot better if they want to improve the quality of life in this state if they found someone else to represent them.
    Perhaps, Mr. McCabe’s people, also.

    • (Fill in the blank) is a proponent of usurping the government of the country if it doesn’t ascribe to his particular requirements.
      Like tossing a legally elected representative?
      “Have you now, or have you ever been, a member of The Oath Keepers?”
      Remind me how many millions The Oath Keepers have slaughtered.

        • And there you display your psychological projection of your sins onto others, Homo, as well as the difference between you radical leftist trolls and the rest of us here: for you and your neo-Bolshevik ilk, EVERYTHING is about gaining, seizing and exercising power. Whereas for the rest of us, life is about living our lives as we see fit, and letting others do the same with theirs, without using the coercive power of the government to impose our will and our opinions onto others.
          .
          THAT is the fundamental difference between you and me.

          • My, my, …my psychological projection of my sins onto others…my neo-Bolshevik ilk, EVERYTHING is about gaining power…
            I had no idea I could get psychological counseling on MRAK. I’ve heard that psychologists oftentimes go into the business because they are trying to figure their own lives out. I think Jeff has a ways to go.

  19. Well said! I don’t know what they believe, but I do care if he has integrity and represents his constituents- which I would argue the state legislature already makes it extremely difficult if the best interests of one’s constituents run counter to one’s caucus. We saw this happen with Eagle River in a recent session when one district’s senator & rep were given little to no meaningful committee placement, fundamentally disinfranchising an entire district. The knee-jerk reactions that punish an entire constituency are juvenile and should be a reminder of the inherent beauty of TERM LIMITS!

  20. Representative Kevin McCabe, thanks for that good letter. Most of the commenters have agreed with you that he was elected by his district and that there are two legal ways to oust him. David had solid conservative opposition the last election cycle and still won so I’m thinking his district is proud of him for swimming against the often toxic current in Juneau. My observation is: Why are not other representatives and senators weighing in? (Thank you again, Kevin for your letter). As you suggested, some desire to see the Mat Su conservative block swing to the left, and any means will justify that end. If I were in David’s district I would be proud to have a representative so bold to uphold the oaths he took to the constitutions.

    • I applaud the oath taken to uphold the Constitution. It’s the one taken to the Oath Keepers that worries me. Apparently, many of his West Point colleagues feel the same.

    • “I think a 4 a.m. raid by the FBI is in order for Mr. Eastman.”
      I wonder what all the current and retired FBI agents who are Oath Keeper members think about that premise?

      • Isn’t that the new normal for dealing with political opponents? He might have peed on a Russian hooker or seen Ashley Biden’s diary.

  21. Phil
    In case anyone is interested, here’s a link to the Oath Keepers website and their ‘About page’. ‘https://www.oathkeepers.org/about-oath-keepers/
    I’d suggest that people do their own research prior to voicing their opinions which are often a Parroted version of something they’ve heard.
    Also if you read about Oath Keepers in Wikipedia it’s quite obviously written or edited by someone that ‘appears’ to have their own agenda as opposed to writings that state known facts and let the reader draw their own conclusions!

  22. Who are you Rep. McCabe? I would say you are a weenie. All legislatures in the English-speaking world have the power to discipline their members. If a member claims allegiance to some anti-democratic group on the left or the right, then the legislature is doing its job to review that member’s committee assignment or even their seat.
    Some Oath Keepers may be well-meaning people. But some of them have been charged with seditious conspiracy and plotting to bring weapons to Washington on Jan. 6. That was done in the service of the big lies that Trump won, that the election was rigged, etc. It is not our republican tradition to reject the results of elections. That is fascism. It is also what Southern Democrats did in 1861. It is the road to treason.

    • Ashley, if you want to look for treason, just look at the regime of the meat-puppet usurper who currently illegally occupies the White House after blatantly stealing a presidential election, and then ‘progressively’ instituted policy after policy and program after program expressly designed to undermine and destroy this country, and submit every citizen to the authoritarianism of corporate medical fascism under a ‘public health’ rationalization based on little more than coordinated hysteria, institutionalized hypochondria and a non-stop drumbeat of establishment propaganda.
      .
      You are another enemy of this country, and of freedom. You are my enemy, Ashly, and a reckoning is rapidly approaching.

        • If rebelling against tyranny counts as “treason” in your eyes, then I am proud to call myself a traitor to tyranny.
          .
          Our Founding Fathers were “traitors” to the British. Are you going to condemn them as well?

          • Careful, Jefferson. America is much more specific than the Brits were about what constitutes treason, but there are limits. Insurrection, on the other hand, is a lot squishier. You would do well to consider john Seymour’s suggestion. Open your eyes. The Constitution is not a suicide pact, and it is not open to endless, tendentious interpretation.

    • The jack-booted thugs of the FBI have some guy who was once associated with the Oath Keepers singing and composing songs for them. The Jan 6 event was a gaslighting operation organized by the FBI/CIA and their leftist allies. I’ve been to Civil Rights events in The South in the Sixties and to anti-war/anti-draft events. At either you couldn’t have pitched a penny without hitting a federal agent or informer. The FBI destroyed the KKK by making it impossible for them to meet because half their membership was either FBI or being paid by them This is old hat. One of the worst things that has happened to the US in modern times is that the FBI wasn’t disbanded on the death of J. Edgar Hoover, and all his personal records should have been destroyed.

      And you’re either ignorant or lying about rejection of elections. The communists, excuse me, Democrats have objected to seating electors and certifying the election of every recent President who wasn’t a Democrat. And The South didn’t reject the election of Lincoln; they accepted it and rejected further association with the United States by exiting the Union in the same manner they joined it.

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