Alaska Sen. Josh Revak has barely been seen in Juneau since the death of Congressman Don Young. He showed up once to make comments on Senate floor in memory of Congressman Young. But since then, Senate President Peter Micciche has been chairing Revak’s Natural Resources Committee, and at times Micciche can barely cobble together a quorum to conduct business.
Meanwhile, Revak is campaigning for U.S. Congress. He campaigned in Washington, D.C. before and after the services for Young, who died March 18. Earlier this week he met with a group of Republican businessmen who are members of the Founders Club, a group that donates large sums to the Alaska Republican Party.
Then on Wednesday night, he and his legislative aide appeared at Eagle River District 22 Republicans’ meeting to answer questions about where he stands on the issues. Eagle River is far from his south hillside Anchorage district. That district has already endorsed Nick Begich for Congress.
Revak is pulling in a state paycheck for being a senator while campaigning for federal office, said some in Juneau’s Capitol. He’s using his professional state-paid staff to attend campaign meetings with him. Senators make a base pay of $50,400 per year, plus per diem when the Legislature is in session. Senators make about $35,400 in per diem for a 121-day session.
“We’re trying to figure out the budget, the PFD, and the sustainability of it, and a lot of senators are frustrated that Revak is MIA,” said one senator.
The Senate attendance has been challenged because several are out sick. Sens. Tom Begich and Rob Myer have both been out with Covid, and Sens. Donny Olson and Natasha Von Imhof have been missing a lot this session.
Revak is trying to raise money for his campaign, so the question is: Is he raising it for his federal race or for his state Senate race? At this point, he is a declared candidate for both seats and no one can see the books until reporting deadlines for Alaska Public Offices Commission and the Federal Elections Commission.
Raising money for a legislative seat is illegal while the Legislature is in session, but Revak would be allowed to raise funds for a federal seat, even if he is essentially a state employee doing so while on state payroll.
Revak will have to decide by June 1 if he is a serious candidate for U.S. Congress, as that is the last day he can file to be on the Aug. 16 ballot for the regular (not special) election. At that point, he’ll have to decide, because he cannot be on the ballot in two places, for two different seats.
Meanwhile, if Revak steps down, the Senate Republicans may not be able to put together a quorum right now.
Revak is next heading to Ketchikan to the Friends of the NRA banquet, where he will be a guest of State Sen. Bert Stedman.
Call the state troopers and bring his rear to work for Alaskans.
NB3: kick his rear end.
What a real piece of work.
Operating as an example of what the people are trying to get away from.
He needs to go get a real job. I hope the electorate can see thru this guy.
Character is still important.
Agree. He’s so concerned with climbing the ladder that he forgot who he’s representing. Not supporting this poser.
Revak is the worst kind of politician. He will say anything you want to hear to curry favor. During the campaign season he tells people he is for the statutory PFD. He even signed a pledge to that effect; but, when he got to Juneau he did just the opposite. If Josh Revak was Pinocchio, his nose would stretch from Ketchikan to Nome. If he stays in politics long enough, he’ll probably end up in jail.
For those of us who do not know Senator Revak well other than to have watched his failure to keep his word on several legislative issues the Senator is working at showing us just how little he thinks Alaskans really matter.
This is exactly what destroys confidence in Alaska state government! We need people with integrity, and clearly we do not have that with this particular state senator. Surely there are many honest people within the 48 candidates, so the comeuppance for Revak will have to be found in his senate district.
Just show Revak the door. He’s way to oily for me, sayes one thing, does another… He comes across as being entitled to his office. After Giesel and Edgemon gave him a full throated endorsement while stabbing Laddy Shaw in the back should have told us all we needed to know.
Turn him away from DC and Juneau.
I think Revak is trying to out-Don-Young Don Young.
.
Having principles, and taking principled positions, do not seem to be in this man’s wheelhouse.
An absolute self serving, say anything to get what he wants disappointment. He abandoned Anchorage veterans with they needed him as did his teacher Dan Sullivan. Vote anyone other than Revak or Sullivan!
Revak says one thing sand does another. The more I learn about him, the less zi respect him. He signed a pledge to support the statutory PFD and then did the opposite. My vote is for anyone but Revak.
I knew it. My Senator is malfunctioning. I guess I need a new one. Good that those things are easy to find. But a good one I suppose is another story.
Looks hung over in the pic.
Looks to me that he’s another Walker-in-sheep’s-clothing?
Bingo!
His staffers in his legislative office, Tyler and Emma, have been working full-time on Revak’s federal campaign, and it’s a well discussed topic in the Legislature. They have had their offices in Josh’s campaign manager Art Hackney’s office right next to the Anchorage Legislative Information Office so they can go back and forth. Everyone disgusted and Josh’s favor is falling fast. He was in Eagle River this week telling people that he voted against the full PFD because he represents a “purple district.” POS
Revak will be at a meeting, I am told, in Fairbanks at the TVSA building at noon.
No 10% for Josh. Sorry but a one term State Legislature is not who we need to hand DY’s seat to. He might also want to count his days absent from his day job, they do not qualify for him receiving per diem. Time for Josh to discover employment that is not supported by the State, let alone Federal Tax Payers.
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