Over the last two years, nobody has been more responsible for the tragic Joe Miller narrative more than Joe Miller himself. His improbable victory, his sensational collapse and his frivolous post-election lawsuits. Alaskans really dodged a bullet with this guy.
I'm not going to rehash the political implosion that became known as Joe Miller 2010. But now that the lawsuits are settled, I do have a lot of questions about a man who campaigned on his mettle, but yet possessed none. A man who campaigned on honor and trust but is proving he has neither.
How do you do?
How do you explain how a man campaigns heavily on being a Bronze Star recipient, yet needs to be squired to his own events by a phalanx of private security guards? Former co-workers called his behavior "bizarre."
How do you explain how a man who campaigns as a conservative and a friend of taxpayers, files two frivolous lawsuit against both state and local governments, costing taxpayers a truckload of legal fees?
Or how about a man who says he'd spent $160,000 on legal fees, and then suddenly settles for $5,000? Oh yeah, and he settles the day before the court's deadline ordering him to come clean on who was paying his legal bills.
But why would the court have to order him anyway?
You'd think given the outcome the last time he went to court to stiff-arm the public's right to know, he'd be more transparent.
And what's to make of his former boss stating in a deposition that she could have revealed "embarrassing" details from his personal life during the election if she really wanted to cause damage?
Finally, how do you explain how a man campaigns on the U.S. Constitution, but attempts to litigate away First Amendment rights? Or a man who has his lawyer argue that the court should allow him to daisy-chain a journalist's confidential source, which is akin to the court sanctioning a legal fishing expedition?
It's apparent from his actions over the last two years that this guy has acted like a bull in search of a china shop. A candidate who started hurling rocks when the press started hurling legitimate questions. A nominee who wouldn't show up at his own campaign event without Moose and Rocko in tow. And a failed candidate, whose litigious ways against government has redefined his claim to being a friend of the taxpayer.
I've grown tired of his attempts to persuade the court system to validate conspiracy theories. I've grown tired of his legal arguments that were tortured and without merit. And I've grown tired by the political posturing of a man who is an admitted liar, cheat and cover-up artist, but yet wants Alaskans to believe he is the victim.
"I lied about accessing all of the computers. I then admitted about accessing the computers, but lied about what I was doing." (Joe Miller email to his employer 3/17/08)
They say in politics the longer you're away, the more fondly you're remembered. However, Joe Miller has done everything within his power to ensure that he is remembered as a man who lied, cheated and then sued, because voters found out the truth.
Andrew Halcro is the publisher of AndrewHalcro.com, a blog devoted to Alaska issues and politics, where this commentary first appeared. He is president of Halcro Strategies and Avis/Alaska Rent-A-Car, his family business. Halcro served in the Alaska House of Representatives from 1999 to 2003, and he ran for governor in 2006 as an Independent. He was deposed by Miller attorneys in February during court proceedings connected to the court case mentioned above.
The views expressed here are the writer's own and are not necessarily endorsed by Alaska Dispatch. Alaska Dispatch welcomes a broad range of viewpoints. To submit a piece for consideration, e-mail commentary(at)alaskadispatch.com.