To 66,000 Alaskans who will go hungry: Let them eat cake
UPDATE: A federal judge in Rhode Island ordered the Trump administration to continue paying for food assistance using $5 billion in emergency funds approved by Congress. Meanwhile, a federal judge in Massachusetts agreed with the 25 states who filed the lawsuit mentioned below. Here is the New York Times coverage.
EARLIER STORY: Sen. Bill Wielechowski is calling on the suit-happy Dunleavy administration to back a legal claim by 25 states that the Trump administration is violating the law by withholding food assistance money for political purposes.
The legal rights of those who make cakes enters into this because on September 29, Attorney General designee Stephen Cox declared his support in federal court for “creative professionals like cake bakers” who shouldn’t be forced to design wedding cakes that violate their religious beliefs.
Some courts have claimed that a plain white cake has no artistic merit and is not a First Amendment issue.
But in one of the dozens of amicus briefs in federal court that Cox has signed onto during his two months as AG, he says the state has an interest in ensuring the rights of those who put the icing on the cake.
Dunleavy and Cox are more worried about this culture war cake claim than the food needs of Alaskans who can’t afford to feed themselves.
Wielechowski said the state should move fast and join 25 other states in court since the Trump administration is cutting off funds starting Saturday. It should make no difference that those states are led by Democrats.
“It is critical that Alaska join this lawsuit immediately since one possible outcome is that the plaintiffs states secure an injunction that only applies to states that are parties to the lawsuit,” Wielechowski wrote. “If this happens, Alaskans could be left without benefits solely because their state failed to defend their interests.”
“I hope Alaskans can count on you to stand up against this illegal and unconscionable act of federal overreach,” Wielechowski said.
The Anchorage Daily News has the best coverage.
To no one’s surpirse, Dunleavy’s spokesman Jeff Turner claimed Democrats in the U.S. Senate are entirely to blame for this fiasco. He also claimed the state can do nothing. Those are obvious lies. Dunleavy could order Cox to join the lawsuit.
To the 66,000, Dunleavy and Cox might as well say, “Let them eat cake.”
On Sept. 29 the Dunleavy administration joined a culture war cake claim. But it won’t do the same for 66,000 poor Alaskans who get federal food assistance.
Your contributions help support independent analysis and political commentary by Alaska reporter and author Dermot Cole. Thank you for reading and for your support. Either click here to use PayPal or send checks to: Dermot Cole, Box 10673, Fairbanks, AK 99710-067