Politics

Former fisheries official gets 5 months for fishing violations

A former aide to Sen. Lisa Murkowski who worked as a commercial fisherman while sitting on the council that regulates fishing off Alaska's coast was sentenced today to five months in prison for falsifying his own fishing reports.

Redistricting board plans appeal of judge's decision

The Alaska Redistricting Board on Tuesday decided on a partial appeal of a judge's decision that they redraw four House districts.

Audit takes a new dig at Native contracting program

The debate over the sole source contracting privileges that Alaska Native corporations have used to make billions of dollars is flaring in Congress with a new government audit that found lax oversight of the program.

Read the GAO report on Alaska Native corporations

Obama signals to donors that he's yielded on super PACs

President Obama is signaling to wealthy Democratic donors that he wants them to start contributing to an outside group supporting his re-election, reversing a long-held position as he confronts a deep financial disadvantage.

Earmarks often fall close to home for federal lawmakers

Thirty-three members of Congress have steered more than $300 million in earmarks and other spending provisions to dozens of public projects that are next to or within about two miles of the lawmakers' own property, according to a Washington Post investigation.

FEBRUARY 5, 2012

Alaska Ear

Alaska politics and political hijinks

Romney rolls to an easy win in the Nevada caucuses

Republican presidential front-runner Mitt Romney cruised to victory in the Nevada caucuses Saturday night, notching a second straight triumph over a field of rivals suddenly struggling to keep pace.

Judge orders redistricting board to redraw 4 districts

The Alaska Redistricting Board must redraw three Fairbanks-area House districts and another in the Aleutian chain, a state court judge ruled Friday.

'1 percenters' dish millions, alter race for White House

Newly disclosed details of the millions of dollars flowing into political groups are highlighting not just the scale of donations from corporations and unions but also the secrecy surrounding super PACs seeking to influence the presidential race.

Romney comment on poor shifts attention from Florida victory

Republican presidential front-runner Mitt Romney, confident after his Florida primary victory, ended up inviting criticism today when he said he’s “not concerned about the very poor” because they have an “ample safety net.”

Photos: Romney wins Florida primary

Lower 48 tribes help fuel Young's campaign fundraising

Donations to Palin PAC drop in second half of 2011

Contributions to former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's political action committee dropped by more than half in the second half of 2011. Palin announced in October that she would not seek the GOP nomination for the presidency.

Romney win called major step toward GOP nomination

Mitt Romney routed Newt Gingrich in the Florida primary Tuesday, rebounding smartly from an earlier defeat and taking a major step toward the Republican presidential nomination. Gingrich vowed to press on despite the one-sided setback.

Photos: Romney wins Florida primary

Gingrich defiant as voters settle winner-take-all Florida primary

Florida Republicans are putting an end to a raucous, big-spending, character-bashing primary campaign today as they decide whether a confident Mitt Romney or a defiant Newt Gingrich will win all the state's 50 delegates.

Parnell's state trip to Europe, Israel cost around $20,000

Records show that Alaska Gov. Sean Parnell's first state-sponsored overseas trip cost $20,800. Parnell was away for over two weeks last fall, visiting Israel and several European countries.

GOP's new anti-Obama themes: 'European socialism' and 'Saul Alinsky'

In 2008, Barack Obama's opponents worked hard to raise suspicions about the Illinois U.S. senator with the funny name and unusual background. Some said he was foreign-born. Some said he was a Muslim. Some, notably Sarah Palin, tried to tie him to Vietnam-era left-wing violence, famously accusing him of "palling around with terrorists." Now that Obama has governed the country for nearly three years, those attacks have lost their sting. But as Republicans battle for the right to face the Democratic president in the fall, they have found new ways to describe what they say are the dangers of a second Obama term.

JANUARY 29, 2012

Alaska Ear

Alaska politics and political hijinks

Alaska delegation vows to resist base closures

Members of the Alaska delegation and others in Congress are vowing to resist a recommendation from the Pentagon to close military bases around the country.

Alaska politicians pledge to oppose military base cutbacks

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta's announcement that the Pentagon will seek new rounds of military base closures drew a swift response from Alaskans who watched a similar process nearly gut Eielson Air Force Base in 2005.

Pentagon outlines budget-cut strategies

Romney, Gingrich trade barbs in final debate in Florida

An aggressive Mitt Romney repeatedly challenged Republican presidential rival Newt Gingrich in a fast-paced campaign debate tonight, ridiculing the former House speaker's call to build costly projects in key primary states and to colonize the moon.

Obama says American promise under attack

Declaring the American dream under siege, President Barack Obama called Tuesday night for a flurry of help for a hurting middle class and higher taxes on millionaires, delivering a State of the Union address filled with re-election themes. Restoring a fair shot for all, Obama said, is "the defining issue of our time."

GOP spokesman says Obama resorts to extremism

School Board candidate ordered to pay campaign fine

The Alaska Public Offices Commission has ordered former Anchorage School Board candidate Bob Griffin to pay a $5,700 fine for campaign disclosure violations.