As an Anchorage conservative activist lay dying in Providence Alaska Medical Center, Assemblyman Chris Constant waxed on about how sad he was that someone who opposed Constant and his heavy-handed approach to government was in such grave condition.
Appearing by telephone, Eagle River Assemblywoman Jamie Allard was incensed. She was Topel’s medical power of attorney, and she was on the other line, while attending the Tuesday Assembly meeting, telling Topel’s family the sobering news: He had only minutes left in his life.
Constant told the public that Topel was on a ventilator. That was not true. Topel had advance directives to not be placed on one. He also ordered no extraordinary efforts be made to revive him, should he die in the hospital. He fought to live until the end, Allard said.
Allard called for a point of order during Constant’s soliloquy. Constant refused, breaking Robert’s Rules of Order. He said that this was his time.
“When this process started with hundreds of people in this room, I realized that some of the people who came to testify were not going to survive,” Constant said in his remarks about Topel. Then he told the details of Topel, without referring to him by name, but all who knew Topel understood to whom Constant was referring.
“We’ve heard a very sad story of an individual who was here two Wednesdays ago, providing participation in the group, who’s now on a ventilator and may or may not make it,” Constant said. “And this is not somebody who spent the last year supporting my position on matters but has been somebody who spoke consistently against the issues that I support and believe in. But I don’t believe any less of him and my heart breaks when I think about the fact that someone was in this room two weeks ago, and he’s probably going to die from this virus.”
“Chair, I have a point of order,” Assemblywoman Allard said.
“No, not yet, this is my time,” Constant replied and continued.
Allard, who had been contacted by Topel’s doctor, was trying to reach Topel’s family to try to get them to the hospital. She asked for the point of order so she could reach the family.
“It’s absolutely insane that you would wish somebody dead,” Allard interrupted him, and said Topel was not on a ventilator. “You have no idea what you’re talking about. You’re a disgrace as a public official.”
“You are out of order,” Constant replied.
“And you are a liar,” Allard retorted.
Constant completed his remarks, called for the vote, and nine of the Assembly members voted in favor of the mask ordinance that went into effect immediately in Anchorage on Oct. 12. The mayor has 36 hours to veto it, and the Assembly intends to override the veto on Thursday at a special meeting.
Topel had been admitted to Providence hospital several days ago, where he was refused the experimental use of Ivermectin, a drug that is used around the world to reduce symptoms of Covid, and a drug originally developed to treat diseases of the tropics.
He had described publicly in testimony in recent weeks that he had age, heart issues, and other health conditions working against him, but he valued freedom and personal choice and opposed the overreach of government.
Topel had attended Anchorage Assembly meetings for years, testifying frequently. He was a volunteer on the Dave Bronson for Mayor campaign.
“He was a good soul,” Allard said this morning. She added that bill died about 1 am Wednesday.
The left-wing Facebook parody-of-conservatives account that goes by fake-name Nate Crawford commented,
Another leftist on Facebook also celebrated the man’s death:
