This dispute between two senators requiring officials from Alaska's biggest tax-paying company to publicly swear they aren't lying about whatever it is our senators want to know exemplifies the acrimony between elected officials.
I haven't met chairwoman Sen. Cathy Giessel, but I met Sen. Hollis French, casually, at a mall once. I found him very approachable and surprisingly kind and informative. We talked for a minute, he answered a couple of quick questions and we moved on. I was impressed.
But you know, I really doubt the senator would have asked me to swear I was who I claim to be or if I was recently involved in a crime. So why are other good citizens being singled out and asked to swear to the state? Are we accusing these hardworking citizens who are trying to do the job of extracting valuable minerals from our ground as liars?
I suspect it's political. Sen. French is a former prosecutor who knows that you need proof before you can make a charge.
— Ken Caron
Anchorage