The governing committee of the Alaska Democratic Party is having an emergency meeting on Monday evening to discuss the possibility of a governor’s ticket that combines the candidacy of independent gubernatorial candidate Bill Walker and Democratic candidate Byron Mallott.
The Executive Committee of the Democratic Central Committee will meet telephonically beginning at 5:00 p.m. on Labor Day. This will be followed by a Central Committee meeting. Rumors about such an alignment between Walker and Mallott have been swirling for days. However, there have been questions about how it would work. Walker is a registered Republican. Democratic Party rules dictate that it can’t support a Republican. However, Walker can change his registration, and the party can nominate to support an undeclared candidate. Further, people have questioned whether Mallott, a hugely credentialed candidate, would take a number two spot on the ticket.
Alaska Democratic Party Chair Mike Wenstrup confirmed the meetings. However, he said that nothing is set in stone yet and that the candidates are still talking. He said that he called the meetings so that the party can be prepared.
However, numerous other sources have said that Walker and Mallott have reached an agreement. Sources have also said that enough members of the Central Committee, who must vote on the deal, are on board.
It’s unclear what role Democratic lieutenant governor nominee Hollis French will have in the race. What we do know is that he will have to step aside. French wasn’t available for comment.
Rocky Plotnick, who is the finance chair and on the Executive Committee, said that she was contacted by the party and told them that she would support the Walker-Mallott ticket. It was hard for her, she said. However, she wants to “do what’s best for Alaska,” she said.
Plotnick, like many Democrats, is pro-choice. Walker isn’t. However, she had gotten assurances from friends that Walker would keep his personal values away from the political sphere.
“It can’t get any worse than what we have now,” she said.
Walker has long been decrying the backseat role the state has taken in developing its resources—particularly in relation to the long sought dream of building a natural gas pipeline. Mallott is a Tlingit leader, who has experience in government and in business. Walker appeals to a populist crowd. Mallott appeals to Democrats, Alaska Natives, and business leaders.
Together, they could make a formidable ticket which has the potential to create huge excitement among the electorate, many of whom feel that Gov. Sean Parnell has been too to close to corporate interests, particularly with the oil companies. Both Walker and Mallott supported repeal of Senate bill 21. Many of their supporters are still in campaign-mode from the recent ballot initiative to repeal the oil tax break championed by Parnell. This ticket will keep those folks energized.
Too, organized labor will likely come on board in a big way to support this ticket. Parnell hasn’t particularly antagonized labor, but he hasn’t worked to cultivate its support in any way either. However, Anchorage Mayor Dan Sullivan, who is Parnell’s running mate, is a different story. He has the rockiest relationship with labor as any politician in recently memory.
“If Parnell’s campaign wasn’t unpalatable enough of an option to begin with, as soon as Dan Sullivan joined the ticket, that multiplied 10 fold,” Anchorage-based pollster Ivan Moore, who has polled both for labor and for Walker, said. Moore’s been pushing for the two to join forces, and wrote it about it last week.
All of the excitement and enthusiasm that will follow the ticket will also likely spill over into the Senate race to the benefit of Democratic Sen. Mark Begich. One of Begich’s key messages is that party affiliation is less important than standing up for Alaska.
This new gubernatorial ticket will sing the same song.
Contact Amanda Coyne at amandamcoyne@yahoo.com
You, like every other established party member choose to forget that there a as many independent and undeclared voters as either of your parties can claim. One day that omission will come home to roost, and that day may be closer than you think. By the by? Kool Aid drinking is a boring old saw, and really such name calling should have left your vocabulary when you got past middle school, That it has not tells me all I need to know about your intellect.
@MallottSupporter. That’s just simply not true. I’ve seen numerous stories like this one, http://amandacoyne.com/politics/democrats-rally-for-byron-mallott/
“Mallott, a hugely credentialed candidate” is the first complimentary thing I’ve noticed you saying about the Mallot campaign since the beginning, if you said anything at all. Not sure why, but Byron never got a chance from the Anchorage media or bloggers. The left wing bloggers especially coudn’t let go of his support for Lisa 4 years ago. The oil-monied interests, including Native Corps, were quiet, pretending he wasn’t even in the race. It’s damn hard, and maybe impossible, to be not from Anchorage, not oiled, not a lawyer, to get into a race on equal footing anymore.
I’m excited. Now maybe Teflon Sean will actually have to show up to a debate!
Aww. You guys are actually scared now aren’t you? This won’t be the cakewalk that Teflon Sean envisioned it to be will it? Now he has to contend with the considerable baggage that Mayor Dan brings to the ticket.
Jon,
Facts matter. Speak with the CFO for the FNSB and she will tell you property taxes are higher BECAUSE of what Parnell did to the TAPS valuation- in violation of the law. Have you not paid any attention to the court cases? Or speak with the CFO for Valdez- Parnell is killing us. Did you read the story attached to the above link?
Ask Parnell why he ignored the markets when they responded in 2012 to the AGIA/Exxon solicitation of interest. Exxon ignored the markets because Exxon does not want Alaska gas competing with its other projects- and Parnell just rubber stamps what Exxon wants. Sullivan hurt us too. He knew what the markets- and Alaskans wanted- but ignored both.
Are you new to Alaska Jon? These facts are widely published.
ADN is announcing that the campaigns have now joined. Thanks to those who brought this about. The majority of Alaskans who refuse to register to vote as a political party member have won a major victory. Who knew that he temple wall of the two-party system would crack under the strain of partisan extremism in Alaska. Now let us hear an honest debate of issues focused on the voters.
RealityCheck, I agree. Let’s call the Walker/Mallott ticket political phantasmagoria.
Nope. Wrong on all accounts. Property tax valuations have increased – albeit not as much as the munis want, but they have gone up considerably. Parnell and his Administration have bad extensive outreach with Asia customers. Sullivan met repeatedly w them in Alaska, China and Japan. SB 21, according to the Berman ISER report is currently bringing in more revenue than ACES. see page 18 of his report. DOR also issued a report in July showin the same thing. When oil is $100 like it is today and he companies are spending billions we get creamed under ACES – which is one of the reasons why it had to change.
What does this tell you about the Mallot/Walker ticket? Mallot can’t win on a Democratic ticket and Walker can’t win on a republican ticket. So they both have to run on an Independent ticket? People let’s not drink the Kool-Aid. Economically, Alaska is doing well compared to the rest of the U.S. and the Parnell administration has contributed to the states success. SB21 vote no on 1 was a vote for the Alaska economic future and Alaskans who contribute to the work force are seeing the benefits.
Craig Fleener as ADF&G Commissioner would be the largest disaster in Alaska’s history, we would have to apply for federal aid for all of the damage he would cause. Talk to the people who have worked with Fleener, can you say…..train wreck. The critics of Parnell are on a constant bitch, but again Alaska for the most part is doing well. Think about it before you check the little boxes next to Mallott (DEM) and Walker (REP).
So the will of Democratic primary voters is being bent for opportunity over principle and you’re ok with that.
Just because your wife is a legislator does not mean your opinion is always based in fact.
Myers, I’ll hold my nose and vote for the Walker/Mallott ticket over the Parnell/Sullivan ticket any day.
Fellow – One need only look to the Alaska Republican party over the past two years for true disarray. How quickly you forget. LOL
Well said “shattered”. Parnell has made such a mess of things by leading us into deficit spending before we had a clear new revenue source in sight. Parnell and his ilk are now willing to bet the farm on a gas line project barely into pre-feed and a promise of “a million barrels a day” by tax reform. He knew he would be “terming out” so, like some Roman Cesar, he appears to have spent to bribe the public to re-elect him and the future be dammed.
We are a huge state and simply do not have the population outside of limited areas to create the demand for goods and services that allows a vibrant private-sector economy not dependent on state (and/or federal) spending or the ability to generate local taxes.
The fiscal condition of the state is a big deal. We should have shepherded our savings – but apparently there was no future in that for “guess who”. Now oil production is diminishing and will, according to recent testimony present to the RCA by the producers, continue to do so. Now our having to face inadequate state revenue to afford even modest capital spending, let alone state services coupled with the lack of affordable energy to Alaskans will hamper the efforts of both the private sector and government for the foreseeable future and make the next Governor’s job very difficult; however, no time like now to start to reverse the damage.
Ha! Spooner! My favorite comment of the week.
Jon K … Have you ever been cross-examined by Perry Mason ??
…with your permission, try me, I’ll be gentle and instructive.
Think of it as a trip to the dentist.
Parnell’s gasline group is AGDC, can you name AGDC’s primary design contractor ??
How much $$ has AGDC paid this contractor ??
It’s pretty easy to write comments based on copying industry PR talkingpoints,
The devil is in the details.
Jon,
You are not correct in your assertions.
1. http://www.adn.com/article/20140504/parnell-administration-gives-oil-producers-break-pipeline-property-taxes This article shows how the Parnell administration secretly tried to cut the value of TAPS by billions. Since Parnell did this in secret, you might have missed the story. But surely you did not miss the story about how Parnell fired SARB board member Marty McGee and tried to replace him with a Californian? SARB board members would have to affirm or reject the state petroleum assessors work- the assessor that just tried to secretly cut the TAPS valuation by billions.
2. The markets came to Alaska multiple times during the last four years to advance a gas line. In all instances Parnell rejected those efforts by refusing to meet, and insulting these companies. The markets wanted gas by 2019. That would have been great for Alaska, and our friends, but that is NOT what Exxon wanted. So we are stuck with Sb-138 and BS studies. Under AGIA, we already had a route to tidewater, and a firm interest from the markets (for 5 billion cubic feet of gas per day). The stuff you are hearing about now is nonsense window dressing. A real project begins with the markets. Parnell insulted the markets, and he threw away all the work completed to get a gas line built under AGIA. This is all documented fact.
3. SB-21 is not bringing in more revenue. That is flatly false. Even the poor work of Goldsmith showed ACES brought in more revenue than SB-21. Know too, that Parnell has not completed the audits under the period ACES was in effect. So the industry has massively inflated its costs- and reduced the revenue Alaska should be earning. Take a look at the GVR provisions under SB-21- and note that new oil is now tax free. It can not possibly bring in more revenue. In fact, SB-21 has created a negative NPV for Alaska. Its bloody insane. Parnell must be fired for his incompetence.
Stockholder,
You are mistaken on several of these issues:
The gas commercialization efforts are moving forward. The The legislature voted overwhelmingly in support of Parnell’s effort to get North Slope gas to Alaskans and foreign markets. The companies have spent hundreds of milliosn of dollars moving the project forward. they have filed for an export license, they are acquiring hundreds of acres of land for an LNG facility, they are spending billions at Point Thomson, and they have made unprecendented progress on engineering and commercial issues.
Parnell has met repeatedly with the Asian markets. So have his Commissioners. KOGAS, Mitsuibishi, REI, etc. etc.
SB 21 is currently brining in more money than ACES.
Parnell has not reduced the assessed value of TAPS. The assessed value continue to goes up – by billions.
Sealaska Shareholder… OK, you might have some issues & insights.. Longtime ago I did some engineering work for the 13thRegional Corporation, so I presume you are saying Sealaska has similar problems ??
Can you please post some specific links that support your argument ??
Maybe having Byron as Gubberner-Light can be a good opportunity for him to rehabilitate and repay disgruntled shareholders.
When we shake all the bugs out of Alaska even Capt.ZERO has an opportunity to participate and have a comfortable retirement in Alaska’s Future…
after rehab from GUI [ governing under the influence ]
…we are at the CROSSROADS now. [ both Alaska and the entire tar-nation ]
This is a bigger crossroads than Wally’s decision to jumpstart TAPS in 1968.
You are talking to the guy here who has developed an engineering plan for efficiently building a gasline/fiberoptic from Nslope to all of SE-Alaska, Skagway to Saxman/Metlakatla/Hyder
I have no interest in booming LNG exports until all of Alaska gets saturated with cheap gas and broadband first.
The Best Market for Alaska’s Gas is: ALASKA !!
On election day, I will vote for whomever looks to have the best chance of defeating Parnell. I would suggest that anyone who cares about the future of our state do the same regardless of their political affiliation. I voted for a Democratic candidate for the first time in my life (I’m almost 50) four years ago when Parnell ran for Governor. I cannot imagine what damage four more years of this administration would bring to our state.
That being said, I do not want Byron Mallott as my governor. I know the guy. I like him. But there are things about him that make me reluctant to vote for him. But if it is between Mallott and Parnell, Mallott would get my vote.
Now enter Walker/Mallott. If Walker were to run for Governor with Mallott as Lieutenant Governor, that is a ticket that I would vote for. The Lieutenant Governor has little power. Someone in the the Lieutenant Governor position is fairly benign and can’t do much more than they could without the title. Unless the Governor dies or leaves office for some reason, it really doesn’t matter who the Lieutenant Governor is.
In my opinion, Walker is the best gubernatorial candidate we have right now. I am not 100% on board with all of his positions, but I am far more in agreement with Walker than the other two candidates.
At the very least, I feel that Walker will try to do what is best for Alaska and it’s citizenry. Parnell doesn’t seem to care about the state and is only concerned with pleasing the lobbyists and foreign corporate executives.
I pray that a three way split doesn’t result in four more years of this nonsense. Ideally, Mallott would see that he doesn’t stand a chance of winning and drops out of the race and endorses Walker. However I doubt that will happen.
In summary, anyone but Parnell.
Remember what we learned in grade school?
United we stand. Divided we fall.
If we have to suffer under four more years of the incompetence and corruption of Parnell Alaska will be doomed.
1. Parnell is deficit spending to the tune of $7 million dollars per day. We will be broke in about 4 years.
2. PERS/TRS is underfunded by $10 billion- and growing. How do we address this issue when we will be broke? Will we just stiff our retirees?
3. Parnell is not building us a gas line, and has sabotaged the project. Why should Exxon be in charge when Exxon refused to work with the markets when they wanted to get a gas line up and running by 2019? Parnell refused to meet with the markets, and has badly damaged Alaska’s reputation with our allies.
4. How will we fund education when the state will be broke? Why are we giving away our oil (literally) under SB-21? “New” oil is tax free. What rational person would support this?
5. Under Parnell, domestic violence is worse. Air quality in Fairbanks is worse.
6. The extreme compensation for Parnell administration employees is revolting. Why is the AK Housing guy worth $250,000 per year? Isn’t AHFC in serious financial trouble? Why are the top people at AGDC getting $250,000 to more than $500,000 per year (each) compensation? What have they done except waste time and money? Why is Pat Gamble worth a $320,000 dollar bonus? Does Parnell not care about the massive deficits that he has created????
7. Why should Parnell be allowed to continue to appoint outsiders to boards that set state policy?
8. Why is Parnell hell bent on raising property taxes in Fairbanks- by illegally reducing the assessed valuation of the pipeline- making Alaska homeowners pay more?
9. Parnell has such contempt for Alaskans he has now TWICE overturned citizens initiatives. One, on cruise ships, another on the gasline.
Lets end this insanity. United, we can get rid of Parnell- before its too late.
United we stand. Divided we fall.
Crude?
Byron has been on the board, Chairman, CEO and President of the largest money losing operation in the history of Alaska for nearly 40 years, it is called Sealaska Corporation, while enriching himself and family at the expense of Shareholders.
Apparently you know nothing of Byron’s past failures.
One of my key issues, that has received little coverage of late, is predator control. If there’s not a dramatic shift away from current predator control policies, I’ll cast my vote with Parnell, much as it sickens me to do so. Craig Fleener has been one of the architects of the aerial wolf shooting programs and bear snaring programs while with ADF&G and the Board of Game. Installing him as the Director of ADF&G is entirely unacceptable.
Before I’ll vote for Walker/Mallot I need to hear public statements regarding who key cabinet posts will be.
We both want a democrat as governor, but it’s pretty obvious Mallot won’t be it. So do you want four more years of Zero instead? I’ll take a nonpartisan team with Walker over Parnell, even if I have to swallow hard to accept it.
I amm a huge Bill Walker fan. Voted for him in the primary 4 years ago. Can’t and won’t this time. Couldn’t stand Craig Fleener and now I feel the same about Byron Mallott. Dems are heralding the ticket like its the second coming. Its not. Here’s the truth: Dems wanted Byron off the top of the ticket because he’s a loser. At the bottom of the ticket, he’s still a loser. Sorry.
YES… Walker/Mallott 2014
CBC redux –> goog: agdc saic
check out >> http://www.siluria.com
CRUDE is obsolete for use as petrochem feedstock
I have known this to be true since before TAPS was built
1971 I was ridiculed at UAF for saying TAPS should be a cold-buried gasline
BigOil operates the fossil-fool industry at a 10% thermodynamic efficiency
Over the past 40 years 90% of Alaska’s hydrocarbon resources has been wasted
100% of Alaska’s crude can be recovered and gasified at the wellhead
with Siluria-GTL we can make gasoline from methane at a production cost of $1/gal
Go with Walker/Mallott 2014 and we can make this and much more happen
Walker/Mallott is not just a one-issue deal…
Alaska has a thousand issues that have been neglected and mismanaged
with experienced Adult Supervision we can make big improvements in every area statewide
a WIN-WIN-WIN for everybody including BigOil
we are all gonna have to adapt and learn
goog: alaska railroad interior energy project LNG
http://www.interiorenergyproject.com/Resources%20and%20Documents/12182013AKRR.pdf
we can also do amazing improvements to our fisheries
http://www.haidasalmonrestoration.com
http://www.nationalreview.com/article/376258/pacifics-salmon-are-back-thank-human-ingenuity-robert-zubrin
For those of you who are suckers for megaprojects…
Alaska can fix Fukushima if nobody else has the fortitude & courage,
there is some opportunity in the disaster there
YES… Walker/Mallott 2014… It’s Time
Ms. Coyne, this is indeed a great story. We have Rocky Plotnick, state Democratic Party Finance Chair and member of the Executive Committee quoted as saying, “It can’t get any worse than what we have now.” What could a Republican possibly say to top that?
Count me among those who think Mark Begich should quit his race now so that he can take over at the top of the Democratic gubernatorial ticket. In complete agreement with Ms. Plotnick I would say that ticket would be no worse than what they have now. I cannot recall Alaska Democrats ever being in more disarray than is the case right now.
I still support Byron… I have listened to Byron speak during this campaign, I think his heart is in the right place, but his voice is weak and hoarse. I think he has some respiratory health issues, and this might lead many to think he is lackluster. Byron has a long successful track record in Alaskan FINANCE, and it’s notable he hasn’t had any big-news screwups over the years that I can see from here. He was manager of the Permanent Fund, and the Pfund is still doing pretty good considering the circumstances over the years. Byron’s antagonists fling a lot of BS allegations, and I have yet to hear any specific documented details to support these negative claims. Nobody’s perfect, but I haven’t heard of any big-booboo’s that Byron has done yet.
Alaska now stands at a crossroads, we now have many amazing opportunities in 2014 that far exceed the idea of shoving more crude down TAPS. Walker/Mallott is our best chance to make these new opportunities work for Alaska.
Great post, Ms Coyne.
I’m afraid the smell of anonymous troll urine is quite pungent here.
Walker-Mallott is both historic and exciting. I contend that the Democratic Party will be stronger as a result of this pairing, having both up and down ticket benefits. I salute the politicians and their supporters who are able to subordinate ego and ambition for the greater good.
To the Nattering Nabobs of Negativism (thank you Spiro) I will say this: sometimes Good happens; our lives don’t have to be ruled by the inevitability of sh*t!
I would like to know more about Walker. At a Vote Yes supporter, I appreciated his passionate arguments in favor of repealing SB21 and I am excited about his vision for gas line development. I also get the impression that he’s a tough politician who might be able to lead with Alaska’s interest in that morass that exists in Juneau between the oil lobbyists and the CBC.
I wanted to support Mallot but he has been DOA as far as a campaigner goes. I spoke with him about education issues and he had nothing to say or offer in the way of ideas. Walker, on the other hand, has actually stated the need to increase education funding.
Mallot may be a fine man and a Democrat (although he supported Lisa Murkowski rather than Scott McAdams in the Senate race) but I haven’t heard one word from him that leads me to believe he would be a good governor. I’m registered Dem. but I wouldn’t vote for him. Walker/Mallot I would.
While the Sealaska Corporation may support Byron and flush shareholder money down the toilet, Shareholders certainly do not and are offended that our money was use to support him!
Bill, Byron is a lose cannon and you will regret this, so DON’T DO IT!
Fellow Democrats, we don’t want Parnell/Sullivan for four years, we know our ticket is lame starting at the top of the ticket. Let us swallow our pride and just vote for Walker instead. If Byron is a lame candidate, teaming him with Bill Walker will NOT make him any less lame.
Walker & Mallott will fix the problem outlined below here >>
After we fix this problem Alaska has the opportunity to become truly great !!
“”Dear Lord, please give us another pipeline we promise we won’t piss this one away too!!””
Greater Alaska covers 13million square miles, and if we all pull together with the help of Walker/Mallott we can fill all of Alaska with an amazing amount of clean gas energy…
=======
Every day hundreds and hundreds of barrels of propane are re-injected back into the ground by Big Oil.
Harold Heinze, working for public interest, tried to get BP and the others to sell this cheap propane so Alaskans could have cheap, easily transportable and store-able energy.
Big Oil said “Nope”.
Parnell was asked to get involved. (Check the public records- its there.) Parnell refused.
Heinze took the case to the AOGCC and asked them for help… it violates the Alaska Constitution to waste a natural resource as BP, et el, do on a daily basis. AOGCC is ‘studying’ the issue…
Parnell refused to act, even when many residents here do not have affordable, clean energy, or even clean air.
————————————————————————————
If Alaska had not given away their oil for 20 years we would have a Savings Account or Permanent Fund like Norways’s of $400 Billion not $40!
————————————————————————————
BP has had two recent fires [Cherry Point Refinery & GC#2-Nslope]. These fires are a symptom of packing too much propane into the crude-cheatoil. BP sells 144,000gpd of propane at Cherry Point for $1.21/gal.
BP would rather burn off 272,000tons of propane in the Valdez waste incinerator than let Alaskans have any access to our heritage propane resource.
————————————————————————————
HB-9 ensures AGDC destroys the voter created ANGDA- and the All Alaska Gasline. HB-09 also conceals deals AGDC might cut, and exempts AGDC from regulatory and judicial review. This is needed so Alaskans pay the outside owners of this boondoggle an estimated $420 million dollars per year.
Even worse (how could this be possible?) AGDC ignores the fact that a 200 year supply of natural gas exists in Cook Inlet.
————————————————————————————
Want to solve the problem?
Stop having pipe dreams and cut the price of royalty crude going in to the local refiners.
Crude at $120 per 42 gallon barrel results in a $2.857 per gallon hidden royalty oil tax ON each $4.00 gallon of fuel oil.
When a household buys 1,000 gallons of heating oil the state tax is $2,857. Also, the state royalty oil tax is more than doubling GVEA customer’s electric bill.
By the way, Gasoline in Saudi Arabia is 60 cents per gallon.
————————————————————————————
This a totally insane power grab to create a vertically integrated gas-monopoly with no opportunity for regulatory oversight and operating in secrecy under HB189 blanket confidentiality clause.
Who’s doing the monkeywrenching here in Hawkers office??: SAIC
[look for SAIC & RW-Beck in here..]
http://www.gasline.us.com/category/request-for-proposals/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SAIC_(company)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/capitalbusiness/saic-takes-232-million-charge-in-connection-with-troubled-program/2011/12/06/gIQAX3qdaO_story.html
http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2007/03/spyagency200703
I think many of the predatory bigwigs in Alaska have a mental health problem.
I know of no business that supports Byron except Sealaska Corp. Regional ANCSA companies that actually do business support Parnell. I know of no business operating in Alaska with more than 10 employees that supports Byron (excepting Sealaska).
From this story and the meetings it portrays it looks to me like the Democrats are willing to do countless rounds of speed-dating because they have now come to know Mallott, they know French could not win as governor, and they are confused by Walker. This is no way to choose a leader! This isn’t a game of checkers, this is selection of governor for the strongest governor state in the US.
Over this story I have lost all faith I may have been able to have for the Alaska Democratic party. They don’t care about Alaska, they only care about winning. Spenard streetwalkers have higher standards (I would guess). No wonder they voice no contrition over having backed Barack Hussein Obama!
Fascinating to see their true colors emerge. Alaskans shouldn’t be fooled by any of this smoke and mirrors theatrics. The pungent stench of raw opportunism briefly wafts! It will clear up shortly.
A special kudos goes to Craig Fleener and Hollis French. They both had to agree to step aside (temporarily) for this merger to work. Both have already expended considerable effort on our behalf for which they deserve sincere thanks.
The ability to step up and put the interests of others first is what these guys do. Hollis has a Marine background, and Craig has a nearly 30 year military career.
As a veteran I am not surprised in the least that these guys would sacrifice for the greater good.
Thanks Craig. Thanks Hollis. God bless you both.
Bill Walker’s law firm did receive compensation from the Alaska Gasline Port Authority which was primarily funded by the private sector consortium members. When that funding ran low, Bill continued his work for several years on a volunteer basis
Bill Walker’s law firm has successfully represented the City of Valdez in complex oil and gas property tax litigation over many years against three of the world’s largest companies. These matters have required numerous proceedings, trials, appeals, experts and legions of attorneys. The financial benefit to the client far exceeded the costs and fees involved. Here is a recent case. http://www.courtrecords.alaska.gov/webdocs/opinions/ops/sp-6867.pdf
The Walkers dealt with a marriage issue nearly 30 years ago. They recently celebrated their 37th anniversary.
What happened to Fleener? Walker looks like a flaky opportunist. He stood by his running mate Fleener when he put his foot in his mouth and refused to recant it. Now, he not only dumps Fleener, but he is also joining forces with a democrat? In a conservative state? And he’s a Republican, albeit running as an Independent? He looks like he is all over the page just so he can win. How would he energize anyone but the democrats. – who clearly can’t win unless they team up with a Republican front-runner? In reading some of these comments, it looks like Alaskans already see Walker as the political opportunist that he is. I have no respect for anyone who waters down his personal convictions or pushes them aside just to win an election.
This is the most intelligent move seen in a long while. Walker and Mallott will own Parnell in the election.
Alaskans united in taking our state back from the puppet of Big Oil… imagine that.
No doubt Exxon, Conoco and its surrogates will spare no effort to stop this- as seen by the BS attacks here. No sleep for the corrupt bastards tonight…
,,,this old Alaskan is hoping this new ticket happens between Walker and Mallot. It`s a triple win for Alaska. We rid ourselves of a lobbyist on the third floor in Juneau, and we get two hard working and devoted Alaskans who will put Alaska`s fiscal needs first, before the oil industry`s ever increasing bottom line (at Alaska`s expense,..just like the old “ELF” tax scam (remember “no decline in 99”?). Ah and here come the fine Parnell attack dogs with personal attacks, they are so panicked at the thought of this unified effort. I haven`t met a saint yet,.. but apparently these republicans feel they are supporting one in the lobbyist Parnell, who fought against Alaska in the Exxon Valdez oil spill jury award case. And for those stone throwers throwing rocks at Mallot and Walker, who think they are “holier than thou” I`d rather have a leader who`s Alaskan family has faced personal pain and failure, and come through it stronger, as is evidently the case here. Either way these personal attacks are unwarranted in this discussion. People who live in glass houses shouldn`t throw stones. My fingers are crossed that these two campaigns join forces to ouster Parnell and the CBC club.
no chance of a mallet french ticket?
We face a very challenging future now and need the best Alaskans we can find not the usual suspects with their political strap hangers. Walker and Mallot both impress me as being deliberative and intelligent (unlike “Snowbank Snookie”) neither with a strong national party agenda.
If this merger takes place, this race could then focus even more on Alaska’s issues. Parnell would have to justify his actions over the last five years not depend on the greatest minority of votes to win.
I don’t see a strong linkage to Begich or Sullivan. One of them will soon ride over the horizon to Washington D.C., now the land of “party uber alles” thereafter to be seldom heard from again. Begich wouldn’t even commit to a vote on repeal of SB21. Do you think he would openly support Bill Walker? Sullivan actually has it easier to support his former boss. They have both made their nests, let them sleep in them.
Winston Churchill when describing political party appeal is sometimes credited with saying words to the effect that when you are twenty if you don’t support the Liberal Party you have no heart then when you’re forty if you aren’t supporting the Conservative Party you have no brain. This week I heard an addition to that adage; “When you are even older if you are not a political independent you have neither”.
It will be interesting to see if the press actually digs into Walker’s past. Not only has he ripped of Valdez, but he has made a ton off of the Port Authority. Walker is charismatic but he is a crook.
Hollis French, as would all sitting legislators, would have to wait one year before accepting a position in state government according to state law.
I have voted Democratic about 90% of the time even though I am regostered as an Independent. I was going to vote for the Mallott/French ticket, primarily so that Sen. French would be on the third floor of our capitol. I find this political manuveroing so distasteful that I will not sipport the Democratic ticket. Walker sucks. He’s ripped off Valdez for years. There is no way I will give this morally inept man the keys to the state treasury. Dems have been duped.
Swallow your pride, and do what is best for Alaska. We need the Parasite known as Sean Parnell out of office.
You’re kidding, right?
Walker doesn’t give a flip about Natives, women, LGBT and allies, and is anti-abortion.
I heard his Bible-thumping wife controls his every move after he had an affair and almost split his family up. I do not think she would allow him to just stand by and “keep personal beliefs personal” or what ever line he is pulling there.
I am shocked that the party is considering this! I’m not active in the party because I trust that those who are will represent my interests. This does not represent my interests.
I want a Democrat as governor to put our state on the right track. Not some opportunist like Walker.
Really? Two losers don’t make a winner. Surre, there’ll be some enthusiasm for awhile. Then what? Two candidates that are anti-resource development. Yeh, that’ll be real good for the economy. The top dawg, a lawyer – – yep, that’s a lot of experience. The #2 dawg, was a CEO that literally lost tens of millions. Together, if elected, it would be catastrophic. Alaskans aren’t stupid. Just watch and see.
I was ecstatic about the Walker-Mallott ticket until I saw the comment suggesting that Fleener might be the commissioner of AFD&G. That was a deal breaker for me. My choices now are to stay home or vote Parnell.
Good! Very good!
How does “Attorney General Hollis French” sound? How about “Fish and Game Commissioner Craig Fleener”?