Put Alaska First, a super-PAC which supports U.S. Sen. Mark Begich, released another TV ad over the weekend focused on the Koch brothers and GOP challenger Dan Sullivan. This one is narrated by Alaska resident Todd Hoener, who lives in Ester, a small community outside of Fairbanks. The ad talks about how the Koch brothers, who own Flint Hills Refinery in Fairbanks, is shutting the refinery down and costing about 80 jobs. It claims that the Koch brothers are supporting Sullivan.
The claim is a stretch. Although the Kochs do support a group that has been attacking Begich on healthcare and a carbon tax,
UPDATED: As promised, below is a comment from GOP Senate candidate Mead Treadwell’s campaign on the new Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee campaign, “GOP addicted to Koch.” The campaign is drawing attention to the fact that the Koch brothers recently closed an Alaska refinery because of costs while spending $600,000 so far on ads attacking Sen. Mark Begich. The refinery was a mainstay in Interior Alaska’s economy, and took with it at least 80 jobs.
The DSCC is pressing the Senate GOP challengers for a response. Dan Sullivan’s campaign has declined comment. No word yet from Joe Miller. Treadwell’s campaign pointed out that Begich seemed cavalier about the closure when it was announced. Further, Begich’s Great Land PAC took $5000 from the Koch brothers in 2010. Here’s what his spokesperson had to say:
“Yet again Mark Begich is showing Alaskans they cannot trust what he says. In 2010, his Great Land PAC took a $5,000 donation from Koch Industries. Not only does Begich take Koch money, Begich simply dismissed the news of the Flint Hills Refinery closing as ‘ the private sector making a decision.’ From Obamacare to hypocritical attacks to failed campaign promises, it is clear that Alaskans cannot trust Mark Begich.” Fred Brown, campaign spokesman.
Alaska memories are short. So for those who weren’t around, let me tell you all about the love caucus. Actually, scratch. That would take too long. This is what you need to know: it involved soon-to-be House Majority Leader Charisse Millett, and then Rep. Kyle Johansen, both of whom fell on their swivel sticks for […]
Lots of politicians and political wonks charge for speeches. A lucky few get to charge lots for speeches. There’s nothing new or surprising about this 21st century political fact. That’s why the sudden attention regarding Hillary Clinton’s UCLA speech is puzzling. The Washington Post has the most in-depth look at this $300K speech fee and […]
KTUU is reporting that Charlo “f*ck it, I quit” Greene is saying “f*ck it” to a subpoena issued by the Alaska Public Offices Commission over whether the Alaska Cannabis Club was involved in the campaigning and whether, if so, it disclosed its activities to APOC. Note to the technology/car sharing company known as Uber: If, […]
This Loose Lips is coming to you from the Big Island, where I’m currently holed up alone, ostensibly engaging in “deep thoughts” which will lead to “serious writing.” It’s been three days and I’ve entertained long, deep thoughts about a sample of macadamia nut cream pie that I had at the Waimea farmer’s market the […]
Ebola politics have officially hit Alaska. TribTown reports that U.S. Sen. Mark Begich has called on the president to implement more screens at more international airports while the Fairbanks News-Miner reports that U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski has expressed concern, and that the president might consider banning/restricting travel from African countries fighting Ebola. Just in time […]
Politico’s Morning Score got the scoop on the latest and greatest of the ads coming to a TV near you. The DSCC has released a new ad called “The Pledge” focusing on Sullivan’s pledge to give employer’s control over birth control coverage while leading the camera down a scenic road in Alaska and winding around […]
The Koch brothers are firing back against an ad released last week by Sen. Mark Begich. In its response to that ad, Flint Hills Resources, which is owned by the Kochs, is accusing Begich of making “misleading and false statements” about them and their refinery in North Pole, Alaska. Koch Industries announced last month that […]
Abortion bills. Immigration and drivers’ licenses. School choice. Guns on campuses. Dismantling collective bargaining. Changing the way the state chooses those judges who get in the way of restricting abortion — and we’re only halfway through the legislative session. I spoke with onward Christian soldier Jim Minnery about what’s looking like the most conservative Legislature […]
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid isn’t known for his quick quips. But a line that he used on the Senate floor as he was railing against Senate Republicans will provide the theme around a Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee campaign, a campaign in which Alaska plays a starring roll. The line: “The GOP is addicted to […]
–There’s a lot of interest in the newly created state Senate district in the Mat-Su Valley. Former legislator and now Palmer city council woman Edna DeVries is running and has even posted on Facebook that she’s praying to find a good campaign manager; however, to date, there have been no indication that prayers have been […]
Americans for Prosperity, the Koch brothers’ funded political group, pulled a $100,000 ad buy against U.S. Sen. Mark Begich after it was announced that Koch Industries was closing the Flint Hills Refinery in North Pole Alaska earlier this month. Perhaps attacking Begich for hurting the economy after it announced it was shuttering a mainstay of […]
Since I started my column in the Anchorage Daily News, I haven’t been keeping up as much with the daily prattle which people really seem to like. Instead, in the true tradition of “real” journalists everywhere, I’ve been spending my days deciding not to give people what they really want, but instead what they need. […]
The New York Times reports that the thumping conservatives — particularly tea party conservatives — have taken in the past few years isn’t scaring off the mega donating Koch brothers. The pair, along with their long list of advocacy groups, foundations and tangled knots of libertarian whatnots plan to be out in full force come […]
