Rep. Jennifer Johnston of Anchorage today apologized on Facebook for statements made to a reporter from the Alaska Journal of Commerce, which implied that people in rural Alaska are not responsible enough to get their Permanent Fund dividends early.
In an op-ed by reporter Andrew Jensen earlier this week, the author quoted Johnston asking Jensen, “Have you ever been to the villages at dividend time?”
Jensen wrote, “Johnston went on to state that part of the reasoning for not paying the dividend early was because it would be too much money in rural Alaska on top of the federal payment that was approved in the CARES Act. She further claimed the congressional delegation actually discouraged the Legislature from paying a spring dividend because they shared the same concerns.”
But when he asked the offices of Rep. Don Young, Sen. Lisa Murkowski and Sen. Dan Sullivan, all denied such a message was conveyed to the Legislature either by them or members of their staffs.
Today, Johnston was more circumspect in her comments as she provided an explanation on Facebook:
“The conclusion of a recent opinion piece does not accurately express my values and beliefs. I have a deep love and respect for our Alaska Native community, and I sincerely apologize for my comments. This is a learning process. In the future I will be educating myself and will do a better job communicating my respect for all Alaskans,” Johnston wrote.
Johnston is serving her second term as a Republican legislator. She also served on the Anchorage Assembly for several years, where she was known as a fiscal conservative. In the Legislature, she has caucused with the bipartisan majority that is dominated by Democrats, for whom she serves as co-chair of the House Finance Committee.
Too little too late. You can’t take it back. You implied that natives aren’t responsible enough to handle another $1000 pfd. You need to step down immediately. I think that was not your true meaning. I think that you thought the government money was enough for now. That you could have onto our pfd a while longer. I think you said what you meant, and was arrogant enough to think nothing would be done about it. You stepped in it. Your days in the house are numbered.
You then lied about the senators and Young too. Did you think they were going to lie for you?
Are you sure she lied or did they just deny saying something that falls right into the kind of thing we’ve heard from Don Young before. What group of people has he not disparaged at one time or another?
Did you expect they’d own up if they expressed similar opinions?
If all three of them hadn’t been dishonest in the past, maybe I’d give them the benefit of the doubt freely. As it is, I don’t think it’s so unbelievable.
She said they said something, they said they didn’t. She lied.
No
Place for bickering We should work for togetherness ???
Sorry J Johnston, too little, too late.
You have already exposed who you are: a city wolverine who wants to consume the meat and bones of rural Alaskans.
It would even be too late if you at this point said you now wanted to fund full dividends this year and work to repay all the reduced dividend money taken in the past years.
You know why? ….We do not trust you!
Time to fast step your exposed philosophy into history and resign.
Apologies are cheap, I would expect nothing less from a politician who spoke her mind. You can apologize for spilling a glass of water but what she said can’t be taken back.
She needs to resign period! All of a sudden she’s sorry! Hell no she is not, she’s sorry the truth about how she really feels about Alaskans slipped out of her mouth.
Too little, too late!
But, but I SAID I love you people. I wouldn’t lie to you.
Here is the thing……..By holding off on the pfd, they can keep from paying more than 1 payment. They want use to starve along until fall then get the small $1000 payment. Its all about control over our money. It’s ours, they have it and want to keep it. She admitted to saying what she did. She said she needs to work on native respect. Really? Who else there has these feelings about natives? The house majority? Even the senators by denying her excuse said she was basically a racist and stupid. Now, she is also a liar. A big fat, bold faced liar! She is tainted and all who caucus with her are too. We need to throw the whole lot out immediately, and give us our damned money!!!!!!!!
Doing the math, the $1200 from President Trump, plus the $1000 pfd is $2200. Way less than what we should have been getting for 3+ years now. It that why they stole our pfd? They didn’t think we could handle the full amount? Just who is in charge there behind this dog and pony curtain show? Now you see it now you don’t? Somebody come out of your hiding place and answer some basic question! What do they think, we can just go hunt something and be fine? We don’t need money.
Why would she have to apologize if the piece was not accurate? Contrary Contrition?
It was, and she did.
Your words ring false, madam! You’ve exposed yourself for having the plantation-house mentality and a mere apology won’t cut it this time. You think the federal payment should be enough? You are obviously very comfortable and have enough money. Alaska costs more to live than a comparable rural setting in the Lower 48. Go back to your plantation house and live in your comfortable bubble…and pray you never have to live without like so many Alaskans.
3 people that always tell the truth – drunks, children & politicians – when they think nobody is within earshot.
You know why they do this? Because we can’t muster up better than 22% of our population willing to get off the couch and vote.
These politicians know nobody is going to hold them accountable.
Is what Johnston said true? Did her leadership team deny a spring check because they don’t trust rural Alaskans? That’s the main point of all this. House leadership members need to answer this question.
It’s true. In stone.
While her comments were aimed squarely at the Native population in this state, Representative Johnston clearly believes that she and government as a whole are better suited to make decisions with the money belonging to Alaskans. If she were ever a fiscal conservative there is no doubt she is no longer.
Excellent comment, thank you – I agree 100%
Yep, she drank the house majority’s kool-aid.
Vile and corrupt. At least they are consistent.
Clearly, District 28 needs better
representation that will serve both the needs of the District families in concert with the broader interests of Alaska while respecting all Alaskan’s reguardless of their station in life. Embracing a false narrative citing our Washington delegation is unacceptable and a serious breach of trust which will harm all Alaskan families going forward. Representative Johnston should offer her resignation immediately as she has breached the trust with the forementioned Representatives and those in Juneau that she must work with. Her conduct is unaceptable to the long term detriment of all Alaskan families. Alaskan families and District 28 families deserve a Representative who is truthful. Unfortunately, Representative Johnston does not meet this most important skill set requirement. It is time for her to go.
She did not lie about the congressional delegation,,,, wake up….They have all used the Natives as their go to in a pinch by giving the tribal leaders trinkets and showing up in their kuspiks to show how plastic Alaskan they are,,,, no better than slum lords,,,, Hey get me a picture here with the children. Promising more Govt cheese to the elders while they take out the billions from their ancestral lands,,,, If only they had a scheister banker like on the Beverly Hillbillies they would not only be into the cheese,, No this Jennifer spoke the truth in her moment of clarity on how these propped up elitist clowns really feel….. But this is not just about the Natives this was a slam on all Alaskans that live outside the bubble of the controlled whom these vile oathbreaking liars are referring to,,, Yep you and me… We could not figure out the phone number to the oil company to stay warm before the crack dealer or the bootlegger drove by either,,,, so get used to it or vote these rural Alaskaphobes out.So sick of these let them eat treebark [cake] arrogant politicians, Alaska has 179 sealed Federal indictments soon to be unsealed,,,, lets pray a majority go to politicians and those who enabled them to destroy our PFD ….
They said she did lie.
Well Ya….I believe that part, That they said she lied … but I don’t believe any one of these Legislators would just spout that out … She was not under duress in her conversation she was justifying her position with clout…. Giving Alaskans what the PFD statute says is not how you control the population… Giving in and allowing what is right in a humanitarian crisis is not how you keep up the theft,, Distribution of what is rightfully the peoples Dividend would only encourage more folks to activate and defend what is rightfully the citizens of the state … No they want the grizzly bears to stay in hibernation… But Jen has poked the bear and the bear is angry and hungry…. So I salute and thank Jenny for her patriotic — kick, waking many up to what their minds are really up to…. Thanks Hon….
She admitted to it. What part of this did you not read? She said sorry. Jeez.
my comment was to your statement that the congressional delegation said she lied .. I don’t believe them….. geez greg…
wow, just wow
Ya know John? You are pretty much right. You “went there”, but dang…you about nailed it. In reality, it goes beyond “natives”. It’s them against us. It’s them controlling the cheese, and deciding on when to give us the curds. It matters not what the law says, it matters how THEY decide. THEY will let us know. THEY own us and know what is best. Hmmm. What does that sound like?
.
And, I’m offended…they don’t wear kuspuks in the region of AK where I was born….Cultural appropriation!!!!
I interviewed her approximately 9 years ago while she was on the assembly. She said something similar. This is not surprising.
Have the guts to resign from your position in the legislature.You are a disgrace as an Alaskan legislator.
This is a nothing happens by mistake moment, a long awaited wake up. First the arrogant legislators were forced to give us a $1,000 dollar emergency PFD check by our awesome reps that have the courage to stand by their word and oath. Then some with less-than-steel spines withered to the corona bribery … you know who you are … weaklings. My belief is this is where Jen, dear sweet Jen, brought in the congressional delegations input as a backing to her “let them eat cake moment.” Seriously. We are being shown the feckless arrogance in living color for a reason. There truly is a God and these sellout traitor puppet legislators are finding out they are not it.
Another RINO showing her true colors…if this had been a true Republican Rep then the left would be crying foul at the top of their lungs.
Exactly, precisely right. Well said. The lack of outrage shows us which team she is on, and why there is zero coverage in the media.
God bless Must Read Alaska. Thank you Suzanne.
Johnson you’ve stated on record many times that the PFD is “unsustainable” when it’s really the government that is unsustainable. The calculation is clear, there is nothing “unsustainable” about averaging over 5 years and dividing by 2.
You actively oppose We, the People having our money that is due to us by statute. You have spent your half of the PF earnings and now you want our half too.
You serve us as our employee. We’re tired of your lies. You’re fired. Box up your stuff.
The thing is, she doesn’t make the decisions by herself. She has to run it up the flagpole for approval. Guess who is her boss? I’ll give you one guess.
Please pass this racist story along to everyone you know. This fascist has to go!
Cow pie
I thought this type of thinking was long gone.
Not so long as racists and other pigs inhabit our society. They are protected, but we don’t have to vote for them and their associates that allow it to continue to happen. When one of their herd protects them when they screw up this badly, it means they are all dirty. Where is the speaker of the house? He is native. This should have really pissed him off as well as all the natives in the state.
What an arrogant, racist remark! I’m an Urban Native, both Kenaitze Indian and Siberian Yupik. How dare she say such ignorant remarks and straight up lie to the public. The high cost of living in the villages is stupefying! So hard to survive. I dare her to live in a village community for 7 months to see how Natives really live. Thanks/no thanks for the “apology.” But I you can’t take your words back. You showed your true self and opinions. Leave Alaska bc obviously you’re too ignorant and pigheaded for this loving state! Time to vote her ultra conservative — OUT!!
Better yet, have the speaker censure her and kick her out to show he cares about natives, in fact all Alaskans.
It’s a beer virus.
Greg, me thinks that the Representative merely told the truth. The truth about how the elite view all Alaskans not just those in Villages.
Whether you live in Kwethluk or Ketchikan you are not to be trusted with your own money. Her remarks are not so much racist as they are classist. Proof of this is easily evident since despite the current unemployment apocalypse, something like 34,000 new UI claims in the last month, and oil going through the floor, this Legislature just passed a budget that didn’t layoff one State Employee or cut any State Salary!
State employees are their biggest voting block. Shows that they’re more interested in getting reelected, than serving the best interests of Alaska.
You are spot on! Her remarks hit below the belt though. For a native speaker of the house, and other natives on board, this should have angered them unless they themselves are phony puppets. I am native and this pissed me off. She said natives, but in turn, screwed every Alaskan. We are headed for a tax. We used to have an income tax before the oil hay-day started. When we could afford to abolish it, we did. Makes since to bring it back today. Why not, most of the lower 49 states have a tax to pay for government. A tax would be unpopular and cost votes. The house majority would rather rape us of our PFD before tax is imposed. Unless the house supports her comments, they have no choice but to censure her and release her of her position. To do otherwise means the consortium controlled house is already lost.
You got that right, Older!
Ye haw, Older than Alaska! That kind of wisdom makes you older then dirt it’s self. I would add one more thought to your comments; that being, Jennifer is not to bright and never has been.
RS, (good handle, but might I suggest Romeo Sierra ?)
I would never call the representatives intellect into question , she obviously knows on which side the bread is buttered though.
The problem is that we have a State Budget that has been balanced on two things following plummeting revenues. First the Capital Projects went away then the PFD got cut. You might recall that when the House Majority passed this budget it’s leaders praised the fact that it contained full raises and step increases for State Employees and that not one position was being cut. Remember this is an election year, evidently the above message was a huge smoke signal to their base.
This has nothing to do with racism. She don’t give a hoot about rural or urban Alaskans unless they are a government employee and in a union. Follow the money. Her, and many others, have union money in their campaign chest. Their vote is purchased by unions. They want every last dollar in the government accounts so some dollars trickle in to union accounts!
Jennifer was just doing what she was paid to do. She just came up with the wrong “false” excuse for not paying a spring dividend.
Local 71 & IBEW bought & sold ….like most of our public “servants”
“Citizens United” is the poster-child for this problem.
Johnston’s remarks are representative of how the majority of legislators view voters. And how they view voters is expressed in how legislators vote on bills. They voted no Spring stimulus and a lowered pfd again, and in a time of economic crisis for many Alaskans. By their vote these legislators expressed their contempt for voters. These crooks do not represent their individual constituents, but do represent special interests. To be fair, there were a handful of legislators who stood up to the corrupt machine in Juneau and they need to be applauded. Special thanks especially to Mike Shower, Sarah Vance, and David Eastman.
Yes, but until you cut off the head of the snake, the venom is still viable.
I think that at the end of the day she doesn’t want any Alaskans to have a PFD and for all of it to go to the teachers unions or whomever is funding her campaign donations.
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