Alaska energy projects, and even the road to King Cove, may be put hold by the Trump Administration.
While Alaskans debate the wisdom of Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski opposing President Donald Trump on Obamacare and at seemingly every juncture, Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke is said to be calling business leaders from around the state, with a message that Trump is ready to put a lid on Alaska projects until Obamacare reform is passed.
Our sources in Washington say that Sen. Murkowski has received a frank call from Zinke, with the same message — that she has miscalculated one time too many in her opposition to Trump on issues of major importance, and her state will pay the price.
We are told that Sen. Dan Sullivan received a courtesy call today from Zinke. Sullivan is said to be “concerned” about Alaska’s economy as a result of the call.
Murkowski was quoted in the media today, defending herself against Trump: “How about just doing a little bit of governing around here?” A message to her press secretary this evening was not returned.
Meanwhile, rumors are swirling that all movement on off-shore oil development, ANWR and King Cove are about to come to a standstill after Murkowski voted to not move forward on a simple procedural vote that would bring Obamacare reform forward for debate.
Vice President Mike Pence had to cast the deciding vote after Sen. John McCain of Arizona left his treatment for brain cancer and came back to Washington to vote for the motion to proceed.
For her part, Murkowski has threatened to hold up confirmations of the president’s appointments. She has cancelled confirmations that were scheduled for tomorrow.
Trump criticized Murkowski today on Twitter, “Senator @lisamurkowski of the Great State of Alaska really let the Republicans, and our country, down yesterday. Too bad!”
Rep. Buddy Carter, a Georgia Republican, defended Trump’s criticism of Murkowski, saying “I think it’s perfectly fair,” “Let me tell you, somebody needs to go over there to that Senate and snatch a knot in their ass. I’m telling you, it has gotten to the point where how can you say ‘I voted for this last year, but I’m not going to vote for it this year’?”
All of this is very much in the heat of the moment. Alaska’s other congressional members, Sen. Sullivan and Congressman Don Young, are close with Zinke and are in good standing with the president. Rather than putting all of Alaska’s economy at peril, the Trump Administration may just put its relationship with Murkowski on ice, and award any “wins” to Sullivan and Young. We can hope.
The timing was especially awkward, since today Murkowski joined 35 senators in sending a letter to Zinke in support of the Department of the Interior’s new Outer Continental Shelf Five-Year Oil and Gas Leasing Program for 2019-2024.
The plan has the potential to boost Alaska’s economy, keep energy affordable, and reinforce the United States’ position as an energy dominant superpower. But that is now in peril, along with other agenda items important to Alaska, as our senior senator’s deteriorating relationship with the White House continues to fester.
I hate that projects are being put on hold, but there is a price to pay for disrespecting the wishes of the majority of the Alaskans who voted for Trump based on the promise of repealing Obamacare. It’s time that those who thumb their noses at their constituents that voted for them is being shown loud and clear. How do you feel about that now, Ms. Murkowski?
Murkowski is spoiled from her daddy. She doesnt truly care about the people. She’d rather be popular with the liberal demoNIc rats that cherish the murderous Planned Parenthood. At least she would have had a speck of integrity if she ran as a demoNIc rat. Hopefully, this RINO is out of political office in the next election. Too bad Joe Miller didn’t get in and Amy Debrowski. If this RINO is the only “Republican” running, I’m voting Libertarian next time.
Murkowski is hurting the people of Alaska. She needs to go.
Thanks to Senator Sullivan for looking out for Alaska’s interests and the country’s interests!
Please donate to the Alaska Republican Party – we need to build a war chest for the primary battle to come.
Make sure the AK Republican Party is Not going to fund another run for moocowski before you send any $$$ their way.
In that case..RINO or Libertarian…I’ll vote Libertarian, if that’s the choice. I am a registered republican…But I will never vote democrat or RINO
Don’t send money to the AK Republican Party. Wait until Murkowski is up for re-election, then send money to her Republican opponent. That way, you can be sure she doesn’t get a dime!
Good point Rich…. donate to a party stupid enough to elect RINO Murkowski. No thanks; lets recruit Joe Miller as an independent.
Obama care has been a total disaster for every one Has Lisa M lost her mind she her dislike for our President
She wants planned parenthood. She is real goofy, is so busy watching out for her political Position, she has shown her true colors . Needs to go.
Next on the chopping block for her will be removal of Chairmanship for the Committee’s she is on. You play with fire and words to get elected and then backtrack you will loose in today’s environment. Reason why I did not vote for her last election two faced.
I don’t think that McConnell has the guts or the B**** to remove her from the chairmanships.
Great move Lisa. This is not the time to screw us over. ACA is imploding. The only people who can afford it are the ones getting big subsidies. I can’t afford the annual premiums plus the high deductible. I have to pay out 21,000 before I even get a benefit.
Another example of wealth redistribution. You work hard for your money so that you can share it with other entitled liberals who think they know what should be done with it better than you. Finally someone is standing up to them instead of leading them further away from the will of the American people.
I’m very much against Obamacare and hope it gets repealed ASAP.
That said, I strongly support delaying development in ANWR and off shore. We can’t even begin to clean up a spill in Arctic waters and ANWR is pretty unique on the planet and there is only something like a score of weeks or two of the country’s oil consumption in ANWR. Not much of a payoff for spoiling such a high value place. Beside, oil is on it’s way out. It’s still king and will be for quite a while but it’s fall to second or third place is on the horizon. It will take a decade plus to even start to credibly produce oil off shore if they start tomorrow. (Which ain’t going to happen)
Anyway, back to Murky. She’s had her turn, it’s time for someone new.
In case you haven’t heard, the ocean has its own way of cleaning itself up and the sea life actually prosper in the process. Most of the places up for drilling already have pipelines for other commodities. Not destroying the environment. Just a bunch of liberal hogwash like global warming.
You’ve earned the right that I’ll never vote for you again.
She is a flat out swamp creature lefty who embraces that noble industry of infanticide and butchering infants for their body parts. It’s all good .. Right Lisa?!
I LOVE that Lisa stood up for her constituency and voted NO to repeal ACA . I’m pleased Lisa is pro Planned Parenthood! I love that Trump is pissed. He’s acting like a tyrant and needs to be stopped! He can’t fathom that people have different views from him.
Trump is delusional!!!! IMPEACH THE LEECH!!
Then why did she vote against Obamacare in the first place? To get votes. Why is she for Obamacare now? To get votes. Why didn’t Obamacare get the same vetting? Why don’t they pass this to see what is in it? You don’t need a weathervane to see which way the wind blows.
Good points Jack but the saying is “you don’t need a weatherman to see which way the wind id blowing”: Bob Dylan and the source for the name of the leftists anti-war/American movement of the 60’s. the Weathermen and the uber leftist weather underground who were responsible for several bombings around the country and the death of some police officers. By the way, the leaders of the weather underground, after being let off on a legal technicality on murder charges, were hired by the University of Chicago to teach new little freshmen in the College Of Education. Which is a microcosm of why todays teachers and their H.S. and college students are as crazy leftist as they are. Incidently, the leaders of the Weather Underground mentioned above are Bill Ayers and his lunatic wife Bernadine Dohrn who became famous all over again in 2008 when they were the people who helped the newly arrived in Chicago Barak Obama get to know the leftist movers and shakers in the pit of the Chicago political scene.
I wasn’t quoting Bob Dylan. Next time end comment with a “but I digress.”
Do not speak for all the constituents she needs to vote for the repeal of this awful law before there are no insurer’s left in the state. Already down to only one there can be no competition when only one is available. Beside the harm that will come to businesses in the state because of her stupidity. Yes I did not vote for her because I have foresight on exactly how she will vote.
Impeach him for what?
I told you when I called your number Lisa you can’t listen to the commercials they’re paid by the big money Planned Parenthood and we voted for getting rid of a obamacare of that’s why we voted for President Trump great move byebye Lisa
Those aren’t threats. Many Alsskans don’t want those “gifts.” Keep fighting to protect Alaskan’s healthcare Lisa.
If Alaskan’s don’t like eternally increasing provider, drug, and health insurance costs that occurred before the AHA and will continue regardless of the GOP plan, then demand a real solution. Set some regulations on those greedy industries’ prices. Healthcare is a human necessity, like utilities.
With only one provider under the ACA the cost will increase. The need to allow all insurance providers to work in the state will lower the cost.
politics is a quid pro quo proposition and Lisa has blown it with Trump! Thanks Lisa, Alaska will now suffer for your RINO stance.
Senator Murkowski did not win anything with her health care vote; instead she risked everything when it comes to future regulations and legislation which will benefit the state.
There is a potential idea that may help us get rid of Lisa. Dana Perino on “The Five” on Monday floated an idea that the President needs to take an hour in the morning and go on local talk radio. I have contacted Rick Rydell and Mike Pacaro, they love it! I have written the President pushing this idea.
This would be a great way for the President to talk to Alaskans, hear and learn of our needs, concerns and support to remove Murkowski.
I have floated this idea in as many FB pages I am on and trying to get this idea to go viral!
We sadly, have 5 plus years of Lisa but we need to hammer her on the phones, in her D.C. website contact page. Sadly we won’t be able to tell that to her face since even when she is in Alaska, she does not talk to anyone but her political base, Alaska Native Corps, and liberal bases. She has refused town-halls in the Valley, has refused face to face meetings with me on more occasions than I can count!
Petition for recall. There seem to be a lot of you who are opposed to her. If she is a senator and she has been in 5 years, she is up for re-election. The people have not used the power of recall to get rid of elected officials who do not listen to the people who put them there. McCain’s vote was spite. Everybody knows that. Now we have Murkowski. The both need to be facing recall petitions from the people who elected them. There are many others but I am still Republican. I am looking forward to Trump Republicans to be running in the 2018 elections. We can send them to put down the RINO’s and the Democrats and get on with the business of Making America Great Again!
Very disappointed in our senior senator. The affordable care act needs to be repealed. It failed because it increased demand for care before the number of providers increased to meet greater demand. This increased costs. Requiring insurance that covers services not required for many increased costs. Cost factors need to be reexamined. The requirements for Medicaid expansion should be reevaluated. Even the costs of malpractice should be part of the review. It all starts with cost of care. Like the state budget-figure reasonable costs first, then address how the costs can be covered.
Have to give Murkowski. She promised a certain class of people free stuff from the federal government and she is delivering on that. Those of us that need to actually produce wealth for a living can die on the vine as far as she is concerned. If you voted for her, consider yourself part of the problem.
Right. I could not of said it better… she’s a pit viper
How can someone vote not to debate? Can she not see that this thing needs to be changed. Good thing she wasn’t in the Continental Congress. We would not be the United States of America.
Good for Trump She’s not looking out for the people. She’s in bed with the Democrats. Go Trump.
She must go. She should of been out years ago when she lost the rep vote to Miller. Then lied again came in as a sign in. Lied out her ass to the natives. And won the vote back stealing it from Miller. She’s no good.
We Alaskans, as Lisa is ,vote for what is good for Alaska and not for what certain partys want,as the jr transplant Sullavan does…He is full of BS as his ideal(the Dumper) is..
Murkowski has been openly anti Trump since day one. She is not a conservative, she is a liberal. Just check her voting record during the horrible obama years. A voting record campaign ad Mark Begich, a democrat, proudly touted in his reelection bid. A campaign ad of her voting record Murkowski desperately tried to suppress. Very telling. She learned dirty politics from Daddy Frank Murkowski.
Murkowski is pro abortion, can’t say no the the abortion lobby and Planned Parenthood. She voted against Betsy de Vos as Education Secretary b/c de Vos supports school choice. And Murkowski won’t go against the NEA or the unions. She is supportive of all the fake Russian investigation crap. She sits on the fence to see which way the wind blows. She doesn’t represent her constituents but herself interests. Very shrewd and calculating to retain her seat at all costs. She’s had the fake news MSM in this state in her back pocket running protection for her and destroying any opposition at election time. Remember the Murkowski, Dan Fagan, John Tracy (formerly of KTUU) debacle. ?
Sometimes situations change and people gain new insight… The State voted Lisa into her position for good reason: we trust her judgement, so regardless of opinion, we should support the decisions she makes.
Trumps reaction was demeaning and gave me the impression that Alaska is a big dollar sign in his eyes. There’s so much more to Alaska than oil: there are amazing people! We all know its wrong that the government is bullying our State and the people we put in office.
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