Alaska House Speaker Louise Stutes canceled the floor session Wednesday, because “a large portion of representatives have been exposed to Covid-19 in the last 24 hours,” according to her office. Instead, Wednesday was a “technical session,” lasting less than 20 seconds.
The leftist majority under Stutes was planning to continue its efforts to strip Rep. David Eastman from all of his committees due to his membership in the nonprofit organization called Oath Keepers.
Rep. Bart LeBon of Fairbanks posted on his Facebook page that he had tested positive, and sources say he had been in caucus with 16 of the 18 Republican minority members. None who have tested for Covid have yet announced they tested positive, but not all members have tested.
“If you’re following events in Juneau, you may have noticed I’ve not been attending committee hearings in person. The reason is that I recently tested positive for COVID-19 and am currently in quarantine. I am fully vaccinated and my symptoms have been mild. Legislators and staff are on a testing cycle to ensure new cases are identified early and the Capitol has activated the appropriate exposure protocols following my positive test. Though I am not physically in the building, I’m staying current on legislative business. I have been attending meetings remotely and my dutiful staff is keeping me up to date on any official business. Thank you to all those who have reached out to wish me a speedy recovery. I look forward to returning to the Capitol next week after my symptoms resolve,” LeBon wrote on his Facebook page.
The House Committee on Committees Democrats have been plotting against Eastman to remove him from all committees, with Republican members Cathy Tilton and Laddie Shaw objecting; the report must be approved with a simple majority of the House. It is becoming evident that the leftist House majority does not have the votes, and at this point cannot even conduct business.
Since convening 17 days ago, Stutes majority has fixated on Eastman as its sole purpose, and little work has been accomplished under her watch. Many will be gone on Friday, while others will be in quarantine.
The one bill that is being advanced to the floor for Friday, should there be a regular floor session, is HB 118, legislation to grant prisoners more rights to computer access. Its sponsor is Rep. Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins of Sitka.
For over six hours on Thursday, attorney Robin Brena tried in every way possible to get under the skin of Juneau-based Alaska Redistricting Board member Budd Simpson. Brena, law partner to former Gov. Bill Walker, insulted Simpson’s intelligence, ethics, and finally he insulted Simpson’s wife.
Brena, in fact, spent well over a half an hour talking about Simpson’s wife, Paulette Simpson, a well-known supporter of a road north out of Juneau. Brena brought up the fact that Paulette is a Republican. He entered into evidence a letter to the editor from Paulette, dated 14 years ago, which promoted a road from Juneau to Skagway. Brena brought up Paulette’s activism in the Juneau Access project as proof that the map that Budd Simpson drew for the political boundaries in Juneau, Haines, and Skagway was but a thinly veiled attempt to build the road between the communities.
Brena, a multi-millionaire who made his money suing oil companies, pointed out that 22 years ago, a ballot measure asked people if they wanted a road. Voters in the Mendenhall Valley leaned yes, while downtown voters leaned no. He said polls show Skagway aligns on that topic with downtown Juneau, and therefore, those communities are better together.
The attack on Paulette Simpson, rather than the map itself, revealed that Brena thinks wives should be seen but not heard, and certainly are not independent of their husband’s work in any way.
Brena did not reveal to the judge that his own law partner, former Gov. Bill Walker, had killed the road in 2016, citing the state’s financial crisis.
In 2016, Must Read Alaska wrote, almost prophetically, “The option the governor chose is the most expensive alternative: Running slow, mainline ferries that are unreliable and woefully inadequate to the transportation needs and are expensive for working class families. Ferry worker union contracts will continue to explode the cost of operations and require ever-expanding subsidies. Eventually service will have to be cut. “The access road would have allowed the state’s new shuttle ferries to make a 27-min run between Haines and the road ending at Katzehin, cutting travel time, costs, fees, and enabling service throughout the day. The current sailing from Auke Bay takes 4.5 hours. Today’s decision ensures that the people who will be able to afford to get in and out of Juneau will be the monied class.”
The road is dead, but Brena would not let the topic die, so long as it served his purpose to prove that Skagway should be politically connected with road opponents in downtown Juneau.
When Budd Simpson drew the Southeast political boundaries map last year that was eventually adopted by the Alaska Redistricting Board, he didn’t take into consideration the Juneau road project, he said.
The rules are that districts must be contiguous, compact, and have roughly equal numbers of residents. There is no map more contiguous geographically than the Northern Juneau to Skagway map. The ferry terminal in Auke Bay, 12 miles north of Juneau, is the water link between the communities, and the airport, also in the Mendenhall Valley, is the only air link. Skagway has a road to Whitehorse, a Canadian town that is slightly smaller than Juneau where its residents do a lot of their shopping.
On cross examination by attorney Matt Singer, Simpson said a road between Juneau and Skagway will likely not be built any time in the future, and there will be other redistricting exercises between now and whatever may happen with the road. Budd Simpson agreed with that.
Brena also told Judge Thomas Matthews that Skagway residents want to be linked to downtown Juneau, jumping over the more contiguous Mendenhall Valley, because that is where they shop. The truth is that people from communities in the region shop all over Juneau, but Skagway residents are least likely to shop in the downtown corridor since they have the same tourist trap gift shops in their own community. People shopping in Juneau are more likely to be going to Home Depot, Valley Lumber, Don Abel Building Supply, Fred Meyer, and Costco, or heating, automotive, or other supply stores all over the Juneau area.
Brena also repeatedly attacked Budd Simpson because he is an attorney with various clients who may have interests in lines being drawn a certain way. Brena did not reveal to the judge that he and his family have property in Skagway, and that he has economic interests there.
The hearing about the new political lines in northern Southeast Alaska went on all day, with breaks and an hour for lunch. Several people appeared before the judge, including the mayor of Skagway, who opposes having his community linked politically with the Mendenhall Valley, saying it marginalizes the people of Skagway, and local Skagway business owner Jan Wrentmore, who said Skagway is more like downtown Juneau and the people of the Mendenhall Valley, 10 miles north of the downtown area, can’t possibly be educated about the needs of a tourism economy.
Redistricting in Southeast Alaska has proven tricky because the region has lost population and the maps are having to adjust to compensate.
This one of several redistricting challenges being heard over the final maps. Court challenges to the maps are the norm. In the Southcentral region, the Mat-Su Borough and the Valdez Borough are also challenging the way the map links Valdez with the Mat-Su.
The final redistricting maps, some now being litigated, are at the map gallery at this link.
In December, Anchorage Mayor Dave Bronson selected Cheryl Frasca as the director of the city’s Office of Management and Budget. She was confirmed without controversy on Tuesday by the Anchorage Assembly. Through her 47-year career working for the U.S. Congress, governors, mayors, and state legislators of different parties, Frasca bring a wealth of skill in dealing with state and city budgets and public administration.
Frasca was the OMB Director for the Municipality of Anchorage from 2000 to 2002 and 2009 to 2012 and served in the same role for the State of Alaska from 2002 to 2006. She has also worked in the private sector dealing with government relations, fiscal policies, and policy analysis issues.
“Cheryl is one of the top financial minds in the entire state of Alaska,” said Mayor Dave Bronson. “I am elated that she has agreed to once again serve the people of Anchorage as we work together to help our great city prosper.”
Frasca has a Bachelor of Political Science from California State University Hayward and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Alaska Southeast.
You would have had to live under a rock to not be impacted by the pandemic. We all know that some have been affected more than others. Some have lost loved ones, some have lost relationships, some have lost businesses and generations of hard work, and some have lost their right to govern their own bodies.
We also all know how this has turned into a political weapon to divide us and push agendas on a fearful people. You would also have had to live under a rock to miss the record breaking convoy in Canada that has sparked a global movement for freedom.
Throughout the world, we are watching live as our neighbors in Canada are taking a stand against the cross-border vaccine mandate on truckers.
They are fighting for their jobs, for their ability to bring supplies to their families and communities, and for their freedom to choose what they inject into their own bodies, without coercion.
When the pandemic first hit us, the truckers never stopped. While the rest of the world spent two weeks locked down and not leaving their homes, truckers kept on trucking. Before vaccines, before therapies, before treatments, before knowing the risks, they kept driving to bring all of the things you ordered from the comfort and safety of your home. They filled your grocery stores and pharmacies. They brought you hand sanitizer and masks, vitamins and food.
Now they are taking a stand against nonsensical federal mandates that strip them of what I believe is a fundamental human right. Hundreds of thousands of Canadians have had enough. The size of the movement is incalculable, and it has inspired demonstrations of solidarity world wide, from Australia to Europe to Africa to Alaska. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau calls truckers “the fringe.” Well, we the fringe are making our voices heard.
My heart swells with pride and hope as the people make a peaceful protest against government overreach that is nothing short of tyranny. Of course, the media keeping in line with their crumbling narrative has villainized and attacked these people. But if you open your eyes, you will see the most beautiful display of community, diversity, and patriotism I have ever seen.
The people are refusing to let the government divide them into vaxxed and unvaxxed. They are rejecting the fear and propaganda of a hypocritical prime minister. They are rejecting discrimination and coercion against a minority. They are embracing their humanity and joining together to make a stand for freedom for all. They are bringing each other gas, and food to sustain the protest. They are playing hockey in the streets. They are singing their national anthem and waving flags. They are cleaning up the streets and the statues. They are fathers, mothers, children, grandparents, friends, strangers, vaxxed, and unvaxxed. They are the shot heard round the world and they have awakened the Patriot in us all. And their stance is costly. They need us to support them. It’s time to hold the line.
“In the beginning of a change the patriot is a scarce man, and brave, and hated and scorned. When his cause succeeds, the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to be a patriot.” – Mark Twain
There is a line drawn in the sand and it’s time to pick a side. Do you stand for freedom of speech and medical choice? Or do you stand with the ones forcing their will upon others? I have been fighting these mandates since the beginning. Freedom over fear.
I will always stand for freedom. It’s in my blood. History is being written right now. What will it say about you? Do you stand up against discrimination of a minority? Or do you join the mob rule panicked cancel culture?
As Alaskans, these truckers are our lifeline. This is our chance to thank them not just for the supplies they deliver, but for their most important delivery yet….freedom.
Jamie Allard is an Anchorage Assembly member representing Chugiak and Eagle River.
Anchorage Police Chief Michael Kerle was unanimously confirmed at the Anchorage Assembly meeting on Tuesday. He was sworn-in as the Anchorage Chief of Police on Wednesday at the Anchorage Police Headquarters.
Kerle was appointed after former Chief Ken McCoy stepped down to become chief equity officer at Providence Alaska Medical Center, where he appears to be launching his political career. McCoy’s first act upon leaving office was to appear in his police uniform in an ad for Bill Walker for governor.
Chief Kerle began his law enforcement career in 1996 when he joined APD as a recruit in the Academy. He was promoted to Deputy Chief in February of 2020.
Over the course of over two decades at APD, he has held positions in the Patrol Division, Special Operations, and Crime Suppression.
Chief Kerle has a bachelor of science degree from the University of New York, is a graduate of the Police Executive Leadership Graduate Program and the Administrative Officer’s Course from the Southern Police Institute at the University of Louisville, the FBI Hazardous Devices Executive Management School and the SWAT Commander’s School.
Chief Kerle and his wife Grace have been married since 1995.
Kerle shared the following statement: “Thank you to our Anchorage community who recognize, and greatly appreciate, the sacrifice and dedication of our police officers, and their willingness to put their lives on the line to protect others. Strong relationships of mutual trust between the police agencies and the communities they serve are critical to maintaining public safety and effective policing. To those members of the community that are hesitant or reluctant to trust or work with our department, let us communicate through fact based dialogue to resolve our differences in order for all members of our community to feel safe and build on the future through mutual cooperation.”
In the financial disclosures posted at the Federal Election Commission, Congressman Don Young started 2022 with $630,000 cash on hand for his coming race.
Of that amount, $164,209 was raised by Young in the fourth quarter. In the fourth quarter report:
$33,173 came from the House 2022 “Take Back the House” Political Action Committee.
$138,400 came from union political action committees, or about 70 percent of funds coming in the door.
$13,559 came from individual Alaska contributions, or about 6.87 percent.
The donations from union political action committees include organizations such as the North America’s Building Trades Union PAC, the Seafarers Political Activity Donation, Laborers International Union of North America, Teamsters Drive Committee, UA Union Plumbers and Pipefitters, IBEW and several others, according to the FEC reports.
Young ended his 2020 campaign year with $249,173 in the bank after his most expensive race in his then-24 term history. He had raised $1.94 million for that cycle, with Democrat-endorsed Alyse Galvin raising over $5.2 million.
Young’s most likely competitor for for 2022 is his 2020 campaign co-chair Nick Begich, who raised $150,000 from Alaskans in the last 60 days of the fourth quarter of 2021 for his race; he didn’t file for Congress until the end of October and put $150,000 of his own money in at the start of his campaign.
Begich’s campaign account began 2022 with $227,336 and it received no PAC checks.
Campaign coffers are one sign of strength for candidates, because getting around Alaska, building enthusiasm for the candidates, and getting messages out over the airwaves takes cash. Inflation will be an influence on the 2022 cycle, as costs are going up for labor, fuel, and materials for candidates, just as inflation is pinching household budgets. This could be Young’s most expensive campaign in his 26 races.
Also running is no-party candidate Gregg Brelsford, who raised $26,027 last year and started 2022 with $6,308 cash on hand.
Randy Purham, a Republican, has raised $1,485 and started 2022 with $304 cash on hand.
Today a settlement was finalized over a lawsuit brought by two former psychiatrists at the Alaska Psychiatric Institute, who sued the Dunleavy Administration after being fired when the Dunleavy Administration took office at the end of 2018.
The state reached an agreement that all parties have approved and it settles all claims made, or that could be made, by the two former employees.
Neither Dunleavy nor his former chief of staff Tuckerman Babcock admitted to any wrongdoing as part of the settlement. The Dunleavy Administration decided it was in the State’s best interest to move on, with a reasonable settlement value that avoids the risk and expense of continued litigation.
Gov. Mike Dunleavy maintains that the state’s incoming chief executive officer must have the authority to make policy and staff changes, when those staff members have their fingers in policy decisions.
Psychiatrist Anthony Blanford was awarded $220,000, and John Bellville was awarded $275,000.
The Dunleavy Administration has, since taking office, made substantial changes to the clinical services at the Alaska Psychiatric Institute, which was in imminent danger of losing its accreditation when Dunleavy took office at the end of 2018.
Congressional candidate Nick Begich has won the fifth endorsement from an Alaska mayor. Cordova Mayor Clay Koplin has signed on with the Republican Begich who is taking on Congressman Don Young.
Begich has already received endorsements from Kenai Borough Mayor Charlie Pierce, North Pole Mayor Michael Welch, Wasilla Mayor Glenda Ledford, and Mark Jensen of Petersburg.
He also has the endorsements of Mat-Su Assemblyman Jesse Sumner, Mat-Su School Board member-elect Jubilee Underwood, and Alaska Outdoor Council and hunting enthusiast Carl Nelson, gunsmith and Valley political activist L.D. Howard, drone company founder Amber McDonald, and Republican activist Misty Steed, and former congressional candidate John Nelson. More recently, Waynette Coleman of Ninilchik, Richard Derkevorkian, assemblyman in Kenai, Cindy Glassmaker of Kenai, Taylor James of Wasilla, Jake Almeida of Palmer, Vonnie Pierce of Sterling, Former Sen. Pete Kelly of Fairbanks, Amber McDonald of Anchorage, Marcus Sanders of Anchorage, Ric Davidge of Anchorage, Pamela Melin of Palmer, Bill Elam of Kenai Assembly, Julie Gillette of Fairbanks, Kathy Toms of Homer, Dee McKee of Wasilla, former Rep. Lynn Gattis of Wasilla, Sen. Roger Holland of Anchorage, Janet Johnson of Palmer, Rep. Kevin McCabe of Big Lake, Rob Yundt of Mat-Su Assembly, Sen. Mike Shower, Sen. Shelley Hughes, and dozens of other well-known civic leaders around the state.
Begich, who announced his candidacy in late October, is taking on the Dean of the House, Alaska’s sole congressional representative, who has been in office since 1973. In the open primary system, they will be on the ballot with all others registered for that race, as there is no longer a Republican primary. Begich was Congressman Young’s co-chair for his 2020 campaign, but now has Young’s campaign manager, Truman Reed, working for him as his campaign manager as the young generation of Republicans try to retire the old warrior, Congressman Young.
Former Anchorage Police Chief Ken McCoy, who was with the Anchorage Police Department for 27 years, ended his service on Monday to take a position with Providence Alaska Medical Center as the Chief Equity Officer.
Hours after he legally retired, he appeared in an ad supporting former Gov. Bill Walker and Heidi Dryas, who are running as a duo for governor and lieutenant governor.
He was wearing his APD uniform in the ad.
It’s unclear if Anchorage’s Code of Ethics anticipated former police officer using a uniform he is no longer entitled to wear in a campaign ad.
But Walker and Drygas saw no problem with the ad, and gushed about it on social media:
The Anchorage Code of Ethics Summary states that use of municipal property for partisan purposes is not allowed by public officials. Read the Ethics Code Official Summary here.
“Appearance of impropriety: Where provisions of this chapter differ from the common law principle that an appearance of impropriety alone is sufficient to establish a conflict of interest or an ethical violation, the provisions of this chapter supersede the common law,” the code says.
The code says municipal resources may not be used for campaign purpose and that this applies to employees, board members, elected officials, and public servants.
There may be no consequence for McCoy, who has become a political animal since leaving his post as Anchorage’s top police officer.
While chief, McCoy attended in uniform a “get out the vote” event for Anchorage mayor that was tailored for failed candidate Forrest Dunbar.
McCoy announced his retirement in November, with his final date originally announced as Feb. 1, but evidently moved to Jan. 31. Many are speculating he intends to run for mayor in the future.
