Fall is in the air! Below freezing temperatures will be here before we know it. The November general election is just is just 51 days away. Early and absentee voting in Alaska starts in just 41 days. The big news this week was Alaska Supreme Court ruled against the Alaska Democratic Party in their attempt to have incarcerated out-of-state Democrat Eric Hafner removed from the ballot in the U.S. House race. The Alaska Gasline Development Corporation (AGDC) held a board meeting this where they released a report from Wood Mackenzie on the cost of LNG imports verses an in-state gasline. The price of Alaska North Slope Crude oil hit $70 a barre this week – the first time it has been that low since May 2023. And Anchorage Daily News staff ambushed management this week with plans to unionize. 

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Democrats Fail to Remove Eric Hafner from Ballot 

The Alaska Democratic Party failed in their attempt to remove Democrat Eric Hafner from the ballot in the U.S. House race. Hafner – who is currently serving a 20 year sentence in a New York prison for threatening public officials – finished sixth in the primary with less than 1% of the vote. But he was moved up into the top-four when Lieutenant Governor Nancy Dahlstrom (R – Alaska) and Republican Matthew Salisbury withdrew.

The Alaska Democratic Party sued to have his name removed, arguing that even if he won he would not be able to come to Alaska to become a resident before taking office – something the U.S. Constitution requires. But the opposing side argued that Hafner could theoretically be pardoned or released. In his opinion. Superior Court Judge Ian Wheeles wrote that it’s not the court’s job to try and predict the future.

The Alaska Democratic Party also argued that the statute says only the fifth place finisher moves up if someone withdraws, not the sixth and further down. That argument was also rejected. His ruling was upheld by the Alaska Supreme Court. 

In a bizarre twist, the Alaska Republican Party intervened on behalf of the State of Alaska to keep Hafner on the ballot. 

So what does this mean? Hafner won’t get many votes, but could still have an impact on the outcome. If Representative Mary Peltola (D – Alaska) or Republican Nick Begich fail to receive 50% plus 1 on the first round, the second choice votes of either Hafner or Alaska Independence Party candidate John Wayne Howe will be redistributed. Both Howe and Hafner won’t get many first place votes, but they will get some.

In the 2022 general election, Libertarian Chris Bye received 1.73% of the vote when he was running against Peltola, Begich, and Republican Sarah Palin. If Howe gets less votes than Hafner, his second choice votes will be redistributed first. The bulk of those will probably go to Begich, but there will also be drop off. That could put Begich over the top. But if it does not, Hafner’s second choice votes will likely put Peltola over the top.

But if Hafner gets less votes that Howe and his second choice votes do not put her over the top, Howe’s second choice votes could put Begich over the top. It will be interesting to see what the strategy will be for the Peltola and Begich campaigns. In 2022, Peltola just kind of sat back and watched Begich and Palin go after each other. But this time there is only one Republican, Begich, in the race and two Democrats. 

Even though Hafner is sitting in prison, is not campaigning, and has never been to Alaska, his presence on the ballot could play a role in deciding who will represent Alaska’s sole U.S. House seat. 

Other Happenings 

AGDC held a board meeting on Thursday (9/12/2024) to discuss a report by Wood Mackenzie on the cost of imported LNG verses an in-state solution via a gasline from the North Slope. This is due to the looming decline in gas production in Cook Inlet. The report is an interesting read. The gasline would obviously provide thousands of Alaska jobs, while importing LNG would result in less Alaska jobs. Importing LNG also only benefits Southcentral, not the Interior. It’s honestly insane that we are seriously considering importing LNG. Alaska needs to pony up the cash required to get the gasline built in order to deliver affordable and abundant energy to our state.     

Governor Mike Dunleavy’s (R – Alaska) Chief of Staff Tyson Gallagher sent out a memo to state corporations, councils, and commissions informing them about new rules related to new hires and raises. Word is some of them, including the Alaska Railroad, were unhappy about the memo and don’t plan on following the new guidelines.   

The price of Alaska North Slope Crude has been falling for the last few weeks. It hit $70/barrel this week, but ticked back up to $73. If it stays this low for a long period of time, or goes lower, it could impact the current year’s budget and will definitely impact the next fiscal year’s budget. Governor Dunleavy has to release his FY 2026 budget in three months. 

This week staff at the Anchorage Daily News announced that 80% of them agreed to file a petition to unionize. Sources confirm they did not go to management first with any requests or demands and kept secret their plans to unionize. Owner Ryan Binkley declined their request for voluntary recognition. This means an election will have to take place. Binkley is now being attacked for hiring a law firm to help navigate this. Keep in mind the NewsGuild-CWA – the labor union representing the ADN employees – has an army of lawyers. There are a ton of National Labor Relations Board laws and regulations for employers regarding labor unions. Hiring a law firm to help navigate those is perfectly reasonable. When the ADN was facing bankruptcy in 2017, Ryan Binkley put up a million dollars in order to make payroll and keep the doors of the ADN open. No one else put in a bid to buy the failing paper. 

This Week’s Loose Unit

There were a lot of great candidates this week. But a late development locked in this week’s designee. This week’s Loose Unit it the village of Point Hope. Hang on to your hats for this one.

On Friday (9/13/2024), Mayor Tariek Oviok made a post on the Point Hope’s official Facebook page announcing that he was in his home on “lock down” following an attempted coup by staff from the Tikigaq Corporation, who were accompanied by a North Slope Borough Police officer. He said they demanded he hand over the keys to city hall and the city’s credit card.  

Not long after, I received information that Tariek Oviok was trespassed from Tikigaq for threatening an employee. He also hired attorney Craig Richards – who has since quit – to review a request for a special meeting. I also received text messages he had sent his wife that were posted online where he said he was gonna “slit that mf’s dick and lick my knife like the joker.” No idea who he was talking about, but my god that is loose. 

Then, Ryan Rock, the president of Tikigaq and son of ASRC President Rex Rock Sr., made a long Facebook post talking about the whole thing and said the FBI is on the way! Maximum loose. 

This ADN story provides more information about the hyper loose situation. It sounds like Oviok was using the city credit card as his own personal card. Maximum loose behavior. From the ADN story:

Kowunna said that the total amount of unauthorized transactions from January to August last year totaled over $36,000, with expenses including plane tickets, car rentals, and charges at restaurants and clothing and gear stores. Kowunna said that the mayor’s spending was not authorized by the city council, and transactions did not have supporting documents such as receipts.

During the borough assembly meeting, Oviok denied that he misspent the funds.

“People have voted me to be the mayor. I’m a whaling captain — that in itself is an honor, a humbling feeling. I have my children that I take care of. I’ve been out of prison for 11 years,” he said during the August borough meeting. “I am not an individual that would be blessed with all that opportunity to decide in the 11th year that I’m going to start stealing money from my people.”

Oviok went to jail for attempted murder and has had several civil protective orders filed against him, the most recent one in June 2024 by a former city clerk.

The whole thing is absolutely insane. How in the hell did this guy get elected mayor in the first place? And what controls, if any, are in place for the money the North Slope Borough gives them under their Economic Impact Assistance Program? It doesn’t get much looser, and corrupt, than this. 

If you have a nomination for this week’s Loose Unit, or if you have any political news, stories or gossip (or any old pics of politicians or public officials) please email me at jeff@alaskalandmine.com.