Page 1496 – Must Read Alaska

House intern arrested for posting personal info on senators

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October 4, 2018

House intern arrested for posting personal info on senators

100 ALASKA WOMEN TRAVEL TO DC, WHILE CONSERVATIVES SEND EMAILS TO MURKOWSKI

A congressional intern and Democrat was arrested on Wednesday in the nation’s Capitol for invading the privacy of senators by releasing their addresses and phone numbers to encourage harassment.

[Read the Capitol Police press release here]

Jackson Cosko, a 27-year-old intern for Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas, was charged by Capitol Police with accessing a government computer for unlawful purposes — to post personal information of senators to the internet.

Cosko, who has described himself as a “Democratic Political Professional & Cybersecurity Graduate Student,” has also worked for Democrat Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., and former Democrat Sen. Barbara Boxer of California.

He interned for Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California, who is the top-ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Safety in the U.S. Capitol has become a concern as the Left becomes more and more aggressive in its opposition to the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court.

On Thursday, a group of 100 Alaska professional women met with Sen. Lisa Murkowski to pressure her to vote no on the Kavanaugh confirmation. The women have all had their travel paid for by the ACLU and they include at least one highly paid lawyer in the Alaska Department of Law.

Athough the Alaska women traveling with the help of the ACLU didn’t take part in protests, others in the Capitol were arrested today for disorderly conduct.

Meanwhile, Alaskan conservatives using the MustReadAlaska newsletter link, have sent up to 2,000 messages to Murkowski, to request that she vote to confirm. The newsletter is published three times a week to 11,000 Alaskans, primarily conservatives and a few media and politically active Democrats.

The newsletter link has been clicked on more than 2,100 as of Thursday morning.

To send a message on the topic to Sen. Murkowski, readers may use this link:

Also on Wednesday, Kelley Paul, the wife of Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, published an open letter to Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey, who has publicly encouraged the aggressive harassment of Republican senators:

An open letter to Senator Cory Booker:

It’s nine o’clock at night, and as I watch out the window, a sheriff’s car slowly drives past my home. I am grateful that they have offered to do extra patrols, as someone just posted our home address, and Rand’s cell number, on the internet — all part of a broader effort to intimidate and threaten Republican members of Congress and their families. I now keep a loaded gun by my bed. Our security systems have had to be expanded. I have never felt this way in my life.

In the last 18 months, our family has experienced violence and threats of violence at a horrifying level. I will never forget the morning of the shooting at the congressional baseball practice, the pure relief and gratitude that flooded me when I realized that Rand was okay.

He was not okay last November, when a violent and unstable man attacked him from behind while he was working in our yard, breaking six ribs and leaving him with lung damage and multiple bouts of pneumonia. Kentucky’s secretary of state, Alison Lundergan Grimes, recently joked about it in a speech. MSNBC commentator Kasie Hunt laughingly said on air that Rand’s assault was one of her “favorite stories.” Cher, Bette Midler, and others have lauded his attacker on Twitter. I hope that these women never have to watch someone they love struggle to move or even breathe for months on end.

Earlier this week, Rand was besieged in the airport by activists “getting up in his face,” as you, Senator Booker, encouraged them to do a few months ago. Preventing someone from moving forward, thrusting your middle finger in their face, screaming vitriol — is this the way to express concern or enact change? Or does it only incite unstable people to violence, making them feel that assaulting a person is somehow politically justifiable?

Senator Booker, Rand has worked with you to co-sponsor criminal justice reform bills. He respects you, and so do I. I would call on you to retract your statement. I would call on you to condemn violence, the leaking of elected officials’ personal addresses (our address was leaked from a Senate directory given only to senators), and the intimidation and threats that are being hurled at them and their families.

Sincerely,

Kelley Paul

Permanent Fund dividend hits

Politics

Suzanne Downing

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October 4, 2018

1

IN 1982 DOLLARS, IT’S WORTH …

Today, eligible Alaskans are getting $1,600 Permanent Fund Corp. dividends, their share of the oil wealth coming from Alaska’s North Slope. About $960 million is set to enter the Alaska economy.

It sounds like a lot, but it’s far less than what Alaskans received when the dividend program was established in 1980, due to inflation. Read on.

In 2016, Alaskans received dividends of $1,022, after Gov. Bill Walker made the historic decision to cut their dividends in half. That year, the dividend would have been about $2,052, according to the traditional formula. In 2017, the dividend was $1,100. The traditional formula had it at $2,200.

Today’s dividend would have been nearly $3,000 under the traditional formula.

The amount of the dividend has always been elastic, because it was based on how well investments were doing in the Alaska Permanent Fund Corporation, and was calculated on a rolling five-year average of those investment returns. Some of the oil wealth was skimmed for State government, some for dividends, and some for the corpus of the investment fund.

The original Walker dividend veto was ostensibly to preserve the rapidly declining rainy day savings that the State kept on hand in various accounts to bridge the years when oil prices were low.

Oil dropped from over $100 a barrel in 2014 to $28 a barrel at one point, but has since rebounded to over $80 a barrel today, a range that is considered by many to be adequate to fund State government. Meanwhile, the pots of savings dried up and the state Legislature became embattled with the governor over spending priorities.

Over the course of the Walker Administration, Alaskans have given up $3,700 in dividend payments to the Walker restructuring endeavor.

State government was ultimately trimmed somewhat in terms of the operating budget, but has since expanded. Mostly it was the capital budget that was slashed, and oil tax credits due to North Slope and Cook Inlet explorers were not paid by Walker.

Construction and oil workers left the state in droves and the state lost its high-paying jobs to the booming economy in the Lower 48.

The governor quickly expanded Medicaid to more people, and with now more than 20 percent of the population on Medicaid, the expansion program brought in 4,000 health care workers to the economy, which helped stabilize it from a complete crash. The economy has been in recession for the duration of the Walker Administration.

Alaska Permanent Fund Corporation was created by the Legislature in 1980 for the purpose of managing oil wealth in such a way that the investments would help fund State government long after all the oil is gone. Lawmakers also approved the Permanent Fund dividend program, and the first dividend check of $1,000 was distributed two years later.

Adjusted for inflation, today’s $1,600 Permanent Fund dividend is worth $610 in 1982 dollars.

Change Anchorage’s election day

Anchorage Daily Planet

Suzanne Downing

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October 3, 2018

2

By ANCHORAGE DAILY PLANET

Unofficial returns show Mat-Su Borough voters narrowly passing a measure that would move local elections to November to simplify their election process and boost turnout.

Anchorage, with its anemic voter turnouts, should be so lucky. Its April elections serve the interests of only special interests that thrive on suppressed election turnouts, interests such as labor unions and the political left.

In April’s election, only 36 percent of the Anchorage’s 218,000 registered voters bothered to cast ballots, despite the city’s ballyhooed, new-fangled vote-by-mail system. That means slightly more than 3 in 10 registered voters elected a mayor and school board members, passed millions of dollars in bonds and changed the city charter so that the Municipal Light & Power utility could be sold.

When you consider Anchorage’s total population of about 300,000, the 79,000 or so who voted in April represent only about 26 percent of the city. That is abysmal.

Anchorage adopted April elections in the early 1990s, after a campaign by former Assemblyman Jim Kubitz to switch the date from October. Candidates, the argument went, could not get exposure or financial backing with the city election so close to the November state and federal elections.

Read more here:

http://www.anchoragedailyplanet.com/134428/change-anchorages-election-date/

Convicted murderer has walked away from ‘supervision’

Suzanne Downing

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October 3, 2018

4

Convicted murderer has walked away from ‘supervision’

UPDATED

Lock your doors, Anchorage. Scott C. Brodine is on the lam. And a guy like that is bound to be desperate and dangerous.

The convicted murderer walked away from a community residential center in Anchorage early today.

In 1997, a jury convicted Brodine and a judge sentenced him to 60 years of prison, with 10 suspended on one count of murder in the first degree, an unclassified felony.

Brodine was also to be placed on probation for five years following his release from prison. He appears to have served for 23 years. He has been in supervision in the community since July.

In 1993, Brodine and Milton James Termini were living in an apartment on West Northern Lights Blvd in Anchorage. On Dec. 6 of that year, a group gathered at an apartment across the hall to play cards. Later, Brodine went out on the town with friends — boozing, smoking pot, and using cocaine.

Then Brodine took it too far, and spilled a bottle of booze on the floor of the car that belonged to one of his friends.

The group decided he needed to go home, and took him back to his apartment. Later, he went next door to say something was wrong with his roommate. Finally, he called 911 and reported his roommate was dead.

The autopsy showed Termini died as a result of numerous blunt force injuries to his head and neck. One of those blows was so hard it broke the cartilage of Termini’s Adam’s apple, and the cause of death was ultimately determined to be suffocation.

Although a murder weapon was never found, a bloody palm print near Termini’s body was found to belong to Brodine, who also had scratches and bruises consistent with a struggle.

The state prosecutor said Brodine was drunk, argued with his roommate, became angry and beat Termini to death. The jury agreed that the evidence supported the allegation.

Brodine appealed his conviction based on improper use of DNA evidence, but the court upheld the conviction.

[Read the entire case at FindLaw.com]

Brodine has been living at the Clithroe Center, a halfway house in midtown, for two and a half months. How Brodine was released to a halfway house will require additional investigation, but Senate Bill 91 gave the parole board broad discretion to release people early.

Brodine is 50 years old. Police say if you see him to call 311, the non-emergency line. Police gave no warning to not approach him, nor do they warn that he is dangerous.

However, this is a case where the situation might warrant using your own judgment. Such as locking your doors.

Fairbanks: Bryce Ward wins borough mayor

Politics

Suzanne Downing

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October 3, 2018

2

Fairbanks: Bryce Ward wins borough mayor

NENANA – VERHAGEN, NORTH POLE – WELCH

The Fairbanks North Star Borough has a new mayor-elect: Bryce Ward, who had 51 percent last night, likely preventing a runoff.

He was the conservative candidate in a four-way race and had the endorsement of current Mayor Karl Kassel, but surprisingly he was also supported by leftist writer Dermot Cole.

Ward was born and raised in Fairbanks and has been the mayor of North Pole for six years.

Ward won with 7,086 votes, while former assembly member Nadine Winters, who is the current borough chief of staff, came in second with 3,318 votes. Assembly member Christopher Quist took 2,351 votes and Robert Shields had 885.

The Assembly, however, listed left, although there were indications that three-way races could see progressives splitting the liberal votes.

Marna Sanford was leading conservative Sam Tuck with a race that may be too close to call — 49.8 to 49.31 percent.

Liz Lynke won a three-way with 43 percent to Jeff Rentzell’s 36 percent and youthful Blaze Brooks scooping 18 percent.

Progressive Leah Berman Williams won over conservative Hank Bartos and moderate Michael Holland, 49-39-12.

A local pundit offered that the pro-marijuana progressives continue their hold on local politics in the Fairbanks Borough.

The ballot initiatives went as recommended by conservatives, however.

Voters said no to large bonding proposals and setting aside the tax cap so the borough could fund deferred maintenance. They approved the biannual tax cap, and voted to remove the wood stove-air quality regulatory authority from the Borough, and turn it over to the State and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, since the local community has not been able to solve the air quality problem and banning wood burning in the winter time would likely cause an insurrection.

NENANA

With a 47 percent turnout, Joshua Verhagen won 82 percent of the vote for mayor. Verhagen is a Nenana Assembly member and his opponent pulled out of campaigning. Nenana is home to 400 people and is 55 miles south of Fairbanks.

NORTH POLE

Michael Welch was the preferred conservative candidate for North Pole Mayor. It looks like he may have won, but only held a 15-vote lead late Tuesday night. Only 275 people voted in North Pole, plus absentee ballots that have yet to come in.

Proposition C passed. It embeds the ban on the marijuana industry in the city’s charter, which makes it more permanent.

(This story is based on results from Election night and some results could change with absentee votes.)

Mat-Su votes to move local elections to November

Politics

Suzanne Downing

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October 2, 2018

1

Another local election, another low turnout in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough. This time it was 14 percent.

But this election may be the end of that trend.

The ballot measure to move local elections to November appears to have passed.

Proposition 3 was favored with 5,590 votes to 5,157 opposed.

About 700 absentee ballots were still expected, but during Election night the measure remained ahead by several hundred votes.

“Mat-Su voters wisely decided that simplifying elections is the best way to increase voter turnout. This is so much smarter than what Anchorage did going to the mail-in ballot, which created more cost and confusion,” said Jeremy Price, Alaska Director with Americans for Prosperity.

Voters also approved Proposition 1, which will give the borough the powers to add a policing function to borough government.

In other Mat-Su news, Barb Doty was beat by Jesse Sumner for Mat-Su Borough Assembly Seat 6. He won with 947 votes to Doty’s 699, contrary to local media predictions.

Tam Boeve appears to have won Mat-Su Borough Assembly 7 over Dan Des, 861 to 558.

For Palmer City Council, Julie Berberich led the pack with 495 votes, while incumbent Pete LaFrance got 310, and Deputy Mayor Richard Best got 302 votes.

Must Read Alaska will return on Wednesday with more election results and will update this story.

Juneau: New mayor, assembly members

Politics

Suzanne Downing

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October 2, 2018

1

A MODERATE MAYOR FOR THE CAPITAL CITY

Beth Weldon has become the new mayor-elect of Juneau. She will replace Ken Koelsch, who became mayor during a special election held in March of 2016.

The turnout in Juneau was over 26 percent, which is good for local elections. Of the 27,067 registered voters, some 7,070 had voted, although more absentee ballots will be added later, and will boost the turnout.

The following numbers are subject to change, but the winners are likely to hold their leads:

It’s Mayor Beth Weldon, who won with 3,431 votes.

In second place was Saralyn Tabachnick, with 2,745 votes. Norton Gregory took 687 votes, and Cody Shoemaker received 138.

Weldon was an Assembly member, but she filed for office after Koelsch decided that he was done. She was elected to the Assembly in 2016.

Gregory was also on the Assembly in the areawide seat, but had to resign to run for mayor. Both Weldon’s and Gregory’s seats opened up:

Juneau Assembly Areawide

Carole Triem – 3,842

Tom Williams – 2,500

Assembly District 1

Loren Jones – 4,912

Assembly District 2 – Two open seats

Michelle Bonnet Hale – 3381

Wade Bryson – 2,274

Garrett Schoenberger – 2,152

Emil Mackey – 1749

Don Habeger – 1,693

School board – Three open seats

Elizabeth Siddon – 4,905

Paul Kelly – 4,067

Kevin Allen – 3,581

FAIRBANKS

Bryce Ward is ahead for Borough Mayor by a comfortable margin on Election night.

MAT-SU

MatSu Borough Mayor Vern Halter has the lead for re-election on Election night.

ACLU paying for 100 Alaska women to protest Kavanaugh

The Social

Suzanne Downing

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October 2, 2018

7

ACLU paying for 100 Alaska women to protest Kavanaugh

THEY’LL TRAVEL TO DC TO PROTEST

According to an attorney on the payroll of the State of Alaska, the ACLU is paying for 100 Alaska women from Alaska to travel to the nation’s capital to lobby against the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court.

The attorney for the Alaska Department of Law says she’s taking three days of personal leave to make the trek to DC to take part in the effort. She runs a popular liberal blog called OneHotMessAlaska, and normally it’s not for family enjoyment because its language is pretty raw.

The blog posted the letter that she is encouraging Alaska attorneys to sign opposing Kavanaugh’s appointment.

While her action is not prohibited by State law, because citizens may exercise their free speech rights during their off hours, it’s problematic for the Law Department, which has the occasion to join cases appearing before the Supreme Court. That means her actions are problematic for all Alaskans, who need the Department of Law to be trustworthily working on their behalf. Her advocacy may call that into question.

Two weeks ago, Alaska Natives traveled to DC, most of them sponsored by advocacy organizations, and they staged a sit-in to get themselves arrested in front of Sen. Dan Sullivan’s office.

ANDVSA USING ITS MUSCLE

Also weighing in to protest the nomination of Kavanaugh is the Alaska Network on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, which receives the majority of its money from government — taxpayer funded — grants. It posted this on social media today, compliments of your tax dollar:

It’s not the first time the ANDVSA organization has gotten overtly political. Just over a year ago, the group posted on social media that the phrase “Make America Great Again” is overtly racist.

That phrase was used widely in the campaign of President Donald Trump and is still used extensively today by conservatives supporting Trump.

‘Make America Great Again’ is racist, Alaska women’s group says

Wealthy Rogoff settles, with help from ex

The 907

Suzanne Downing

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October 2, 2018

1

Wealthy Rogoff settles, with help from ex

BY CRAIG MEDRED
CRAIGMEDRED.NEWS

One of the richest men in the United States – David Rubenstein – is buying his ex-wife out of the wreckage of the would-be newspaper empire that collapsed around her in Alaska.

Former-spouse Alice Rogoff – the one-time publisher of the now-dead Alaska Dispatch News/ADN.com – has agreed to drop claims the failed business owed her $16.6 million and pay $1.5 million to settle claims lodged against the company when it went bankrupt last year, according to a flurry of court documents filed in the Anchorage Bankruptcy Court today.

One of those documents says, “Rogoff has made an irrevocable request to her ex-husband, who has agreed through his counsel, and in writing, to direct a portion of payments due to Rogoff pursuant to the document or documents setting forth the terms of the parties’ divorce settlement to be deposited” to pay Rogoff’s debts.

One of the founders of the Carlyle Group, Rubenstein, then 68, and Rogoff, 66, divorced late last year after a lengthy separation that saw her take up residency in Alaska while he remained on the East Coast.

The terms of the settlement were not disclosed, but it was thought be in the tens of millions if not hundreds of millions of dollars. As one of the financial masters of the universe, Rubenstein’s wealth has been estimated as high as $3 billion.

[Read More: Rogoff settles]

House intern arrested for posting personal info on senators

Permanent Fund dividend hits

Change Anchorage’s election day

Convicted murderer has walked away from ‘supervision’

Fairbanks: Bryce Ward wins borough mayor

Mat-Su votes to move local elections to November

Juneau: New mayor, assembly members

Wealthy Rogoff settles, with help from ex

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