Alaska House majority members have bit their tongues with one of their freshman members, CJ McCormick, who is a Democrat and part of the rural Bush caucus included in the Republican-led majority. Those bit tongues are just about bleeding, with the various acting out episodes by McCormick in recent days.
McCormick, as a member of the majority has the privilege of chairing the Community and Regional Affairs Committee. But he has committed a few serious gaffes lately. Among them, he’s screamed at fellow caucus members in committee. He’s made disparaging remarks about women. And he keeps apologizing for white people in general.
In Community and Regional Affairs, he brought in the ACLU to talk about prisoners dying in the custody of the Alaska Department of Corrections. McCormick’s fellow caucus members had to stop him because the ACLU has an active lawsuit against the state and it’s against protocol to allow groups to litigate their active cases in front of a legislative committee. McCormick’s decision to host the ACLU was overturned by his own committee after Rep. Kevin McCabe objected to the presentation.
The ACLU went on social media to complain about being excused from their testimony.
Then, McCormick wore an oversized pin on his lapel to the House Education Committee. The pin demanded an increase to education funding formula, known as the BSA. He was asked by the chair, Rep. Jamie Allard to remove that pin during the committee. He refused and Allard said that since the button was propaganda, she would call in the legislature’s legal team to help understand that extraneous political advocacy pins are not allowed to be worn during the committee meetings. He was wearing the pin on the day that the Commissioner of Education Deena Bishop was testifying.
McCormick has also become close to the farthest left member of the Democrat minority, Rep. Zack Fields, and is believed by many to be leaving the majority caucus meetings and passing information to the minority caucus through Fields.
McCormick has vehemently opposed House Bill 183, the proposed law that protects girls’ sports.
At this point, it seems that each time McCormick speaks, he apologizes for the inadequacy of the world or loses his temper at Republicans. He is on the frontlines of the culture wars.
McCormick is now facing a challenge from his former girlfriend, Victoria Sosa, a fellow Democrat who filed in February to take him out. That has also caused him a lot of stress, according to several legislative aides.
The House Majority is a fragile thing this session. Rep. David Eastman, Wasilla Republican, is not part of it, and the rural Democrats bring it to barely 21. But McCormick has proven to be the most difficult member, having not learned yet that the only thing legislators really have in currency in the Capitol Building is their word, and that to get things done in Juneau, a legislator has to work with 59 other members who have different opinions and who represent different areas of the state.
McCormick and Peltola do absolutely NOTHING but distract from the business at hand. Do us all a favor and send them to their rooms and let the adults get back to business🙄
See! If Republicans and Willy Keppel push too hard removing Sen Lyman Hoffman because of a technicality then that Southwest Senate seat likely goes to another Democrat who’d be this contentious and can’t get along with others as younger southwest Democrats shown themselves. Can Republicans and Keppel prove that Senate seat can’t be replaced by a further corrupt individual who is as ignorant as corrupt from
Southwest? At least Sen Hoffman is smart.
And Rep. Allard remark to remove a button was escalating the already hostile representative. He should had been kicked out of the room for unbecoming conduct of a legislator. If he didn’t remove himself, he’d have an escort, or if his vote is necessary, call s recess to privately and diplomatically talk to the mister Mccormik when he doesn’t have the attention of camera lens on him giving him attention he may be doing it for.
There are 22 Republicans in the house.
Bringing a Planned Parenthood-endorsed Democrat like McCormick into the majority while excluding Republicans who were elected in strongly Republican districts leaves the majority extremely fragile, and difficult, if not impossible, to find anything they can agree on.
Tell me, what do Allard and Vance and McCormick actually agree on?
Is it any wonder the majority has no policy agenda to speak of?
The House and Senate have kicked the most conservative legislators to the curb in their respective bodies, and replaced them with Planned Parenthood-endorsed Democrats in both bodies.
If my senator, David Wilson, fits better in a caucus with the likes of Forrest Dunbar than with Mike Shower and other more conservative senators, maybe the issue is David Wilson.
Even so, Juneau will tell you, like they do every year, that it’s the conservatives’ fault, and if conservatives would just vote against their constituents more often the majority could have their stability.
Why are conservatives always being asked to vote against their conservative districts for the sake of those in Juneau?
Legislators were elected to represent their districts, not caucus with the likes of Dunbar and McCormick. Stick with the folks that brung ya.
I know I’ll probably go into limbo again, but…
Since you can’t seem to get along with anyone and have an extensive habit of not playing nice with others, what does that say about you, Eastman?
Since you claim Christianity, remember the bit about those without sins throwing stones?
Eastman. It is up to you to get along with others. It is up to you to reign in your henchmen and worshipers and tell them to quit attacking your fellow republicans. You have to know by now that not all republicans are as conservative as you. You talk about your district all the time so you have to realize that some republicans are in more liberal districts and they need to represent those districts just like you represent yours. The fault lies solely with you. You are so difficult to work with and you create such a mess on the floor that people vote against good amendments just because you published them. I have seen pictures of you acitively collaborating with the planned parenthood democrats as well. Advising them to work against pro-life conservative republicans.
Thank you, as always – for holding to the truth of what we want represented. Incredibly proud and thankful to call you our Rep
You are out of your mind? The guy has done nothing in the 6 years he has been in the legilature. No bills. a tiny amount of amendments. He is meeting with the LGBTQ democrats and antirepublican Scraggee daily. He is toxic to anyone who attempts to have relationship with him. His supporters like the Alaska Right to Life guy attack any republican who opposes him on anything…..any bills, any amendments, even putting in new pro-life bills like Vance did four years ago. All he does is talk. Total waste of time.
This is what is referred to as a moment of clarity “If my senator, David Wilson, fits better in a caucus with the likes of Forrest Dunbar than with Mike Shower and other more conservative senators, maybe the issue is David Wilson.” unfortunately Representative Eastman does not understand that the same thing holds true for him.
Imagine how many constituents are saying if my representative, David Eastman, fits in better with the likes of Alyse Galvin than with Ben Carpenter and other more conservative representatives, maybe the issue is David Eastman. Why can’t Representative Eastman practice what he preaches?
The above captures the Schizophrenia of Juneau so well. In one breath, I can’t collaborate (“work with”) anyone, and in the next breath you have proof that I am collaborating (“working with”) all the wrong people.
Has it ever occurred to you that, day in and day out, I work with anyone to further the interests of those I was elected to represent?
On repealing SB91 that was Anchorage Democrat Andy Josephson.
On safeguarding your privacy from law enforcement warrantless access to your cell phone geolocation data in real-time that was Anchorage Republican Julie Coulombe.
On protecting the right of voters to approve $1 billion in new bond debt, even though the oil and gas industry had other ideas, that was Sen. Mike Shower and Rep. Mark Neuman.
On protecting your right not to be temporarily committed to a mental clinic by a firefighter, and involuntarily subjected to psychotropic drugs, that was Sen. Lora Reinbold and Rep. Christopher Kurka.
On saying no to a central bank digital currency that was Kodiak Republican Louise Stutes.
On saying no to the insanity of the carbon credits regime that was Homer Republican Sarah Vance.
On raising the age of consent from 16 to 18 in one portion of the law that was Anchorage Democrat Andrew Gray.
On protecting local control over education that was Nikiski Republican Ben Carpenter.
On opposing REAL ID, that was Fairbanks Democrat Scott Kawasaki.
On protecting the property rights of Alaskans who use self storage units that was Alyse Galvin.
On opposing virtue signaling legislation from the chemical industry that was Anchorage Democrat Donna Mears.
On saying no to mandating insurance coverage for prescription contraceptives that was Sutton Republican George Rauscher.
Likewise, if you are asking me to collaborate on something that goes against what is best for the people of Wasilla, the answer is NO.
The current House Majority, with three Democrats in leadership positions, is not pursuing a conservative or even a Republican agenda. They just aren’t. And they (rightly) recognized early on that they don’t need me in order to do that.
When they eventually get around to pushing forward something that is actually good, instead of something only meant to look good, they know I will be glad to work with them to get it passed.
The absence of a conservative agenda is what is driving this train.
The Senate Majority isn’t pursuing a conservative agenda either, which is why they didn’t need Shower or Hughes or Myers to help them accomplish it.
Instead of blaming conservatives for not “working with” others to accomplish not-so-conservative policy goals, why not ask why so many Republicans abandoned a conservative policy agenda at the end of 2022 and proceeded to form bipartisan caucuses with Democrats?
Conservatives can be just as good at compromise as moderates. What they sometimes aren’t as good at is abject surrender and then later calling it “compromise” in order to CYA.
My invitation is straightforward. Persuade me that a course of action is actually in the best interest of my constituents.
That is considered a heretical “impossible to work with” position according to the reigning caucus system in Juneau.
The generally accepted approach is to first sign legislators up for a caucus and then tell them later on what the specific policy is going to be.
That requires one to prioritize a caucus over the constituents you are being paid to represent. Legislators like Sen. Rob Myers wisely said that was a non-starter. I say the same. That’s not what Republican (or any) voters asked for.
Eastman
You forgot it takes 21 11 and 1 to pass anything. It takes a team and finding the least worst path.
On advising the entire LGTBQ minority to walk off the floor and hide instead of working with the conservative republican majority to pay some education funding out of the CBR, that was David Eastman.
On not concurring with the Senate budget which contained a full PFD put in by Shower’s amendment, that was David Eastman.
On mischarachterizing a bill on closing gun stores as an anti-second amendment bill, that was David Eastman.
On attempting to pull an abortion bill out of committee and then saying two pro-life women were pro-choice because they voted no on a procedural vote, that was David Eastman.
On settting your attack dogs loose on Johnson, Titlton, Rauscher, Vance, McCabe, Hughes, and Carpenter, as well as Merrick, and Rasmussen, thus fracturing a possible majority, that was David Eastman.
On telling 20 republicans you would vote for Talerico as speaker and then hiding behind the door when it came time for a group picture and then not voting for him, that was David Eastman.
On misinterpreting a bill from a conservative senator trying to actually correct a law, and telling the public that it would allow firefighters to knock your door down and arrest you, that was David Eastman.
On saying that native women in village would get pregnant just to have a trip to Seattle, that was David Eastman.
On calling fatal child abuse a benefit to society in a committee hearing, that was David Eastman.
Rep Eastman, thank you for clear explanations of your rathional observations.
What can I say, Eastman’s milkshake brings RINO shillposters to the yard every time.
His frequent participation and engagement in comments are one of the top reasons to visit MRAK, in my opinion.
My gut feeling is more than a few ‘Republicans’ have been smoked out on the pro-life issue when their bluff was called and Trump’s Supreme Court deep-sixed Roe V Wade. Now, once again, legislators have to engage on a thorny issue that could cost them the angry single-female vote – it pisses them off – and they take it out on truly dedicated pro-life candidates like Eastman.
Right on!
In a long list of feckless classes, this may be the most incompetent yet.
Maybe it is time to start pushing for recall of members who are performing differently in Juneau than what they advertised to their constituents when they were elected.
Says much about the AK GOP. Their inability to recruit and win with reliable candidates forces them to deal with clowns like this.
Did Allard actually follow through with her threat, or just bluster?
And what is it about liberals they feel the need to apologize for everything, except the horrendous way they treat people who don’t agree with them?
On behalf of white people who aren’t progressive idiots, I apologize for him being a rude, race bating moron.
Could not have said that better Masked!👍
He removed the button, she followed through.
The Alaskan Republican party is to screwed up. We voted in a majority in both houses and then traitors like the Kodiak Republicans join the democrats. We can’t trust politicians, none!
They all lie and look out for them self’s.
> McCormick is now facing a challenge from his former girlfriend, Victoria Sosa, a fellow Democrat who filed in February to take him out. That has also caused him a lot of stress, according to several legislative aides.
Ok, I find that amusing.
As for the House (ok, and the senate has the same problem) GOP-led ‘majority’, maybe they shouldn’t ice out certain Republican members for being too conservative.
Would democrats ever force themselves to form a ‘coalition’ with centrist republicans by excluding other dems for being too far-left? Of course they wouldn’t. They may be evil, but they aren’t stupid. When they get power, they wield it, unapologetically. Why are republicans so.. weak?
I can not imagine a greater adversary in an election than a jilted girlfriend. The fireworks should be spectacular!!
Certain elected officials only identify as conservative when it suits them during voting season, then they either caucus with Democrats or carry the water for them while being excluded from any caucus.
This McCormick sounds like a real piece of sh, sh, um…..work.
A Democrat from Bethel…All we need to know.
” ill-tempered” Democrat.. Is there another kind??
I’m actually quite proud Eastman has stuck around like a Timex; it’s obvious the lefts are politicizing the job of governing – governing is supposed to be practical, applicable, relevant and unbiased. I don’t see Alaskan’s being represented; I see a power play in Southeast Alaska and Southcentral that would be handled well if the Capitol was moved to the interior so all people could fly or drive there. I don’t see representation; I see a struggle to define representation but no realistic analysis of principles in governing such as subsidiarity, access to law makers & integrity – laws, regulations and codification of law is to ensure a remedy in law for all people, not one group against another like the regional interest vs the interest of all Alaskans. If you want to get the heat and sniping out of the regional interest vs state – have the ancsa anilca, anthc, AFN and Alaska native health board get their elections certified by the Alaska public office commission and squelch native preference, it’s insane and goes against even being able to access a remedy for your own situation – you bring anything up and they find someone with a similar story or fund their education so they can gaslight you further – to speak about it they want to fund and push you aside not resolving anything for you like you aren’t a us citizen and you still have a problem but now you’re being revictimized by them but they’re getting theirs solved, right and somehow their pain is more relevant than your own, meanwhile that’s not how governing and law enforcement is, you aren’t supposed to use it to manipulate and violate others constitutional rights. rights. What is constitutionality? I certainly didn’t help anyone from southwest Alaska to be ripped off and told I’m not the right kind of native and what is the shenanigans is the public media up to? Holy moly! Next! No one can develop as a human being or live within the bounds of the constitution in Alaska.
This whole thing was an attempt by ACLU, aided by McCkormick and Williams, to discredit Dahlstrom and give the Peltola group ammo to attack her performance as the previous DOC commisioner.
Definition of shill… Something Alaskans must smoke out. I think the feds need to review the impact of ANCSA ANILCA IHS & Non-profits are impacting the constitutional balance and legality. This is going to end up undoing legal cases in all areas when the party is finally be over – this word shill describes the Alaska native corporation and tribal groups method of operation. I’m over them, I think id have rather had a family instead of a racist corporation who practices native preference – but alas – are we looking at husband no 5?
Shill
A shill, also called a plant or a stooge, is a person who publicly helps or gives credibility to a person or organization without disclosing that they have a close relationship with said person or organization. Shills can carry out their operations in the areas of media, journalism, marketing, politics, sports, confidence games, cryptocurrency, or other business areas. A shill may also act to discredit opponents or critics of the person or organization in which they have a vested interest. In most uses, shill refers to someone who purposely gives onlookers, participants or “marks” the impression of an enthusiastic customer independent of the seller, marketer or con artist, for whom they are secretly working. The person or group in league with the shill relies on crowd psychology to encourage other onlookers or audience members to do business with the seller or accept the ideas they are promoting. Shills may be employed by salespeople and professional marketing campaigns. Via Wikipedia
Seems pretty based to me
Comments are closed.