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Joe Miller reversed himself and discussed his background yesterday, acknowledging that he committed ethics violations while working at the Fairbanks North Star Borough in 2008. He used company time and resources to help depose the head of the Alaska GOP.
He was working as an attorney at the borough at the same time as he was working to oust the then-chair of the state GOP. The Anchorage Daily News has the details on what happened:
A Republican activist from Kodiak said Miller’s father, Rex Miller, told him last week that Miller was caught using other borough employees’ computers for online political polling. He said Miller emptied the caches on the computers of his borough colleagues “so the users wouldn’t know what he had done.”
This is something of a vindication for Alaska Dispatch, the news website that has been leading the way on the Fairbanks story, and that broke the news of the ethics violation last week, prompting Miller’s declaration that he would not answer more questions about his past. (That’s the same website whose editor was handcuffed by Miller’s guards Sunday while he was trying to ask a question about this story.)
Speaking of that handcuffing, more has emerged on that front. First of all, Miller alleged that Tony Hopfinger, the Alaska Dispatch reporter, followed him into the bathroom to ask questions, a detail missing from earlier reports. Then, it came out that the DropZone security detail, which seems a bit much for a town hall in a public school in Anchorage, threatened to detain other journalists who tried to speak with Hopfinger when he was detained. There’s video of this.
These recent events have led the cognoscenti to report that the election could be slipping away from Miller:
Do Republicans begin targeting McAdams? Speaking of Miller in Alaska, at what point do Republicans begin directing their fire at Scott McAdams (D), to help either Miller or Lisa Murkowski (R-ite-in) win? Miller’s getting close to being in free-fall if some private polling is to be believed. And while the national Republicans have to be careful not to anger Palin publicly and also come out and endorse Murkowski, about the best way they could assist may be in going after McAdams. Of course, Alaska is a cheap state and, Democrats might decide to play as well. It’s going to be a wild ending in Alaska. And here’s the best part: We may not know the winner for three weeks, because state law doesn’t count the write-ins until it’s been determined there are enough write-ins to alter the outcome. #headache
The citation of private polling is interesting. Could Miller be losing his grip on the race? And since Murkowski’s votes won’t even begin to be tallied until perhaps a week after Election Day, will we even know when this one is over?
49 Comments
McClatchy has an ADN story up that a couple of the “security
goonsguards” were active duty Army who did NOT have permission to be moonlighting.Miller has nothing to worry about. O will grant him a pardon, saying: we’re looking forward, not backward.
Polling for Democrats are firming up nationwide. Just today Sestak went ahead and Feingold and Conway have made up some serious ground. Time for the media to double down on the NARRATIVE. Look for all of the Sunday shows and editorials to be about how the Democrats are going to lose no matter what so what’s the point really in even voting?
I saw that. Taking an outside job without permission is problematic for them but even worse is that they were then involved in paid political activity. That was strictly forbidden when I was in. The only way it could have been worse for them is if they had done it in uniform.
Murkowski seems to have stepped in something as well. Either that, or her supporters have trouble filling out their FEC paperwork. From ADN:
It’s going to be a fun push to the finish in Alaska.
Miller’s toast.
Sadly his votes may go to Murkowski rather than McAdams.
Go McAdams!
Yeah, as soon as I saw it my first thought was it will soon be former Spc and Sgt. Because even without being in uniform, they’ve drawn the negative attention to their actions and their unit.
If Miller and Murk split the votes, McAdams has a great chance to win.
You do know that Democrats in states like Alaska really are REPUBLICANS?
When will you people ever learn?
What is this “you people” stuff?
And that’s part of the rule: that they must not impugn the integrity of the military or their unit. Oops.
dakine01 —>USAF 10 Dec 1976 – 9 Sep 1982, E5 Staff Sgt. :})
Knew well enough to NOT get stupid and do things that caused commanders to be embarrassed. :})
OMG! Why aren’t you people badmouthing Democrats! I only come here because sometimes you people badmouth Democrats! There isn’t enough of you people badmouthing Democrats here right now!
Maybe you should start your own blog but you’d better hurry. I imagine most variations of Democratssuck.com are already taken.
Scary guy..thinks he’s Chuck Norris or something (kinda looks like him). ;)
Exactly that, you people. People who have sold out their souls to a Democratic party that when you ask for them to pay their bills in the form of campaign promises made in exchange for the votes you gave which led them to power instead kicks you in the you know where and tells you to stop whining. YES, THAT GROUP OF PEOPLE………….
Yep.
Margaret United States Navy 03 Apr, 1986 – 30 Aug, 1991 AMS2 (E-5)
You don’t reflect negatively on them without some pretty severe consequences. I’m convinced that’s what the whole archaic no gays allowed is based on.
Variety is the spice of life. Unless of course the total illogical and bland style form of Republican thought appeals to you…………
If you were actually a part of this community you would know just how wrong and idiotic that comment is but since you are not, you make yourself seem a fool, not I.
By the way, what community would that be, anyway? If selling out to the Democrats is required for membership, then you will pardon me while I make like New Edition and you can simply count me out……………….
Yet, ironically, the only variety that seems to appeal to you is the reflexively griping about the Democrats variety. I agree they are not in business for us and that they suck only slightly less than most Republicans but there aren’t many people here who are left of my philosophically. Something else you would notice if you paid attention. Not a criticism, I’m just saying that if you had been paying attention, those words would have never left your keyboard.
I’m going to have to agree with odin007, this Dem McAdams sounded real progressive until he stated that he supports drilling in ANWAR.
Censorship has struck again. I sent a rather detailed post that didn’t last two seconds. As for being reflexive, I am anything but. What I write is well thought out.
People should realize that both the Democrats and Republicans will never govern in a fashion that is good for the nation as a whole. And until people realize this, they will continue to get stiffed at every turn. The lesser of two evils? How about rejecting evil in its entirety?
Thank you for agreeing with me. But be forewarned, his support for drilling in ANWAR is only the beginning……………..
Eli is upstairs!
Campaign Finance Reform? Who Needs Campaign Finance Reform?
Ever lived in Alaska? Ever been in Alaska? Do you even know where the hell Alaska is???
SE Alaska is a suburb of Seattle. It is not as right-wing as you imagine.
Alaskan Republicans are an interesting breed since they live in the only socialist state in the country. Their goal is to keep the federal dollars rolling in while decring goverment spending (elsewhere) and the deficit.
Due to the medical misdiagnosis of Pete Domenici we have all Dem Senators and Reps here in NM. All but one seem to be Progressive. I was going to vote for them until i looked at their vote on the ACORN defunding bill. None of them had the courage to do the right thing and oppose the bill.
Only 7 Senators and 75 Reps showed leadership in opposing this illegal bill. I will vote for Progressive leaders not followers.
I’m glad there are sane people here. Thank you (and dakine) for your service by the way.
I was going to post something humorous and snarky, but I think this near-pistol-whipping of a reporter warrants a more serious comment.
From carrying weapons to rallies, to saying that the First Amendment doesn’t provide for the separation of government and religion, to proudly surrounding yourself with a hired goon squad, to “detaining” people as if you are entitled to enforce your own laws….the right wing has embraced the notion that they are allowed to make their own law, and to then enforce that law upon the rest of us.
Awhile ago in early voting, I voted straight Democratic Party ticket, basically, except I went through the ballot public office by public office and if a Republican didn’t have a Democrat running against them, but someone else, maybe from the Green Party or Libertarian Party, I voted for the non-Republican instead of for the corrupt Republican.
But why? Why did I vote for Democrats only, with a few votes cast for anyone but a Republican?
Simple. I voted for America. I voted for the American workers and small businesses. I voted the U.S. Constitution. I voted for the separation of church and state. I voted for the ideal of equality and justice for all. I voted for freedom. I voted for American women. I voted for the future of our nation’s children.
On the other hand, I voted against the Republicans because I’m against outsourcing U.S. jobs to cheap-labor Communist Chinese businesses (some even state-owned). I’m against right-wing perversions of our Constitution. I’m against racism and discrimination of any sort…period. I’m against super-wealthy oligarchs selling-out our country. I’m against the “U.S.” Chamber of Commerce taking foreign money to use in political attack ads against true, patriotic American citizens, who are trying to stop the outsourcing of American jobs to foreign countries. I’m against hardcore religious fanatics, no matter what religion, foreign or domestic. I’m against LIARS.
Having served in the U.S. military during the Vietnam era, USAFSS, military SIGINT, top-secret clearance, I swore an oath to protect our nation, our Constitution, from all enemies, foreign and domestic. The two military guys working for Joe Miller who strong-armed a journalist broke their oath, defiled the U.S. Constitution, besmirched their unit. Unfortunately, they’ll probably just get a slap on the wrist, but even if dishonorably discharged, they’ll just go work for Xe (formerly known as Blackwater). Right-wing thugs are still right-wing thugs, no matter who’s paying them.
I lived through the Watergate era, too. The evil and lies that I’m now seeing on the Republican side exceeds what Nixon and his crony Republican criminals were doing back then, but not by much. And if Republicans are given another chance to crash the U.S. and world economies (as they nearly did two years ago), then they will succeed the second time around, maybe next year…which may explain why the crazed Glenn Beck has started pushing his viewers to buy survivalist food kits…just in case Republicans (and Teabaggers) do take back control of Congress in January.
You beat me to it. :(
OOOOkay, Margaret:
Do you approve of Obama’s sending those 30,000 more troops into the meatgrinder in Afghanistan? Are you OK with the fact that more of our troops have died there in Obama’s 22 months in office, than in the 7 years of the invasion and it’s aftermath, on Bush’s watch?
When Obama was doing his comedy shtick in front of the fatcat dems at that $30,000 dollar-a-plate fundraiser a couple of weeks ago, and was bashing progressives for laughs, that left a lot of good progressives foaming at the mouth. How did it make YOU feel?
Were you Okay with a healthcare “reform” bill that didn’t even have a public option?
You think that Social Security should be cut, or the age of retirement raised?
Think that (as Obama does…) that the repubs are going to be more conciliatory after Nov. 2nd?
Were you okay with Obama telling NOAA to soft-peddle the hard science that proved that the gulf spill was a LOT worse than BP (and his administration) were saying?
Lastly, do you not understand that by your constantly covering Obama’s ass, you’re helping to enable his crapping on us?
Enquiring member of the “community” want to know.
And allowing Republicans to control the House will improve this how?
Indeed.
Very well said .. as an outsider ,it appears your Republic is sliding into a morass fueled by selfishness and ignorance .. I hope the progressives among you can stem the tide .. the future of this planet may depend upon your efforts ..
I am really tired about whining in this country. I thought maybe it would slow down a little with Obama in office but it has accelerated.
We have some pretty serious issues to solve that have nothing to do with who’s team is ahead in the polls today. Getting our panties in a wad because of some comments a frustrated President made is the sorriest excuse for inaction that I have seen.
Blaming everything on Obama is as silly as blaming everything on Bush. We would have a wonderful healthcare bill if Obama was a dictator, but given the design of the Senate a tiny handful of states control the outcome for all of us. We can argue about whether it is better that way, but nobody can make a convincing argument that it is going to change.
The strategy for progressives is the same as the strategy for the conservative Christian nutcases who took over the Republican party — get your candidates into the local level elections. If Ben Nelson had been a progressive the healthcare bill would have been quite different.
Simply throwing up our hands and saying that they are “all the same” is unproductive and demonstrably false. I was one who thought that Bush was no different than Gore; holy moly was I wrong back then.
The American political system is designed to resist change and concentrate power; it has been that way since the Constitution was ratified. We can probably never get perfection but we can at least slow down the steady march to the right that I have experienced since Regan’s election.
Typical Republican!
Sarah Palin:
“USED PUBLIC FUNDS FOR POLITICAL GAIN
In her 2002 Lt. Governor bid, Mayor Palin used city employees, telephones,
computers, fax machines for campaign fundraising and literature. On her
candidate registration form, she used her City Hall fax number, and her mayoral e-mail address. Records show that Wasilla city property was used to contact supporters, donors, media contacts, and media purchasing. [Anchorage Daily News, 7/21/06]
Palin Exaggerated Work Experience for Mayoral Campaign. In 1997, Frontiersman columnist Paul Stuart wrote that after Palin had criticized her opponent for using City Hall resources for political gain, “when Palin was asked back then (by me) why the lodge where she claimed, in her campaign, to have gained her management experience, had no record of a borough business license or of paying any bed tax, she paused and said it might have been because the place had no clients for a year or so.” In an article describing the possibility of recalling Palin, the Frontiersman wrote the “reasons include Palin’s alleged falsification of her credentials during the campaign last fall.” [Frontiersman, 1/22/97,
2/5/97]
Frontiersman Editorial Said Palin Made Statements That Were “Patently Untrue,” Said “She Had Shown “Unrepentant Backpedaling and Incessant Whining.” A Frontiersman editorial wrote, “Wasilla residents have been subjected to attempts to unlawfully appoint council members, statements that have been shown to be patently untrue, unrepentant backpedaling, and incessant whining that her only enemies are the press and a few disgruntled supporters of former Mayor John Stein.” [Frontiersman editorial, 2/7/97]
Frontiersman Editorial: Palin Doesn’t Grasp the Truth. A Frontiersman editorial wrote, “Mayor Palin fails to have a firm grasp of something very simple: the truth.” [Frontiersman editorial, 2/7/97]
from
Greg Mitchell: The Democratic Dossier on Palin: 62 Pages of ‘Oppo Research’ Revealed The Huffington Post September 3, 2008
this shit made it past the mod??
get off the thread
Taken care of. Sorry for the interruption.
/~~~
I am talking about the state as a whole Einstein…………
That is exactly the prescription that the Doctor ordered. However, Acorn is not the 800 lb gorilla in the room. How did these people vote on the wars and the bank bailouts? Those are the key. The transfer of wealth upwards and the using of law enforcement power to keep the masses in line. Those are the big issue items.
Trust me, you wno’t get a cogent, intelligent answer out of her on these questions…………
With Democrats currently in control of both chambers and passing Republican policy by the crapload at warp speed, does it matter who controls either House of Congress…………
Piece of cake, Phoenix:
It will mean that THEY inherit the fuckup THEY created.
And it will also be graven in stone that no democrat can run as a progressive and then sell us out as a “centrist”, and get away with it.
If you want to reward Obama and the “leadership” for doing those things, and for ginning up the rehab of the GOP in the process, then it’s you and the people like you, who are enabling this shit.
See you at the polls?
Dear George:
Sending an additional 30,000 troops into the meatgrinder, is not “comments”.
Neither is selling out the healthcare reform by rolling over for Humana, Wellpoint, and BlueCross.
Bringing the hammer down and dishing out the Tough Love! I like it!
BTW, Phoenix, if you object to those things I listed, where are the threads from you, doing it, in the the months they were going on.
Feel free to post them.
Odin, thanks.
This aint rocket science. “He and the dems are not as bad as the republicans” is going to get our political asses handed to us in two weeks.
NO ONE could have taken office with the mandate that americans gave him, and then tried to solve our problems by negotiating with the very assholes who created those problems, and who’ve profited so handsomely from them at the expense of most americans, and get away with it, politically.
That doubling of John McCain’s electoral vote total was a nail-studded baseball bat that he could have used to beat the GOP senseless. Instead, he handed it to them, and for the past 20-odd months, they’ve been sticking it where the sun don’t shine.
That he expected them to do anything else (IF he did…) was the mindset of a fool.
Yes, a sizable vote total and ending up with 257 House Seats and 60 Senate Seats, was the absolute golden opportunity for the Democrats to really put their mark on rebuilding and remaking the country, if that had been their intention, which clearly is was not. I did not vote for Obama, and not because I am the smartest guy on earth, far from it, but because his campaign platform and his Senate votes were so Bush-Cheney like that no other conclusion was humanly possible to make. The current legislation from the Congress and the things that Obama has done as President were easy to predict. Obama’s record is as follows;
1. Campaigned to increase the war on Pakistan. As President has ordered predator drone strikes almost daily, killing civilians by the dozens at a time
2. As Senator from Illinois, voted for the first Bank Bailout. As President, put Tim Geithner at Treasury to administer the next one million bank bailouts
3. Campaigned to turn up the heat in the Afghan war. As president, has tripled the number of American troops in Afghanistan
4. Campaigned to “restructure” NAFTA and all other free trade agreements. As President, ardent free-trader and allowing outsourcing of American jobs to continue
A rather small list to be sure, but a very significant one. Obama, is now, and always will be a neoconservative on foreign policy and a neoliberal on domestic policy. In other words, Obama is Bill Clinton on steroids……………..