Former Anchorage Mayor Austin Quinn-Davidson was so proud of the drag queen party she hosted at her house, that her wife Stephanie Quinn-Davidson even posted photos on Facebook, with pictures of their own child and other children handing the drag queen one dollar bills, in the way patrons of strip clubs tip dancers.
Attending the drag queen show in West Anchorage was fellow Democrat Rep. Zack Fields, who was photographed with a child on his lap enjoying the performance.
It’s Pride Month, and that means the extremist members of the LGBTQ community have created many celebrations around the country like this, where children are groomed into alternative lifestyles, such as transvestism, drag queen culture, and transgenderism.
Quinn-Davidson served on the Anchorage Assembly before former Democrat Mayor Ethan Berkowitz resigned in disgrace, having scandalized the city after photos of him surfaced that put him in a compromising light. Quinn-Davidson was quickly installed by the Assembly as mayor, and she served for eight months, until Mayor Dave Bronson was elected in 2021. She then returned to the Assembly, where she rarely showed up in person for meetings, and then chose to not run for reelection in 2023. She has been out of office since April.
Stephanie Quinn-Davidson is a political figure in her own right, having been involved in anti-Pebble mine activism and advocating for environmentalist candidates of the Chugach Electric Association.
Alaska Rep. Mary Peltola joined all other Democrats and 20 Republicans to table a resolution aimed at censuring and imposing a fine on Democratic California Rep. Adam Schiff.
Schiff abused his authority when the Democrats were in control of the House, making claims about evidence that he falsely said would prove collusion between the campaign of former President Donald Trump and the Russian government. He was the House’s lead prosecutor in Trump’s first impeachment trial, having been appointed to that role by then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
The resolution that was introduced by Republican Florida Rep. Anna Paulina Luna accused Schiff of intentionally deceiving his committee, Congress, and the American people during the special counsel investigation into Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign.
During the impeachment process, Schiff said that Trump could face jail time. As chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, he launched multiple investigations into the former president.
Schiff was removed from the committee altogether by Speaker Kevin McCarthy in January, along with the removal of California Democrat Rep. Eric Swalwell.
The resolution, had it passed, would have fined Schiff $16 million, which represents about half of what Democrats charged the American taxpayer for the phony investigation into Trump, which turned the House Intelligence Committee into a sort of super PAC to attack Trump in advance of the 2020 presidential election.
The resolution said Schiff had exploited his position to gain access to sensitive information that would help him launch a fraudulent investigation, which he then used for personal political gain and fundraising for his own reelection.
Schiff, who is currently running for Senate, capitalized on the censure prospect to raise funds. In an email sent to his supporters, he portrayed it as an attack on constitutional oversight and accountability, claiming that “MAGA Republicans are out for revenge.”
After the resolution was tabled, Luna expressed her intention to bring it up for another vote, and she will take away the $16 million fine. She took to Twitter, criticizing the 20 Republicans who voted against the recommended penalty, censure, and investigation of Schiff.
The Fairbanks North Star Borough School Board voted down a controversial “supplement” to its new health curriculum while approving a new health book.
The supplement included subjects such as gender identity, sexual orientations, and romantic orientations. These pages are from the supplement:
The testimony was divided into two camps: parents who voiced strong opposition to the supplement; and educators who believed they knew what was best for other’s children.
Most of the community testimony opposed the controversial supplement. One person said, “It tells lies. It says that there are more than two genders, and that is a lie.”
He closed his testimony by saying, “If you want your children to learn about sexual deviation, you should send them to (Jeffrey) Epstein’s Island.”
Another citizen said that instead of purchasing a new health book, the money should be used for the literacy training program required by the Alaska Reads Act. It seems this parent would like the district to focus on what matters — getting children reading at grade level.
A North Pole resident said that the supplement “shook me to the core” and stated it was definitely not middle school material. She warned that parents would be removing their kids from the district if this supplement becomes part of the curriculum.
A supporter of the new health book stated that abortion should also be included in the curriculum because it is not in the new health book.
Further discussion by the board showed the controversial supplement to the health book was in the teachers’ lounges for an entire week for their review. Parents seemed to have less access than the teachers.
The board was divided into those who believed that LGBTQ material in the supplement should be included in the health curriculum and those who strongly opposed the supplement inclusion.
Board member Erin Morotti said that failing to acknowledge LGBTQ identities is to “essentially erase them.” And “To erase someone is to deny their humanity and therefore their human rights.” She was all-in for the supplement.
Member April Smith said she was voting “yes” for the new health book even though the health book did not represent her values. However, the book did represent her community. She further said that the district could not afford the controversy the supplement would create in the community. This supplement would cost public trust in the district. She voted “no” to the supplement.
Members Timothy Doran, a former principal, and Brandy Harty, a former teacher, both supported the supplement being included in the health curriculum.
The discussion finally devolved into whether students would have access to the supplement. District staff said that students would not have access to the supplement unless the teacher gave access to it. A contradiction that implied that teachers would have the final say, not parents.
That would leave the door wide open for the teachers to openly share the material covered in the supplement.
A student could have access to the controversial supplement without parental permission because the supplement is not in the parents’ permission slip. And a teacher could assign material out of the supplement.
After many rounds of voting on amendments to adding the supplement and several reconsideration votes, the board voted on the new health curriculum without including the supplement.
The board voted 4 to 3 on excluding the controversial supplement. Voting “yes” were Burnett, Matheson, Smith, and Sanderson. Voting “no” (and to include the supplement) were Dorn, Harty, and Morotti.
The board voted 4 to 3 to adopt the new health book without the supplement, supporting the community’s parents.
Perhaps, now the school board could move on to educating our children in math and reading — life-long skills needed for success in life.
Former Anchorage State Rep. Chris Tuck filed a letter of intent to run for Anchorage mayor. Tuck served in the Alaska House for then-District 23 from 2009 until January of this year, after he declined to run again when he and Rep. Andy Josephson were moved into the same district during redistricting.
Tuck is a graduate of Dimond High School and was a business representative with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 1547, and an instructor at the Alaska Joint Electrical Apprenticeship School.
A moderate Democrat, he is the second liberal to file candidacy against Republican Mayor Dave Bronson. Earlier this year, former Assemblywoman Suzanne LaFrance, a hardline Democrat, filed.
LaFrance has a fundraiser scheduled for June 22 with dozens of the top-name Democrats endorsing her.
The word around Anchorage is that Bill Popp, President and CEO of Anchorage Economic Development Corporation, is also planning to file for mayor. He is a registered undeclared, not aligned with any political party.
Just days after former President Donald Trump was indicted on 37 federal charges relating to his handling of documents that he says he declassified, his backing among Republican and Republican-leaning voters appears to mostly stable, according to a national poll conducted by Quinnipiac University and released Wednesday.
The poll was conducted prior to Trump’s arraignment in a Miami court on Tuesday.
“A federal indictment. A court date on a litany of charges. A blizzard of critical media coverage. The negative impact on the former President’s standing with voters? Not much at all,” said Quinnipiac University Polling Analyst Tim Malloy.
The poll, which ran from June 8-12, presented Republican and Republican-leaning voters with a roster of 10 candidates seeking the GOP nomination for president. Trump emerged as the favorite, securing the support of 53 percent of respondents. His nearest competitor, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, trailed significantly with 23 percent backing.
Other candidates in the race found less favor among respondents. Former Vice President Mike Pence, former United Nations Ambassador and South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, South Carolina Senator Tim Scott, and former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie each garnered 4% of support. Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy received the approval of 3% of participants, while former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson earned 1% support. All other listed Republican candidates recorded less than 1 percent backing.
In a hypothetical general election matchup, the poll indicated a tight race between incumbent President Joe Biden and Trump. Biden held a narrow lead, securing 48% of the vote against Trump’s 44% among all registered voters, close to the margin of error. This represents a minor shift from Quinnipiac University’s previous national poll conducted on May 24th, where Biden had 48% and Trump received 46% of the vote.
President Joe Biden is still strong among Democrats and Democratic-leaning voters. Biden retains 70% favoring his candidacy. However, declared candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. garners 17% support, while Marianne Williamson follows with 8%. These numbers suggest that although President Biden has a strong base of support within his party, 30% are willing to look at other options.
Biden received a 42% favorable rating among all types of voters, while 54% expressed an unfavorable opinion of him.
Kennedy, Jr. has a 31% favorable rating, with 26% expressing an unfavorable opinion. Williamson received a 7% favorable rating, accompanied by a 21% unfavorable rating.
In terms of job approval, registered voters gave President Biden a negative 42% rating. However, this marks a slight improvement from the negative 38% rating recorded in a previous poll conducted by Quinnipiac University on May 24.
Among all Americans, President Biden received a negative 41% job approval rating, indicating a modest increase from the negative 36% rating in May.
When asked about specific policy areas, opinions were divided.
On President Biden’s handling of the response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, 45% of Americans expressed approval, while 47 percent disapproved.
In foreign policy, 39% approved of President Biden’s approach, compared to 53% who disapproved.
On the economy, 38% approved of his actions, whereas 57% expressed disapproval.
His ratings on the federal budget were also low, with 37% approving, while 55% disapproved.
Wednesday’s results are part of a series of close head-to-head results between Biden and Trump recorded by Quinnipiac University since they began tracking this particular metric in February 2023. The findings indicate that despite his legal troubles, Trump’s influence within the Republican Party remains strong, as does his competitiveness in a potential rematch against President Biden.
Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Cormac McCarthy has passed. His publisher said that the 89-year-old author of “No Country for Old Men” and other masterpieces died of old age at his home in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
He was the author of “All the Pretty Horses,” and “The Road.” “No Country for Old Men,” was made into a movie in 2007.
Born in 1933 in Tennessee, he studied at the University of Tennessee, but dropped out and joined the U.S. Air Force in 1953. He was stationed in the Territory of Alaska for two years, where he started as a navigator but ended up hosting a nighttime radio show on base at Elmendorf AFB, where he spun records on turntables.
His first novel, “The Orchard Keeper,” was written while he was working as an auto mechanic in Chicago, was published in 1965, and won the prestigious Faulkner Award.
He was a recluse and his writings depicted a dark and bleak side of America — and an extremely violent side.
“For 60 years, he demonstrated an unwavering dedication to his craft, and to exploring the infinite possibilities and power of the written word,” Penguin Random House CEO Nihar Malaviya said. “Millions of readers around the world embraced his characters, his mythic themes, and the intimate emotional truths he laid bare on every page, in brilliant novels that will remain both timely and timeless, for generations to come.”
McCarthy was born in Knoxville, Tenn., and lived in various places in the Great Smoky Mountains before moving to Santa Fe.
Other novels he wrote were include “Outer Dark,” 1968; “Child of God,” 1973; “Suttree,” 1979; and “Blood Meridian,” 1985.
His “Border Trilogy,” set along the U.S. border with Mexico, includes “All the Pretty Horses,” 1992; “The Crossing,” 1994, and “Cities of the Plain,” 1998.
Photo: Cormac McCarthy, inside flap of “Suttree,” Wikimedia Commons.
A group of U.S. senators, led by Alaska Sen. Dan Sullivan, sent a letter to Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro, demanding he fulfill a commitment he made to provide a 30-year shipbuilding plan that meets the legal requirement for maintaining at least 31 amphibious warfare ships.
The letter, signed by senators from both sides of the aisle, including 13 members of the Senate Armed Services Committee, highlights concerns that the Navy has failed to meet the requirement and emphasizes the potential consequences for national security.
The issue stems from Secretary Del Toro’s presentation of a shipbuilding plan before the SASC in April, which did not reach the statutory minimum mandated by Congress.
The bill states, “The amphibious warfare ship force structure of the Navy must be maintained at 31, composed of 10 amphibious assault ships general-purpose and multi-purpose, and 21 amphibious transport dock types, in order to meet global commitments.” But the Biden Administration has turned the Navy’s focus to climate change and LGBTQ+ issues, not warfare readiness.
During a subsequent questioning session led by Sen. Sullivan earlier this year, the Navy Secretary committed to providing the required plan. But Del Toro never did.
The senators, in their formal letter to Del Toro, reminded him that the requirement is not a mere suggestion. The Navy’s violation of the law also poses a threat to the future effectiveness of the Joint Force, particularly in light of the national security threats in the Indo-Pacific region.
In their letter, senators request Secretary Del Toro asked that the updated plan be handed over by June 19.
.@USMC General Eric Smith, nominee to be the next Commandant, testified in @SASCGOP that the #MarineCorps cannot execute its global response mission w/o a minimum of 31 amphibious warships.
Amazingly, the Navy Secretary still has no plan to meet this legally-required minimum. pic.twitter.com/AGhG3heg7X
Adding weight to the senators’ concerns, Gen. Eric Smith, the nominee to be the commandant of the Marine Corps, testified before the committee, stressing that the Corps cannot fulfill its global response mission without the minimum number of amphibious ships.
The provision requiring a minimum of 31 amphibious warships was originally authored by Sen. Sullivan and received unanimous support from both Democrats and Republicans on the SASC. It was subsequently signed into law as part of the FY 2023 National Defense Authorization Act.
Sullivan has been vocal about the Department of Defense’s failure to comply with Congress on this matter. In May, he argued on the Senate floor that the DOD’s defiance sets a dangerous precedent, erodes the rule of law, and undermines the authority of the American people’s elected representatives.
On Flag Day we pay tribute to a symbol of freedom that is known the world over as a beacon of hope and justice, that sweet Old Glory, our American Flag.
The Stars and Stripes were adopted by the Continental Congress in 1777. Red for valor, white for purity, and blue for loyalty. Stars for a new constellation. Congress knew this great experiment of democracy, representation, and equality deserved an emblem worthy of the allegiance of a new nation as monumental as new stars in the sky.
Nearly 250 years later, the flag of the United States of America still stands for liberty. She has painted history red, white, and blue as she blazed a path against tyranny in all its forms. She is a formidable foe to all those who threaten freedom and a fierce friend to the oppressed and downtrodden. She has inspired poems and songs and is the shroud of honor for our fallen heroes, who gave their all in service to the ideals for which she stands. There is no greater love than to lay your life down for your friends.
I wonder if that first Congress could ever fathom just how far their flag has flown. From humble beginnings, they dared to dream of a new world where we all have a voice. The Stars and Stripes have carried that vision forward on the shoulders of the courageous men and women who dare to dream of a more perfect Union.
Embodied by those American pioneers, Old Glory has transcended new frontiers and is firmly planted in the depths of the human spirit. From the shores of Tripoli to the top of Mount Everest, from Eagle River, Alaska, to the surface of the moon, she waves in honor of those who have built her legacy and those who will carry her values into the future.
Flag Day is a time to pay tribute to the extraordinary journey of the American people, remembering our moments of triumph and our strength in adversity.
Flag Day reminds us that the responsibility to carry the values of the flag into the future rests on each and every one of us. Her success depends on our willingness to engage in our government, invest in our communities, and diligently teach our children the power of freedom.
Our flag unites us as Americans, embracing our differences and reminding us that we are a nation of individuals, as equal and unique as the 50 stars. The stripes remind us of the struggle for independence, that freedom isn’t free.
Our flag is a powerful symbol that brings together people of all backgrounds, beliefs, and walks of life under a common purpose. As we celebrate Flag Day, let us reaffirm our commitment to the principles that our flag embodies: red for valor, white for purity, and blue for loyalty both to freedom and to each other.
Let us also remember the men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our flag and the freedoms it represents. We honor our soldiers and acknowledge that we owe the safety and liberty of our shores to their loyalty and service. Their dedication and courage inspires us to live up to the ideals of the Stars and Stripes and to never take our freedom for granted.
Let us take a moment to reflect on the powerful symbolism of our flag. Let us recognize its role as a unifying force and a faithful reminder of the values that make our nation strong. May we always cherish and protect the freedoms it represents, and may we be inspired to work together to build a brighter and more prosperous future, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
Thank you, and may God bless the United States of America.
Rep. Jamie Allardserves in the Alaska House of Representativesfor Eagle River. These were her remarks for the Elks Club in Eagle River Sunday.
While the Biden crime syndicate scandal is being ignored by the mainstream media, former President Donald Trump was arraigned today in a Miami court, where he pleaded not guilty to 37 counts relating to classified documents that were in his possession at Mar-a-Lago after he left the White House in 2021.
Three thousand people showed up outside the Miami courthouse to rally for Trump; an anti-Trump protester dressed in a black-and-white striped prison costume was arrested for blocking the Trump motorcade.
After his arraignment, Trump and his caravan of black SUVs left the courthouse and went to the Versailles Cuban bakery in the Little Havana neighborhood, where a crowd gathered to greet him, and support him. A rabbi placed his hands on Trump and prayed for him. They broke into song, singing “Happy Birthday to You,” for the former president, who turns 77 on Wednesday.
“Some birthday!” he said in response, “We’ve got a government that’s out of control.” He promised bakery treats for everyone there.
On Tuesday night, Trump will be back in Bedminster, N.J. to deliver a speech.
An NBC poll released on Tuesday from June 7-10 timeframe, shows likely Republican voters still support him, with Trump gaining a bump of five percentage points:
