More on the bogus Republican claims about imported paid protesters

The president of the school board and the city mayor complained at length on KFAR Monday about my blog post headlined “Alaska Republicans invent lie that 200 Fairbanks protesters were imported actors.”

In the process, School Board President Melissa Burnett and Mayor David Pruhs misrepresented the contents of that blog post. Now I admit the headline could have been toned down, but nothing in that blog post was inaccurate.

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Dermot Cole Comments
Sullivan claims ‘far left group' drafted critical questions from lawmakers

Sen. Dan Sullivan said that he’s been through more stressful environments than having elected officials “asking me questions that were clearly drafted from some far left group.”

This comment about questions legislators asked him Thursday tells me that Sullivan is out of touch with a significant number of his constituents and does not understand that many Alaskans are worried about the chaos created by President Trump.

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Sullivan blames Murkowski for Josh Kindred debacle; says judge applicants should remain secret

Speaking to reporters in Juneau Thursday, Sen. Dan Sullivan left no doubt that he blames Sen. Lisa Murkowski for the disastrous decision to put Josh Kindred on the federal bench. He takes no personal responsibility for his role in backing Kindred, wanting Alaskans to forget that Sullivan predicted Kindred would be a fantastic judge.

He did not name Murkowski as he complained about Kindred, just as he did not name federal Judge Sharon Gleason, when he attacked her as doing unimaginable damage to Alaska with rulings he doesn’t like.

He said he has a “red line” that he won’t cross when it comes to supporting new judges and that he will block anyone he thinks will be like Gleason.

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Dermot Cole Comments
Sullivan ducks town hall meetings across Alaska

Though he has refused invitations to take place in town hall meetings in Alaska, Sen. Dan Sullivan will be the keynote speaker Friday at a Republican Lincoln Day banquet with a $100 per person charge at Pike’s Landing in Fairbanks.

There will be a free protest outside the venue from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Sullivan prefers speaking to people who agree with him, but the Musk/Trump regime has many people in Alaska deeply worried about the future of the nation.

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State should consider looking Outside for Permanent Fund trustees, $450,000 study says

In selecting future trustees of the Alaska Permanent Fund, the state should consider looking Outside of Alaska for candidates, according to a 7-page memo prepared by a consultant to Gov. Mike Dunleavy.

“An expanded geographic scope may provide a broader field of candidates for consideration who have relevant expertise,” the $450,000 report from Alyssa DaCunha and Bejamin Neaderland of WilmerHale says.

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Dermot Cole Comments
Congressional delegation lies about Biden administration blocking gas pipeline

Alaska’s senators know better, but they have attached their names to a letter to the Trump administration that claims “four years of inaction and squandered time” by the Biden administration prevented construction of an Alaska natural gas pipeline.

I don’t know if Rep. Nick Begich the Third, who also signed the letter, understands that the claim is a lie.

The thrust of the argument from Sens. Lisa Murkowski, Dan Sullivan and Nick the Third is that by failing to set up federal regulations to qualify for a federal loan guarantee the Biden administration stopped the project.

Sullivan has lied on a separate document that it is a priority to “reverse the Biden administration black-balling” of the federal loan guarantee program.

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Dermot Cole Comments
Murkowski speaks out on Ukraine, NATO and danger of Putin; Sullivan goes along with whatever Trump says on a given day

“We all want this war to end, but it cannot end on Russia’s terms,” Sen. Lisa Murkowski said Tuesday.

“If it does, we should expect nothing more than a temporary respite before the resumption of hostilities. Why are we going to start trusting and believing Putin’s word now, given his track record? We’ve seen this before and the appeasement of tyrants does not bring peace. Russia started this conflict and it’s critical for us to stand with Ukraine to end it, not just because it’s right, but because it’s necessary.”

And what of Sen. Dan Sullivan?

His new position is that whatever Trump says on Ukraine and Russia is correct, regardless of whether Trump is contradicting himself, lying or catering to Putin.

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Dermot Cole Comments
Drop the pretense state never examined impact of cutting oil tax credits

The bill to reduce oil tax credits from a maximum of $8 per barrel to $5 per barrel is one step toward erasing the state deficit and providing the money needed to adequately fund public education.

The change will not mean a drastic cut in the profitability of the North Slope oil companies, according to research the Dunleavy revenue department did in 2021 before proposing this as an option.

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