Campbell will become "acting" lieutenant governor on Sunday when Palin resigns from office and hands power to the current lieutenant governor, Sean Parnell. He had his first confirmation hearing on Monday in Fairbanks, teleconferenced statewide. So far, legislators are saying he appears likely to be confirmed at a special session on Aug. 10.
That's despite expressing a view opposed to that of most legislators on the federal stimulus money for Alaska. Campbell told the House Judiciary Committee Monday he's stated he doesn't want the state "subjected to things like the stimulus money that could be considered bribes."
"I do consider that when the federal government offers money and then says, 'but you have to now implement programs that the citizens of Alaska may not want to do,' they are bribing you towards a program," he said in response to questioning.
Campbell, currently commissioner of the state Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, said he supported Palin's decision to veto $28 million in stimulus money for energy cost relief work. Palin cited "strings attached" to the money that she said required her to entice local communities to adopt building codes. Legislators have said no such strings exist and they are talking about overriding her veto of the money.
Campbell did not answer directly when Anchorage Democratic Rep. Max Gruenberg asked if he still believes such strings are attached.
"If the Legislature believes that the strings aren't significant and they want to override the veto, I would not be arguing against that," Campbell replied.
BEEFING UP THE JOB
The lieutenant governor has few official duties. Aside from baby-sitting the state seal and reviewing regulations and other minor tasks, the main responsibilities are to make sure elections are run right and to stay alive in case the governor dies or becomes unfit for office. Campbell's formal job description would be even more limited than most because, as an appointed rather than elected lieutenant governor, he would only take over, if anything happened to Parnell, until a special election could be held.
But governors can choose to give their lieutenant governors additional tasks, and Campbell said Parnell has indicated he would go beyond traditional roles. He said he could have a hand in homeland security issues, emergency management and possibly trade, education and veterans' issues. Campbell said he and Parnell are good friends, and while he'll follow Parnell's policies, he would also try to influence them.
Campbell said the state has been going in the right direction, and he praised two governors who have battled each other.
"The policies of Gov. Murkowski, the policies of Gov. Palin, I support; I think they've been good governors," he said. "Not on every issue, but I think they've been good governors."
Campbell didn't get into specifics but said the direction is to "grow business," provide jobs and provide good education. He said communication between the executive branch and the Legislature has been a problem and he'll improve that.
Campbell was on the Anchorage Assembly from 1986 to 1996 and is former executive director of the Anchorage Public Works Department. He had nine years of Air Force active duty, as well as time in the National Guard. He was appointed by Murkowski in 2003 to his current job, which includes commanding the Alaska National Guard.
'A LACK OF CHARACTER'
Retired Air National Guard Lt. Col. Troy Dunn testified to the House Judiciary Committee Monday that Campbell showed a "lack of character" by not acting against senior commanders found to have been engaged in fraud. Dunn gave legislators a copy of a 2006 Air Force Inspector General's report finding that, "on at least two occasions," training flights were improperly made between Alaska and McChord Air Force Base in Washington state primarily to serve the travel wishes of the Alaska Air National Guard commander at the time, Brig. Gen Tim Scott.
The report also said that Scott Wenke, then operations commander of the Guard's 168th Air Refueling Wing at Eielson Air Force Base in Fairbanks, improperly facilitated the general's travel. Dunn, of North Pole, said he tried for a year and a half to get action taken against them before Scott was put in retirement. Wenke, he said, ended up promoted to colonel under Campbell's watch and made commander of the 168th Air Refueling Wing, a position he currently holds.
Campbell, in an interview after the hearing, said action was taken against both men. Campbell said the process took time but the Air Force had Scott retire and also demoted him from general to colonel, which means less retirement pay.
He said Scott pushed Wenke, his subordinate, to let him use the aircraft, so Scott is the one really responsible.
"Wenke was a lieutenant colonel and he had a general who wanted to use an aircraft. (Wenke) didn't use the best judgment so he was counseled and his promotion delayed, but it's not a fatal mistake because he has done good in the past and he is doing great today," Campbell said.
Legislators were interested in reading the inspector general's findings but didn't appear ready to hold them against Campbell. North Pole Republican Rep. John Coghill said it's not surprising some people are unhappy, but Campbell has done a good job forging a state National Guard prepared for the combat role it now plays.
"I expect the same caliber of leadership to follow into the (lieutenant governor's office)," Coghill said.
HEARING ON TAP
Fairbanks Republican Rep. Jay Ramras said he'd support Campbell and expects him to be confirmed. The two Democrats on the committee didn't say either way at the hearing, and Anchorage Democratic Rep. Lindsey Holmes didn't return messages left on her cell phone afterward.
Anchorage Democratic Rep. Gruenberg said he's not sure whether he will ask for another hearing on Campbell. Chalkyitsik Democratic Rep. Woodie Salmon, who isn't on the committee but listened in, said during the hearing he thought Campbell was giving good answers.
The state Senate Judiciary Committee is planning its own hearing on Campbell at the Aug. 10 special session. He'll be "acting" until the Legislature votes on his confirmation. That was the solution recommended by the attorney general to the problem caused by the fact that the Legislature had already confirmed Palin's earlier choice, Corrections Commissioner Joe Schmidt, to be next in the line of succession for lieutenant governor.
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