In John Bania’s March 13 article titled “Let’s be honest about recall motivations,” Bania said, “The truth is the governor is attempting to get Alaska’s fiscal situation under control, and there is no easy or pleasant way to do it.” That is the lie that will destroy Alaska’s future if enough people believe it. Facts are, there is an easy and pleasant way: We should get what we should be getting for our oil, and fund everything Gov. Mike Dunleavy vetoed.
In 2006, the FBI put six legislators in jail for taking bribes from oil companies, and Gov. Frank Murkowski’s chief of staff pleaded guilty to taking bribes from the oil industry. Today, our governor’s chief of staff is a man two oil industry spokespersons swore under oath had taken bribes from them in exchange for his vote to give our oil away, and they were jailed for their actions.
The giveaway came to a halt after the FBI’s 2006 bust, and we saved up $17 billion before the oil companies regained control in 2013. By 2014, the giveaway resumed. We’ve now spent our savings to make up the difference for our resumed giveaway, and we’re broke again.
— Ray Metcalfe
Anchorage
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