If Americans for Prosperity tries to register your cat or dog to vote, let us know. Unless it’s Mayor Stubbs: http://t.co/GAXeGk8Yt3 #AKSen

— Begich Campaign (@BegichCampaign) September 26, 2014

On Tuesday, U.S. Senate Mark Begich reaffirmed his support for airstrikes against the Islamic group ISIS, and commended the five Arab nations–Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates—for their participation in the strikes.

“These airstrikes are crucial to combat ISIS and destroy its network of facilities,” Begich said in a statement.

The strikes began on Monday night, and have focused on Ragga, an Isis stronghold in Syria. ISIS targets around other Syrian cities were also hit in the strikes. The U.S. hit another group– Khorasan Group—which was believed to be plotting against the West. Begich also supported those strikes.

Begich reiterated however that he doesn’t support arming Syrian rebels, which both the President and GOP Senate candidate Dan Sullivan support. In a telephonic town hall recently, Begich said that he worries that today’s U.S.-friendly “moderate rebels,” might be tomorrow’s enemies.

“Just like ISIS was a year and a half ago – they were part of these rebels, and now they’re the problem,” Begich said.

U.S. GOP Senate candidate Dan Sullivan’s parents, Sandra and Thomas Sullivan, gave $300,000 to the Karl Rove-affiliated super-PAC, American Crossroads on Aug. 29. The donation was first reported by the Center for Public Integrity, which also reported that the donation had been reported incorrectly.

The Sullivan family gave another pro-Sullivan super-PAC, Alaska-based “Alaska’s Energy / America’s Values.” $375,000 pre-primary.

Mark Begich’s campaign pounced, charging that the Sullivans were trying to “buy their son a Senate seat.” The Alaska AFL-CIO affiliated Alaska Workers’ Voice took it further in a sarcasm-drenched tweet:

Hey Dad n Mom, plz plz plz buy me an AK U$ $enate seat. And I may need more than the $650K you already spent <3 Dan http://t.co/iHS8mfTTCq

— AK Workers’ Voice (@AKWorkersVoice) September 23, 2014

• The ADN’s Rich Mauer is reporting that Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Mark Begich are requesting more federal oversight for the scandal-plagued Alaska National Guard. Murkowski is requesting that the GAO investigate how the DOD manages serious National Guard allegations. Begich is aiming to increase the Pentagon’s authority with the AK Nat. Guard.
• Gubernatorial candidate Bill Walker refutes Gov. Sean Parnell’s claim that Pt. Thomson deal is great for Alaska in an ADN Compass piece.
• In another Compass piece, Anchorage Assemblywoman Elvi Gray Jackson slams Mayor Dan Sullivan on his administration’s alleged mismanagement of key muni projects and departments.
• Sen. Murkowski told Reuters that 2015 could be the year to lift the 40-year-old ban on exporting crude oil. “I think it may be timely then,” Sen. Lisa Murkowski, the top Republican on the Senate Energy Committee, told Reuters.
• The Fairbanks News Miner reports on a legal dispute between Alaska Communications System and the Fairbanks North Star Borough over whether ACS can charge the borough for daily updates to the borough’s 911 system, updates that GCI provides for free. Continue reading →

Rep. Don Young’s campaign announced that he’ll be participating in three debates against Democratic challenger Forrest Dunbar. Young, who has been in Congress since 1973, hasn’t in the past been overly generous with time debating opponents, particularly those didn’t appear to have much to offer, and there’s been a few of those throughout the years.

These debates should be among the best of the election season. When he’s on, Young is a very strong, lively debater, and though Dunbar is a political neophyte, he’s smart and is said to be confident in a crowd.

Here’s the details:

• Kodiak Chamber of Commerce Fisheries Debate— Wednesday, October 1, 2014
• Fairbanks Chamber of Commerce General Forum — Tuesday, October 28, 2014
• Debate for the State: Alaska Public Media — Thursday, October 30, 2014

From Care Clift, Libertarian candidate for governor:

Every Alaskan who voted in the ADL Primary was disenfranchised. So, I just want to let you know that the Libertarian candidate for governor threw the Right-to-Life questionnaire and the Alaska Family Action papers in the recycle bin. I filled out everyone elses’ questionnaires. That’s right, the Libertarian candidate, Care Clift, is the only socially tolerant governor candidate left. And, I am fiscally responsible, pledge to end the deficit, and possibly the most frugal person you will ever find! So you still have a choice! Thank you for voting for me.

I’m joining Dan Fagan and Glen Biegel on their show tomorrow 7:30 a.m. to interview GOP Senate candidate Dan Sullivan. Tune in at 95.5 FM, and 1080 AM in Anchorage and 92.5 FM and 1020 AM in the Valley. Or listen on line here. 

Two loyal readers–Lynn Willis and Jerry Hood–share their thoughts on how Anchorage Mayor Dan Sullivan’s veto of “A037 light” will impact the November race, Willis agrees with my analysis that it will. Hood not so much. Read on. Continue reading →

According to disclosures filed with the Senate clerk’s office, GOP U.S Senate candidate Joe Miller reported raising $129,000 in the last quarter, which runs from April until the end of June. He spent $121,000 and has $17,000 in debt. He still has a respectable $303,000 in his war chest, much of which he was able to roll over from his 2010 campaign and from his leadership PAC.

Neither Miller nor Mead Treadwell, another GOP Senate candidate, filed electronically, so neither of their reports are online at the FEC’s office yet. As of Wednesday morning, Treadwell’s hadn’t arrived at the clerk’s office. Once it arrives, it’s processed and sent to the FEC, who then has 48 hours to post online. When contacted on Wednesday, Treadwell’s campaign again declined to release his report to the public prior to it arriving at the Senate clerk’s office.

Both Sen. Mark Begich and GOP Senate candidate Dan Sullivan’s numbers were available almost immediately about two weeks ago. Sullivan gave them out if you asked. Begich posted his on his website, and included all of the small donors. Begich raised more than $1.25 million. For the first time since he entered the race, Sullivan was slightly behind Begich, raising $1.2 million.

Correction: The original story said that FEC reports are filed electronically. That’s not true. All reports are mailed in. Further, Sullivan’s report is not yet available on the FEC page, however the campaign has made it available to reporters.

According to D.C. buzz, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has perhaps gone too far in protecting U.S. Sen. Mark Begich and other vulnerable senators from having to take tough votes on legislation dealing with controversial issues such as an EPA rule limiting carbon emissions or construction of the Keystone Pipeline, as well as a host of other bills. Reid and other Democratic leaders have done that, by and large, by blocking those bills from coming to the floor.

The system under Reid’s leadership has been so bottlenecked Continue reading →

Below is the press release from Anchorage Republican Women’s Club chair Judy Eledge about the tumultuous GOP Senate debate. Eledge is the organizer of the debate and spent a very busy day Tuesday scrambling for a debate sponsor, lest the ARWC be in violation of federal campaign laws. Already two of the four Republican women’s clubs who were helping put it together have pulled out. No word on if they’ll get back in. Read the back story here.

Anchorage Republican Women would like to thank the U.S. Senate Candidate who offered to cover the costs of the June 26^th debate to avoid any issues with the Federal Election Commission.  However, ARWC is committed to this event going forward, but without raising any potential FEC issues. ARWC began this effort in early May and has dealt with many obstacles along the way.  While the ARWC does not feel that their hosting the event would have violated any FEC regulation, we are proud to announce that HOT TALK KOAN 95.5FM 1080AM and The Talk of The Valley KVNT 92.5FM 1020AM have agreed to take their place as sponsors.  As broadcasters, there is absolutely no question under the FEC’s applicable guidelines that KTUU can stage this event.  (See 11 CFR § 110.13(a)(2) and 11 CFR § 114.4(f)(2)). The ARWC is extremely pleased that this event will go forward as planned and, like the public, we look forward to an informative and spirited evening.

Does anybody think this is a good idea?

Welcome to my official campaign Twitter account. Look here for real time information and updates on my campaign. #CongressmanForAllAlaska

— Don Young (@DonYoungAK) June 25, 2014

The Juneau Police Department has a feature on its website called ‘Ask a Dispatcher,” where it answers such questions ranging from how to handle a bear snooping around in your trash, to what to do if you see a child left alone in a car. Below is one of the recent exchanges that caught my eye. Note: I know this is a diversion from politics, but it’s fun and we all need some of that sometimes.

Question:

I have a tenant who I want to evict. I am afraid he is going to get volatile when I serve the paperwork asking him to vacate the apartment. Is this something I can ask a policeman to be present for? The tenant is always intoxicated and owns at least three semi-automatic assault rifles. I find him very unpredictable.

Answer:

Dear Juneau Resident,

Standing by for eviction notices to be given is not a service JPD offers for a couple of reasons, it would be a staffing burden and we would have to be careful of the legal exposure.

In your situation it might be wise to check with a civil attorney and see if certified mail or some other service, not in person, would satisfy the landlord tenant act. If the person refuses to leave and there is a safety concern you can ask the court for a writ of assistance to have police get involved physically.

Whenever the police get involved officers need to know they have legal justification if they end up having to restrain the person, physically remove them, take children, etc…that is why the court authorization is important. People often ask that officers just standby so nothing happens but officers have to think in terms of assuming something will happen and they will have to take action and justify that action.

g