Following an announcement that his boss, Senator Rob Yundt (R – Wasilla) had introduced a bill that would apply the corporate income tax to oil and gas producer Hilcorp, staffer Ryan McKee announced that he would be “taking a break for a while, maybe traveling the world to find myself.”

McKee is the former head of the Alaska Young Republicans and former state director of the conservative anti-tax group Americans for Prosperity Alaska. He has worked for several conservative Republican legislators in Juneau over the years.

McKee told the Landmine his decision to abruptly flee the country and abandon his friends, female associates, and family had nothing to do with Senator Yundt’s bill.

“I don’t know anything about that,” said a visibly uncomfortable McKee, “I mean, I’ve devoted pretty much my entire professional career to lowering corporate taxes. So yeah, maybe, you know, the optics of this aren’t great. But after one month in this job, I just feel like I don’t even know what I’m doing with my life anymore and it’s time to explore. Maybe ride a moped in Thailand, join a silent retreat in India… you know, just figure out my purpose in this world. If we even have purposes. Like, what does it mean to even be exist? You know?”

The Landmine noted numerous travel brochures scattered on McKee’s desk, including one titled “Brunei: your destination for living large while laying low.”