Alaska Politics Blog

This is the place to talk about Alaska politics, state, local, national. Public life in the Last Frontier has rarely been more interesting -- a full slate of federal and state elections, the influence of former Gov. Sarah Palin, the usual hardball Alaska politics. Come here for news, tidbits and information, and join the discussion. We encourage lively debate, but please keep it civil and stay on point. Don't use profanity, make crude comments or attack other posters. Posts that violate the Terms of Use will be deleted. Repeat offenders will lose their ability to post comments.

Sean Cockerham

Sean Cockerham writes about Alaska state politics. He's worked for the ADN in Anchorage and Juneau, covered the legislature for the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, and covered Washington state politics for the Tacoma News Tribune. E-mail Sean at scockerham@adn.com

Kyle Hopkins

Kyle Hopkins covers rural affairs, general assignments and politics for the ADN. He covered the 2006 campaign for governor, has blogged extensively about Alaska politics, covered Anchorage city government and was a reporter based in the Mat-Su. He grew up in Southeast Alaska and previously wrote for the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner and Anchorage Press. E-mail Kyle at khopkins@adn.com and also find him on our rural Alaska blog, The Village.

David Hulen

David Hulen, the ADN's state and local news editor, is responsible for political coverage. He has been an editor and reporter at the ADN for more than 20 years. E-mail David at dhulen@adn.com

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Alaska political corruption

When the FBI raided state legislature offices in Aug. 2006, it publicly launched an investigation that ultimately reached the highest levels of Alaska politics, and continues to this day.

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Gov. Sarah Palin meets the press Friday. (Brian Wallace.Juneau Empire via AP)Gov. Sarah Palin meets the press Friday. (Brian Wallace.Juneau Empire via AP)

From Sean Cockerham in Juneau –

Gov. Sarah Palin told news media here this morning she’s willing to accept the federal economic stimulus money -- if legislators agree to use some of it to replace state spending.

“We can back out state (general fund) dollars and replace them with stimulus dollars…I’ll feel better about it because then those dollars won’t just be additional dollars they’ll be replacement dollars,” Palin said.

Palin made her comments in a wide ranging "availability" with reporters this morning, in which she also talked about subjects including abortion, the rejection of her state Senate appointee, and Levi Johnston, the father of her grandchild.

Palin said she still has problems with the stimulus money but it’s clear to her that legislators want to take it all. Palin could still veto or refuse to spend the money if she wanted, but she doesn’t seem inclined to do so at this point.

Palin said her administration has identified $250 million in state spending that could be replaced with stimulus money. She said she plans to meet with legislators this afternoon to argue that doing so would be legal and technically feasible.

On abortion, Palin said she’s now willing to compromise on a bill that would require parents to give their permission before girls under age 17 could get an abortion.

Palin said she’s willing to drop the requirement for consent and just accept a bill that would require parents to be notified about their teenager’s plan to have an abortion.

Palin said late last month she was not interested in the compromise.

But she said this morning it’s clear to her now that's the only way to possibly get the bill passed, with just nine days left in the 2009 session of the Legislature.

Palin also talked about the rejection of her state Senate pick, Joe Nelson, and the media furor around statements made by Levi Johnston, who has been going on national TV talk shows.

Senate Democrats today rejected Joe Nelson, Palin's latest appointee to Juneau's open state Senate seat.

"That's disappointing lawmakers have chosen not only to not discuss and vote in public but disappointed that a very experienced, educated, young dynamic Native leader was not accepted by the Senate Democrats," she said.

In response to a question from a television reporter, Palin also talked about some of the ongoing drama surrounding her family. Levi Johnston said during an interview on CBS’s “Early Show” that he moved into the governor’s house a few weeks before Bristol Palin gave birth to their child.

"I know the truth about my family. I know details about whether Levi Johnston was allowed to live with my teenage daughter or not. By the way, it would be over my dead body that a kid would live with my teenage daughter," Palin said.

© Copyright 2011, The Anchorage Daily News. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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