Two of Lt. Gov. Mead Treadwell staffers are leaving his state office. Although I didn’t talk to her, I’ve been told his chief of staff, Michelle Toohey, is on her way out. I did talk to his communications manager, Colleen Cox, who told me that her last day is Wednesday. She said she’s leaving for “other opportunities.” Cox has been with Treadwell since his win in 2010. Before that, she volunteered for Gov. Sean Parnell’s campaign. Cox, an Anchorage girl, has a degree in English literature from Fordham University in New York, and then moved to Ireland to get the equivalent of a master’s in Irish literature, where she focused on James Joyce. If I were God, I’d make her my second. Anybody who can get through Finnegan’s Wake deserves it. Anyway, coming from neither of them: I’ve heard things are tense there.
Conservative radio talk show host Dan Fagan checked in on Thursday. He said that he’s still “golfing his way” to Alaska from California, where he’s been talking to audiences about… who cares what he’s been talking to Californians about? That’s the point. He didn’t care much either. Hence his return. He and uber conservative Glen Biegel will be co-hosting a show between 6 to 9:00 a.m. on KOAN, starting June 30. Fagan, a man with a changed heart, will be the softer side of the male-dominated, conservative duo. We’ll see how long that lasts. Sears tried that old “softer side” trick too, until it realized that its core consumers were white males with power-tool fetishes. Anyway, Fagan said he sleeps better at night now that he’s changed. Take it from one who knows: Ambien’s easier.
Tuesday evening was certainly a better evening for Alaska House Majority Leader Lance Pruitt than it was for Congressional Majority Leader Eric Cantor who was a victim of a major and unexpected upset. While Rep. Cantor was making his concession statement in Virginia, more than 30 Alaskans were heading to Pruitt’s fundraising reception at Simon & Seaforts in downtown Anchorage. Some familiar faces spotted at the event included: Rebecca Logan from the Alliance; Marie Evans from ConocoPhillips; Dan Fauske, the state’s gas czar; Joe Beedle from Northrim Bank; Paul Quesnel from BP; Natasha Von Imhoff, Alice Hanley, Sen. Click Bishop and Jim Udelhoven.
Ron Arvin and Cathy Tilton, two Valley GOP candidates vying for state House seat in District 12 being vacated by Rep. Bill Stoltze, also held events Tuesday evening. Arvin’s event was at the Petroleum Club in Anchorage and Tilton’s at the Regan Pavilion in Wasilla. Both events drew respectable crowds. The verdict: Arvin raised the most money and Tilton drew the most voters from the district.
Quite possibly the biggest political fundraiser Tuesday was in the Valley at construction mogul Dave and Dana Cruz’s home where they hosted a crowd of more than 80 people who showed to support GOP senate candidate Dan Sullivan. The event capped a long day of politicking in the Valley. I was there, trailing Sullivan, and am in the middle of writing a James Joyce-sized opus about the day. Don’t bate your breath waiting.
North Slope Borough Mayor Charlotte Brower was also in Anchorage Tuesday evening for a fundraising event hosted by members of the Associated General Contractors. From all accounts, this event was not as well attended as some of her previous campaign events.
The American Association of Political Consultants has selected New Orleans as the venue for their March 2015 meeting.
Upcoming Events:
• June 26, 5:30 – 8:00 pm. Campaign kick-off for Rep. Lynn Gattis’ re-election at the Regan Building Pavilion, Wasilla.
Sen. Anna Fairclough and Rep. Lynn Gattis are in San Francisco attending a national conference on education this week. Gattis chairs the House Education committee and Fairclough sits on the Senate Finance Committee that funds education.
Ellie Lottsfeldt, daughter of Jim and Dawn Lottsfeldt, was in Portland for a Jamie Cullum concert; however, a bigger thrill than the concert itself was when she found herself side-by-side Jamie at a sidewalk cafe. Needless to say, when Jim isn’t promoting Sen. Begich, he’s got some pics of Jamie and his daughter to share.
The June 10th edition of Fortune Magazine lists Alaska as one of the most corrupt states in the nation. That might seem like bad news to some. The Alaska Democrats, however, appear to be reveling in it. The party sent out a press release about the study, and went further, implicating Republican Sens. Cathy Giessel, Peter Micciche and Kevin Meyer. On the House side, it was Reps. Lynn Gattis, Eric Feige and Speaker Mike Chenault, the latter of whom particularly didn’t take kindly to the accusations of corruption. He fired back:
Reps. Feige and Gattis are some of the most honorable people that I have worked with. I’ll be damned if I sit back and watch while their integrity is questioned based on twisted versions of reality…If the Democratic Party feels that a member of the House is corrupt they should contact the appropriate law enforcement agency for an investigation. I personally welcome any scrutiny. I have nothing to hide.
Contact Amanda Coyne at amandamcoyne@yahoo.com
Fagan’s back…..well minimum wage must be hard to survive on in Weezeeann!
Chenault’s faux outrage is hilarious. Yes, how dare anyone suggest there might be a problem in a state where numerous legislators have gone to prison for selling out their state for depressingly cheap bribes, and where legislators currently on oil company payrolls just voted to divert state funds into their employers’ coffers while pretending that’s not a blatant conflict of interest. Yeah, WHY would anyone think Jumeau’s corrupt? LOL Let the indignation commence!
Treadwell : who cares? In a few short months, we won’t be hearing from him anymore
Fagan : looking forward to his return and rhetoric. There’s somethiing I like about him although I couldn’t tell you what.
Tuesday night’s fundraisers : will they never end.
And so forth …..
And yes, I’m addicted to the gossip for no good reason.
Keep giving me my fix. .
Thank you Speaker Chenault for calling bullshit on the Democrat’s press release today. The Democrats have far more “dirty laundry” than the Republicans. They never talk about the Democrats in the legislature that get their paychecks from organized labor and respond with quid pro quo. Or maybe we should talk about their House Minority Leader’s problems with APOC or more vile and illegal use of his legislative licebse plates with his sometimes girlfriend. The fact that Minority Leader Tuck is still in that position is demonstrative of his Democratic House colleagues lack of regard for the difference between right and wrong, and what is ethical or illegal. It reminds me of Senator Begich’s day trading of financial services stocks all the while co-sponsoring legislation prohibiting such. The Democrat’s press release was a cheap shot. Alaskans deserve and expect better.
Glad to see Fagan returning. He did some excellent work monitoring Parnell on such issues as the horribly expensive crime lab debacle and the creation of a job for Nancy Dahlstrom while she was a sitting legislator. The Forbes Magazine observation about ongoing corruption makes Alaska such fertile ground for the curious such as Mr. Fagan.
Speaking of corruption, I was rather taken aback by the Democrats who, while exposing what is now considered normal Juneau behavior, seem to have forgotten about the activities of their own House Minority leader. I do appreciate the invite by Chenault to “be sure and call the sheriff” if you have proof of corruption. That sounds like a line from “Mississippi Burning”.
Poor Mead. Things aren’t going very well form him.
I’ve known him a long time and even consider him a friend albeit we are somewhat estranged at this time. Knowing him, I suspect that he’ll blame his misfortune on others. Instead, he needs to take responsibility. I have always believed that Mead could have won this primary if he would have just been true to himself by being himself – – a reasonale moderate. For reasons that I don’t understand or can agree with he has re-formulated himself and is now pretending to be a “conservative”. This is laughable and everyone knows it. This is why his campaign has failed to catch on and inspire support. Mead, it’s never too late to be honest, to tell the truth. As someone who has known you for at least 30 or more years, I beg you to be true to yourself and cut this crap about being a conservative. It’s obviously not working
The democrat’s press release issued to capitalize on the Fortune magazine story of The 10 Most Corrupt States represents a new low in Alaska politics. The accusations were cheap and without merit. Speaker Chenault’s response was correct and applaudable. Unfortunately, the democrats in Alaska have taken on a new approach to politics this election cycle: one that lacks civility, integrity and seems to thrive on negatvity and the politics of personal destruction. From Sen. Begich who blasts outside money while being the largest benefactor of such in Alaska to reprehensibe and untruthful press releases written by the democratic party. This independent voter will not ever vote for a democrat again until the party or one of its leaders apologizes for this mean-spirited and misleading miissive.
I would never had predicted that the democratic party of Alaska would have ever stooped this low. The democrat’s press release issued to capitalize on the Fortune magazine story of The 10 Most Corrupt States represents a new low in Alaska politics. The accusations were cheap and without merit. Speaker Chenault’s response was correct and applaudable. Unfortunately, the democrats in Alaska have taken on a new approach to politics this election cycle: one that lacks civility, integrity and seems to thrive on negatvity and the politics of personal destruction. From Sen. Begich who blasts outside money while being the largest benefactor of such in Alaska to reprehensibe and untruthful press releases written by the democratic party. This independent voter will not ever vote for a democrat again until the party or one of its leaders apologizes for this mean-spirited and misleading miissive.
I would never had predicted that the democratic party of Alaska would have ever stooped this low.
Like everyone in State office with an upcoming election they spend their days working for the state while every second of what would be “free time” campaigning
He’s back ! Fagan is the kind of guy you love to hate. Other times, he’s the kind of guy that you admire his courage and insights. Looking forward to a viable option to the KFQD Dumb and Dumber show. Why Ethan Berkowitz demeans himself by being on the air with Bernadette aka the Party Planner is beyond me. Looking forward to Dan and Glen taking on issues like what should happen when legislative girlfriends illegally use their lover’s legislative license plates or is it right for an elected official to put their girlfrienmd on the government payroll and more.
Can’t wait until their show starts. Yipie !
Are you telling me that Treadwell is collecting a state paycheck while he spends his days campaigning? If that’s true, I am disgusted and angry. If this is the case Treadwell should be impeached.
Treadwell has a hard time keeping employees. In his campaign, most of his professional staff has quit and gone to other campaigns. The two departures from his state office today aren’t the first this year either. To have the COS and communications person both resigning at the same time says something. The last pperson to leave wasn’t shy about discussing the working conditions in the lite governor’s office. Word is that he treats employees poorly and expects help on his campaign. Both of the iindividuals that you refer to in your column are good people that I wish nothing for but the best. I think that anything they do will be better than working for Treadwell. Can you imagine how it must feel to work for someone without a moral compass, who collects a state paycheck and spends all his time campaigning? No wonder they quit.