Sen. Dan Sullivan, who is campaigning for reelection on his government-funded social media accounts, claims to be on a “Mat-Su manufacturing tour” where he can show pictures of himself touring factories and looking for votes.

Sullivan has had nothing to say on his government-funded accounts about the killing of Alex Pretti by masked federal gunmen on a street in Minneapolis Saturday. The 37-year-old nurse was brandishing a cell phone. He had a gun that was removed from him before he was shot, according to videos analyzed by numerous news organizations.

“A frame-by-frame review by The Wall Street Journal shows a federal officer pulling a handgun away from Pretti. Less than a second later, an agent fires several rounds. Pretti died at the scene,” the Journal said.

Here is a New York Times profile of Pretti. Here is that newspaper’s analysis showing Pretti was restrained and on the ground when he was shot and killed.

Sullivan will point to these AI-like weasel words from one of his employees to the Juneau Independent: he supports law enforcement, opposes the loss of life and can’t say anything of substance because the facts are not known.

This amounts to silence from Sullivan and it should not pass without notice.

He should be condemning the Trump assault on Minneapolis. He should be condemning the masked federal gunmen who clearly are not trained enough or disciplined enough for the job. He should be condemning Trump and his lieutenants for provoking violence, creating an environment that will only get worse and blaming the victim.

Instead Sullivan hides behind AI-like weasel words.

I believe that Sullivan is afraid of Trump on the one hand. And afraid of the growing number of Alaska voters who see the damage Trump is doing to the nation on the other hand. He is afraid they will recognize that Sullivan is one of Trump’s enablers in the U.S. Senate. Rep. Nick Begich the Third, whose lips are also sealed, plays a similar role in the U.S. House.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski, on the other hand, has it right: “The tragedy and chaos the country is witnessing in Minneapolis is shocking.” She called for an independent investigation.

Independence is needed because the Trump administration can’t be trusted.

National Public Radio summarized the situation by saying that multiple videos taken by bystanders and the testimony of witnesses contradict the claims by the Trump administration.

“Pretti can be seen holding only a phone in his hand before at least six officers tackle him, pinning him face down on the ground and shooting him in the back, firing what sounds like 10 shots. One eyewitness said in a court document that Pretti was not even facing agents when they grabbed him. ‘It didn't look like he was trying to resist, just trying to help [a] woman up,’’ NPR said.

I ask that readers who have contacted Murkowski, Sullivan or Begich and have received responses from them about this horrific situation to send me copies so I can inform others about what Murkowski, Sullivan and Begich plan to do. Write to me at dermotmcole@gmail.com

Even the Wall Street Journal editorial page is calling for Trump to back off: “The Saturday shooting of Alex Pretti, as he lay on the ground surrounded by ICE agents, is the worst incident to date in what is becoming a moral and political debacle for the Trump Presidency.”

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 99710-0673.=

Sullivan, Begich say nothing about the murder of Alex Pretti