WASHINGTON -- U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski unveiled a new commercial Wednesday attacking her Democratic opponent, former Gov. Tony Knowles, for his role in a commission to protect the oceans.
Murkowski, a Republican, said at a press conference here that the recommendations of the nonprofit Pew Oceans Commission would hobble Alaska's fisheries. Murkowski is hammering that theme with radio attack ads set to air in Alaska this week.
"We are bringing this out as a campaign issue," Murkowski told reporters.
Just last week, the same theme was sounded in a series of commercials by a shadowy political group based in Anchorage, Business Alaska. The ads, put together with the assistance of the former director of the organization that represents the Alaska factory trawler fleet, criticized Knowles for supporting the Pew Commission.
Despite the one-two-punch timing of Murkowski's ads, which come right on top of those of the business group, the Murkowski campaign said it hasn't consulted with Business Alaska on the ads. It would be illegal for Business Alaska to coordinate with the Murkowski effort.
Murkowski told reporters it was fishermen's objections to the Pew report that prompted her offensive. The timing is related in part to the end of the fishing season in Alaska, the senator said.
"The fishing season is drawing down in Alaska, and the fishermen are coming back," Murkowski said. "And they will actually be able to hear this on their radios."
The Murkowski ad slams the Pew recommendations as a boost in federal control over fisheries. The Pew report suggests scaling back the power of the eight existing regional councils that regulate ocean commercial fishing in favor of a new federal agency and new conservation-minded regional councils. It also said Congress should create a national marine reserves system where fishing and other human activities would be banned. The report lists devastation to U.S. fisheries and ocean habitat from pollution, development and overfishing.
But Murkowski said Alaska's fisheries are well managed under the current federal management scheme and in good shape.
Scientists, fishermen and other politicians were among those who served with Knowles on the 18-member Pew panel. The bipartisan group included Republicans like New York Gov. George Pataki, a star of the recent Republican convention. The Knowles campaign said the former Alaska governor participated to argue with partisans of all stripes for Alaska's interests. Knowles fought for measures included in the report like a call for a moratorium on expanding fish farms in the United States, his campaign said.
"I think Alaska was better served by having Knowles on the commission," said his spokesman, Matt McKenna.
Knowles fired his own shot Wednesday, issuing a statement condemning a federal effort to allow more fish farms and claiming that Murkowski ought to be doing more to scuttle the idea. The Knowles camp also said their candidate -- who endorsed the Pew report -- advocated ocean habitat protections that would help fisheries and lead to bigger seafood harvests.
Murkowski's commercial extends the life of the Pew report as an issue in the upcoming election after the Business Alaska ad left the airwaves.
The state Democratic Party has filed complaints against Business Alaska with the Internal Revenue Service and the Federal Election Commission, alleging that the nonprofit corporation violated federal law by failing to register as a political organization, by failing to use disclaimers required by law with its ads and by running political advertisements too close to the Nov. 2 election.
The treasurer for Business Alaska, Tom McGrath, has refused to discuss the organization. Anchorage insurance agent Devery Prince, listed in state corporation records as the organization's president, said in an e-mail to the Daily News that he had been replaced in that office in May or June and that he resigned from the group altogether last weekend. He also resigned from a similar group, Forward Alaska Inc., he said.
Prince said in his e-mail, which contained a copy of his resignation letter, that Business Alaska was originally set up in March "to effectuate change at a local level (i.e. Assembly and School Board races). It has since morphed into something beyond the original intended scope."
He said he had "no knowledge that the group had decided to become involved in the US Senate race, let alone running full-page newspaper ads and radio spots."
Prince said in his resignation that he wasn't upset with the group over its change in direction. "However, it does not make sense for me to remain involved when the group has moved in a significantly different direction without having solicited my input or support."
