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Justice’s health care fraud takedown nets 324 in $14.6 billion crackdown — the largest in history

Suzanne Downing
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17
Justice’s health care fraud takedown nets 324 in $14.6 billion crackdown — the largest in history

The US Department of Justice on Monday announced criminal charges against 324 individuals — including 96 licensed medical professionals — as part of the 2025 National Health Care Fraud Takedown. The operation spanned 50 federal districts and 12 State Attorneys General’s Offices and targeted alleged schemes that sought to defraud federal health care programs of more than $14.6 billion.

No cases were reported in Alaska, but transnational gangs and cartels figure strongly in this law enforcement sting.

The coordinated effort is touted as the largest in the DOJ’s history for health care fraud. It involved federal and state agencies across the nation, including the FBI, DEA, and the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. The cases included fraud related to opioid distribution, telemedicine abuse, genetic testing, durable medical equipment scams, and money laundering operations tied to transnational criminal organizations.

In one of the most significant cases, a network of foreign-owned companies submitted $10.6 billion in fraudulent claims to Medicare using the stolen identities of more than one million Americans. The DOJ said 12 of the 19 defendants were arrested, including several captured in Estonia and at US border crossings, as part of “Operation Gold Rush.”

Among the 324 defendants charged were doctors, nurses, and pharmacists who allegedly engaged in fraudulent billing practices, illegal kickbacks, unnecessary medical procedures, and the distribution of opioids. More than 15 million pills of controlled substances were allegedly diverted in the schemes, which impacted vulnerable populations across the country, including Native American communities and the homeless.

Authorities also seized more than $245 million in cash, luxury vehicles, cryptocurrency, and other assets linked to the fraud schemes. Civil actions were brought against 20 additional defendants involving $14.2 million in alleged fraud, and civil settlements with 106 defendants totaled $34.3 million.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), in a related enforcement measure, reported that it had prevented over $4 billion in fraudulent payments and suspended or revoked billing privileges for 205 providers leading up to the Takedown.

The DOJ is also launching a new Health Care Fraud Data Fusion Center to integrate data analysts from multiple agencies using cloud computing and AI to identify and respond to fraud in real time — part of an initiative tied to a presidential executive order to reduce waste, fraud, and abuse in federal programs.

“The Criminal Division is intensely committed to rooting out health care fraud schemes and prosecuting the criminals who perpetrate them because these schemes: (1) often result in physical patient harm through medically unnecessary treatments or failure to provide the correct treatments; (2) contribute to our nationwide opioid epidemic and exacerbate controlled substance addiction; and (3) do all of that while stealing money hardworking Americans contribute to pay for the care of their elders and other vulnerable citizens,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The Division’s Health Care Fraud Unit and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices stand united with our law enforcement partners in this fight, and we will continue to use every tool at our disposal to protect the integrity of our health care programs for the American people.”

“The scale of today’s Takedown is unprecedented, and so is the harm we’re confronting. Individuals who attempt to steal from the federal health care system and put vulnerable patients at risk will be held accountable,” said Acting Inspector General Juliet T. Hodgkins of HHS-OIG. “Our agents at HHS-OIG work relentlessly to detect, investigate, and dismantle these fraud schemes. We are proud to stand with our law enforcement partners in protecting taxpayer dollars and safeguarding patient care.”

“Health care fraud drains critical resources from programs intended to help people who truly need medical care,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Today’s announcement demonstrates our commitment to pursuing those who exploit the system for personal gain. With more than $13 billion in fraud uncovered, this is the largest takedown for this initiative to date. Together, the FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to hold those accountable who steal from the American people and undermine our health care systems.”

The DOJ emphasized that this year’s operation reflects a continuing, aggressive approach to uncovering and prosecuting health care fraud. Since 2007, the Department’s Health Care Fraud Strike Force has charged over 5,400 defendants for schemes totaling more than $27 billion in fraudulent billing.

“This record-setting Health Care Fraud Takedown delivers justice to criminal actors who prey upon our most vulnerable citizens and steal from hardworking American taxpayers,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Make no mistake – this administration will not tolerate criminals who line their pockets with taxpayer dollars while endangering the health and safety of our communities.”

“As part of making healthcare accessible and affordable to all Americans, HHS will aggressively work with our law enforcement partners to eliminate the pervasive health care fraud that bedeviled this agency under the former administration and drove up costs,” said Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. of the Department of Health and Human Services.

Gas tax in Washington state goes up — again

Suzanne Downing
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20
Gas tax in Washington state goes up — again

Alaskans visiting Washington state will find gas prices shockingly high, as that state is nearing $1 a gallon gas tax.

Starting July 1, Washington’s gas tax climbs once again — for the 21st time. The new hike brings Washington’s base gas tax to 55.4 cents per gallon, plus the estimated 40 cents per gallon from the state’s Climate Commitment Act, a carbon pricing program passed in 2021. That totals an eye-watering 95.4 cents per gallon for gasoline and over $1.01 per gallon for diesel.

Before that hike goes into effect, the average price for a gallon of regular gasoline in Washington state is approximately $4.45, significantly higher than the national average of $3.21 per gallon, and higher than what Anchorage drivers typically pay, which is $3.56 a gallon.

This latest increase in Washington state stems from a 2025 legislative package that included a 6-cent hike in the state’s gas tax. Though the tax itself is nothing new — it’s been around since 1921, when a gallon of gas was taxed at just one penny — the economic context has changed drastically. So has the way Washington residents get around, with a rising number of drivers switching to electric vehicles, which don’t pay gas taxes at all, shifting the tax burden to the poor. The new legislation will now adjust it upward for inflation every year.

Washington leans on its gas tax to fund infrastructure, roads, ferries, and transit projects. In recent years, however, the landscape has shifted. As EV adoption grows and fuel efficiency improves, traditional gas tax revenues are becoming less reliable. There are more than 180,000 electric cars on the roads now in Washington state — still a small fraction of the vehicles, but growing.

To compensate, lawmakers added revenue from the state’s Climate Commitment Act, which operates under a cap-and-invest model — essentially a carbon pricing system that auctioned off emission allowances. The proceeds act as an indirect tax on fuel consumption, and in 2025, it’s estimated to add roughly 40 cents per gallon to fuel costs. Washington’s total tax burden at the pump is among the highest in the country, exceeding $1.10 per gallon for gasoline.

To compare, the gas tax in Alaska is 8.95 cents per gallon for gasoline and diesel, which is the lowest in the United States. This rate includes state excise taxes and related fees paid at the pump.

In addition to the state tax in Washington, motorists in all states pay s a federal excise tax of 18.4 cents per gallon on gasoline and 24.4 cents per gallon on diesel.

Based on fuel consumption data from the US Energy Information Administration, in 2022 Washington state used approximately 2.5 billion gallons of gasoline and 0.6 billion gallons of diesel.

This brings is more than $2.991 billion annually to the state.

As the state tax approaches the $1-per-gallon mark, it places an a larger burden on rural communities, lower-income drivers, and those who can’t afford to transition to electric vehicles.

And tomorrow, that gets just a little heavier for those in Washington state who do not drive electric cars.

Dunleavy blasts Assn. of Alaska School Boards in scathing letter: ‘Be honest with the people of Alaska’

Suzanne Downing
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30
Dunleavy blasts Assn. of Alaska School Boards in scathing letter: ‘Be honest with the people of Alaska’

Gov. Mike Dunleavy delivered a blunt message to Alaska Association of School Boards President Lon Garrison, in a sharply worded letter accusing him of distorting the reasons behind Dunleavy’s veto of $200 from the $700 increase to the Base Student Allocation.

The letter, addressed directly to Garrison, pushes back on what the governor described as “false and offensive” accusations that his veto reflected a lack of support for Alaska’s students, parents, or educators.

Dunleavy vetoes a portion of education increased funding, but leaves most intact

“I served as a school board member and president… I care deeply about educational opportunity, but I also understand the fiscal realities our State faces,” Dunleavy wrote. “Your criticism conveniently ignores the basic fact that Alaska cannot spend what it does not have.”

Dunleavy emphasized that his decision was driven by broader fiscal responsibilities, including declining oil revenue and increasing pressure across state services, not a disregard for education. He pointed to the Legislature’s move to fund the BSA increase by slashing Permanent Fund Dividends and draining millions from the Higher Education Fund, and questioned whether AASB supported that trade-off.

“Governing is about balance and responsibility, not empty advocacy,” he wrote. “I must protect the fiscal solvency of the State—you do not have that obligation.”

The letter escalated from a defense of the veto to a broader attack on the AASB’s positions and leadership. Dunleavy accused the organization of resisting education reform while continually demanding more funding.

“You have made it clear: more funding and local control matter most,” he wrote. “Your organization offers only the tired refrain of ‘more funding,’ with no accountability, no innovation, and no results.”

The governor criticized the association’s opposition to policies such as the Alaska Reads Act, charter school expansion, and homeschool options. He also called out Alaska’s dismal national ranking in academic achievement.

“Alaska ranks near the bottom, 51st in the nation, in academic achievement according to NAEP scores. Does that bother you? Do you care? Where is your outrage about that?” Dunleavy asked.

Dunleavy reminded AASB that his administration has overseen substantial new investments into education, including $1.5 billion above the statutory formula since 2019, from both federal and state sources. He questioned whether the AASB had ever even acknowledged that funding increase.

“You should be honest with the people of Alaska: your priority is not better schools or higher student achievement. It is to maintain the status quo at all costs, regardless of the cost to our children’s future,” Dunleavy wrote.

The governor ended the letter with a pledge to continue advocating for system-wide reforms and to hold groups like the AASB accountable for misrepresenting his administration’s actions.

“I will also do a much better job at informing the public of how you and your organization misrepresent your purpose and my actions,” he concluded.

Read the entire letter here:

06.27.25 Lon Garrison LtrDownload

On this day in 1958, the Senate sealed the fate of Alaska

Suzanne Downing
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11
On this day in 1958, the Senate sealed the fate of Alaska

On June 30, 1958, the United States Senate cast a vote that would reshape the map of America.

After six days of debate, and by a tally of 64 in favor, 20 against, and 12 not voting, the Senate passed the Alaska Statehood Act (H.R. 7999), setting the 49th state on a path to officially join the Union, and sending the act to President Dwight D. Eisenhower for his signature.

This milestone moment was the culmination of years of effort by Alaskans to gain full representation in Congress and self-governance equal to that of the states.

The vote marked a turning point for Alaska and the nation as a whole, ushering in a new era of geographic, political, and economic expansion.

Alaska, purchased from Russia in 1867, had long been viewed by many in the Lower 48 as remote, rugged, and sparsely populated, better suited for military installations and natural resource extraction than full-fledged statehood.

Many Alaskans saw it differently. For years, territorial leaders and activists lobbied Washington, DC for equal footing. They pointed to Alaska’s contributions during World War II, its strategic military importance during the Cold War, and the growing economic potential in oil, fishing, and mining. Among the prominent proponents were Sen. Bob Bartlett, Gov.-Sen. Ernest Gruening, and Ted Stevens. Less supportive was territorial Gov. Benjamin Franklin Heintzleman (governor, 1953–1957), who had proposed a partition plan to divide Alaska, creating a state from Southeast, Southcentral, and Interior Alaska, but leaving Western and Arctic Alaska as a territory.

President Eisenhower was a proponent. But in the Senate, some members were not in favor. The 20 “nay” votes came primarily from Southern Democrats who were leery of Alaska’s strong labor union power and progressive streak, and three conservative Republicans who didn’t think Alaska could stand on its own two feet.

The following senators are identified as having voted “Nay” on the Alaska Statehood Act:

  • James Eastland (D-MS)
  • J. William Fulbright (D-AR)
  • Sam Ervin (D-NC)
  • Olin Johnston (D-SC)
  • John Stennis (D-MS)
  • Herman Talmadge (D-GA)
  • George Smathers (D-FL)
  • John Sparkman (D-AL)
  • Richard Russell (D-GA)
  • Allen Ellender (D-LA)
  • Russell Long (D-LA)
  • Spessard Holland (D-FL)
  • John McClellan (D-AR)
  • Willis Robertson (D-VA)
  • Harry Byrd (D-VA)
  • A. S. Mike Monroney (D-OK)
  • Strom Thurmond (D-SC) – Notably vocal, citing concerns about Alaska’s noncontiguous status diluting the Union’s strength.
  • Barry Goldwater (R-AZ) – Opposed Alaska statehood due to economic concerns and skepticism about Alaska’s readiness.
  • John Bricker (R-OH) – Shared concerns about the precedent of admitting noncontiguous territories.
  • William Jenner (R-IN) – Opposed on similar grounds, questioned Alaska’s economic viability.

The 20 senators reflect the opposition that was driven by regional political dynamics (Southern Democrats feared a shift in Senate balance) and conservative concerns about Alaska’s economic immaturity.

Following the Senate vote, the Alaska Statehood Act was signed into law by President Eisenhower on July 7, 1958. Alaskans later ratified the statehood proposal through a public vote, and on Jan. 3, 1959, Alaska officially became the 49th state of the United States.

Today, the June 30 Senate vote is remembered as a landmark moment in Alaska history, a legislative triumph that overcame resistance rooted in partisanship, regionalism, and outdated perceptions.

From offshore to online: Furie’s new Cook Inlet gas wells set for July launch

Suzanne Downing
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8
From offshore to online: Furie’s new Cook Inlet gas wells set for July launch

Furie Operating Alaska announced it wrapped up a successful offshore drilling season with the departure of the Spartan 151 jack-up rig, marking a key target met in its ongoing efforts to shore up Southcentral Alaska’s dwindling natural gas reserves.

The company announced that it met all operational goals during the season, which included drilling two new wells and performing a work-over on another in the Kitchen Lights Unit. The wells are expected to come online in July, delivering much-needed gas to Southcentral Alaska’s energy grid.

“It has been an incredible season working alongside you,” said Furie CEO John Hendrix in a message to the Hilcorp Spartan 151 team. “Your commitment and collaboration have been instrumental in making this season a success.”

Furie, the only fully Alaska-owned oil and gas operator, has invested more than $900 million into Cook Inlet development, including the construction of the newest offshore gas production platform. The company’s share of Cook Inlet’s total gas production rose from 5% in December 2024 to 7.5% by February 2025.

The spring drilling campaign, launched in April, was funded in part by a loan from the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority, as part of a $50 million revolving credit line approved in May. The program boosted the major component of Furie’s strategy to confront the projected regional gas shortage expected to begin around 2027.

Southcentral Alaska, home to over half the state’s population, faces a critical energy contract shortfall in the coming years as production from the Cook Inlet basin declines. The region currently relies on the Cook Inlet for about 80% of its natural gas, which powers 90% of its electricity and heats the vast majority of homes. Without new sources, state officials warn the region could see a 20–30% supply gap by 2030.

While the state is exploring LNG imports as a contingency, imports are expected to be significantly more expensive than local production, which could drive up energy prices across Anchorage and Southcentral.

Furie’s drilling initiative represents one of the few major new development efforts in the Cook Inlet basin. The company has worked closely with other Alaska-based firms including Fairweather LLC and Maritime Helicopters to execute the program. In February, the Alaska Department of Natural Resources granted royalty rate reductions to Furie to help support a five-year gas supply contract with Enstar, though company leaders have emphasized that long-term production gains will depend more on access to capital than on regulatory concessions.

High costs, aging infrastructure, and a challenging regulatory environment have slowed new exploration in Cook Inlet, where longtime producers like Hilcorp and Furie currently carry the burden of ensuring regional energy stability.

Among the companies that worked this year to bring the project to a success were: M&H, Cruz Construction, Inc., Udelhoven, Fairweather, LLC, Weaver Bros., Inc., Parker Wellbore, American Piledriving Equipment Inc., Five Star Oilfield Services, LLC, Cook Inlet Spill Prevention and Response, AIDEA, and Hilcorp.

Furie gets jack-up rig into position at Kitchen Lights Unit for ambitious natural gas drilling program

Willie Keppel: A generational chance to clean House (and Senate) in Juneau

SENIOR CONTRIBUTOR
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21
Willie Keppel: A generational chance to clean House (and Senate) in Juneau

By WILLIE KEPPEL

We have a once-in-a-generational opportunity to clean up the Alaska Legislature: The retirement of Lyman Hoffman, after 40 years — with the bonus of Senate President Gary Stevens throwing in the towel with 24 years.

The icing on top may yet appear with an announcement from Golovin-based Sen. Donny Olson, with 24 years, announcing retirement due to medical complications from a recent serious ailment.

These are just some of the poster politicians for why we need an opportunity to vote on a constitutional change that defines and mandates mandatory term limits.

It just gets better. The rumored possibility is if Donny resigns, Nome Democrat Neil Foster will apply for Donnie’s seat, or run in the next election.

With the retirement of Sen. Stevens, Kodiak Rep. Louise Stutes, with 10 years in the House, two of which she served as a speaker, has announced a run to succeed her buddy, Stevens in the Senate.

The icing on the cake gets thicker with Hoffman encouraging current House Speaker Bryce Edgmon to run for his seat. Edgmon will have 20 years in office at the end of the next session. The beauty is both Stutes and Edgmon will have to move out of the comfort zones they have created in their districts by throwing our PFD funds to their favorite special interests for as much as decades. This applies to Foster also.

The reason I am happy is we have an opportunity to wipe the slate clean of the power brokers in Juneau. No matter how you may want to slice the budgetary cake, these folks have already decided on the portion sizes for government and private economy, with wiggle room left on the size of the PFD to be stolen, before they even gavel into a new session. These are the folks that have controlled the Finance committees, the House and Senate gavel that steers new bills to committees, and have appointed the committees. Which has led us to what??

If you are already thinking, BILLION AND A HALF DOLLAR DEFICITS, you will not be alone in your thoughts. If you suddenly have a flashback to tens of thousands of your family’s PFD dollars being ripped out of your pockets, it’s not a bad dream — it’s theft by their design.

I see the opportunity for change. I see the opportunity for fresh faces to change juno. I see fresh faces that trust Alaskans to go to the polls and vote for term limits, constitutional PFDs and laws that define where a legislator is required to live and for how long.

I see a brighter Alaska, one where we live within our financial means. I say to those listed above, thank you for your service and do not let the door hit you in the rear on the way out.

Willy Keppel is a longtime trapper and fur trader in Western Alaska.

Willy Keppel: Defined benefits is a model that punishes families, fails students, protects bureaucrats

Search for missing airman in Chena River turns into recovery effort

Suzanne Downing
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4
Search for missing airman in Chena River turns into recovery effort

A 24-year-old United States Air Force staff sergeant has gone missing in the Chena River. On Friday, Christian Diaz of Houston, Texas was kayaking with three coworkers on the Chena River while they were off duty; Diaz was deployed to the Red Flag exercises at Eielson Air Force Base. All four went underwater. Three resurfaced, but Diaz did not.

The Fairbanks Police Department and Fire Department, along with other rescue teams, immediately began searching for him.

Christian is a Hispanic male, 5’11”, and weighs around 190 pounds. He was with the 35th Fighter Generation Squadron at Kunsan Air Base in South Korea, and was deployed to Eielson Air Force Base for training, according to the 8th Fighter Wing and Fairbanks’ fire and police departments.

Rescue operations have since been turned into recovery operations.

“I want to thank the Fairbanks Fire Department, Fairbanks Police Department, Village Public Safety Officers and PAWS Search and Rescue for diligently leading the ongoing efforts to locate Christian,” said Col. Kathryn Gaetke, 8th Fighter Wing commander. “We recognize the emotional hardship for both his family in the United States and here in the Wolf Pack, and we remain focused on supporting his family, colleagues, and all those affected during this challenging time.”

His mother is flying to Fairbanks on Sunday to be closer to the search efforts.

Palestinian flag flies over Anchorage Hillside home of UAA professor

Suzanne Downing
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75
Palestinian flag flies over Anchorage Hillside home of UAA professor

A large Palestinian flag flying from a luxury home on the Anchorage Hillside has raised eyebrows after local news outlet the Alaska Landmine identified the homeowner as Osama Abaza, a University of Alaska Anchorage professor who was born in Nablus on the West Bank and has deep ties to Palestinian academia.

Abaza, who teaches civil engineering at UAA, is a longtime figure in the civil engineering academic community both in Anchorage and in the West Bank. Before moving to Alaska at least 16 years ago, he held several high-level roles at An-Najah National University in the West Bank, serving as graduate coordinator for the transportation engineering department in the late 1990s and early 2000s, and as vice president for administrative affairs from 1999 to 2002. His career at An-Najah dates back to the 1980s, when he chaired the civil engineering department.

The massive flag, prominently displayed outside his Anchorage residence, is visible from a distance.

It’s unclear what the flag represents to Abaza. Several Palestinian organizations have been designated as terrorist groups by countries and international bodies due to their involvement in politically motivated violence. These designations do not apply to the Palestinian people as a whole, but to specific entities that represent many of them. Key terror groups include the Palestinian government, Hamas.

Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamist organization that has governed the Gaza Strip since 2007. Hamas has been designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, European Union, Canada, Israel, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, among others, due to its history of suicide bombings, rocket attacks, and other violent acts targeting Israeli civilians and military personnel. The October 2023 attack on southern Israel, which killed nearly 1,200 people and involved hostage-taking, was widely condemned as a terrorist act attributed to Hamas.

Hamas’s 1988 charter called for the destruction of Israel, though a 2017 document moderated some language while still rejecting Israel’s legitimacy.

Palestinian Islamic Jihad is a smaller, Iran-backed group focused on armed resistance against Israel. PIJ has been designated a terrorist organization by the United States, EU, Canada, and others for its rocket attacks and suicide bombings, particularly during the Second Intifada in the early 2000s.

Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine is a Marxist-Leninist group involved in terrorist attacks since the 1960s, including aircraft hijackings and bombings. It is designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, EU, Canada, and others.

Other groups include the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine – General Command, and the Abu Nidal Organization, which are designated as terrorist groups by various countries for historical acts of violence, including hijackings, bombings, and assassinations.

Read the professor’s biography at this UAA link.

Abaza is living in the United States, where the First Amendment protects even controversial forms of expression, including the flying of a foreign flag. The First Amendment protects unpopular speech and political dissent, and even protects symbols of anti-semitism, such as the Palestinian flag has become.

An-Najah National University, where Abaza spent much of his career, has in the past drawn scrutiny from international observers for its campus climate and political affiliations.

The Anchorage display comes at a time when the Palestinian flag represents Palestinian national resistance to some people, while for others, it evokes images of extremism and anti-Israel ideology and violent anti-semitism.

Alexander Dolitsky: ‘Free Palestine’ is a call to destroy Israel and exterminate Jews

‘No Independence Day’ grift joins the fray

Suzanne Downing
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11
‘No Independence Day’ grift joins the fray

A newly formed advocacy group that appears to be just one man with a penchant for social media is calling on Americans to sit out this year’s Fourth of July celebrations.

The “group,” The People’s Union USA, is urging supporters to forgo parades, fireworks, and flag-waving in what it describes as an “economic blackout” in protest of recent political and corporate developments, and especially in light of President Donald Trump regaining the White House.

The organization, founded in February by Chicago-based activist and meditation guide John Schwarz, who goes by the name “TheOneCalledJai” online, has framed the boycott as a response to a series of grievances, including recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrests, rollbacks of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives by major corporations, imagined suppression of street protests, and the policies enacted under the Trump Administration.

Schwarz is a bit of a cult figure and there’s little evidence that there is actually a group behind him. Although he says chapters are popping up all over the country, there only seems to be one chapter besides his Chicago headquarters, and it’s in Portland, Ore.

He is also calling for a month-long boycott of major retailers including Amazon, Walmart, Target, Starbucks, and Home Depot — companies he has repeatedly targeted in past 2025 campaigns.

Schwarz’ People’s Union USA advocates economic resistance as a tool to combat what it calls “corporate greed, political corruption, and social injustice.” His rise has been rapid, largely fueled by Schwarz’s robust social media presence on Instagram and TikTok, where he has accumulated over 600,000 followers. The group raised $119,000 through GoFundMe by March to support its operations and has received public endorsements from celebrities such as Bette Midler and Stephen King. It may have funding from Hollywood stars, in addition to the GoFundMe

The July 4th boycott is the latest in a series of coordinated efforts by the People’s Union. Recent actions have included:

  • May 20–26: second Walmart boycott
  • June 3–9: Target boycott
  • June 24–30: McDonald’s boycott
  • All of July: Amazon, Starbucks, Home Depot boycotts

Instead of participating in national celebrations, The People’s Union USA wants Americans to eschew what it calls “performative patriotism.”

Meanwhile, the “No Kings” coalition — an alliance of groups including Indivisible, the ACLU, and the Service Employees International Union — is planning a major national protest on July 17 titled “Good Trouble Lives On.” 

The event commemorates the fifth anniversary of the death of Congressman John Lewis and aims to mobilize mass demonstrations against what organizers describe as attacks on democracy and civil rights.

The group is hoping to attract more black Americans to its cause. Previously, the No Kings movement has been almost exclusively white and remarkably elderly.

No Kings leaders continue to focus on long-term movement-building efforts such as:

  • One Million Rising: A leadership training campaign launched June 18 aiming to equip one million Americans to organize local, anti-Trump efforts.
  • Targeted Economic Pressure: Ongoing boycotts of companies like Tesla and calls to pressure its partners—including a “Musk Must Fall” protest staged on June 28, which was Elon Musk’s 54th birthday.
  • Grassroots Infrastructure: Community organizing, town halls, and candidate recruitment efforts driven by the 3.5% theory, which ways that just 3.5% of a population in sustained nonviolent protest can spark systemic political change.

As of this writing, there’s no indication that Alaskans will be sitting out the Fourth of July, with the exception of those who already skip the holiday for their own reasons.

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