Alaska Attorney General Treg Taylor seems to be trying to rehabilitate his image, possibly in preparation for a run at the governor’s office in next year’s election. It appears that he is attempting to address two significant judicial issues he faces, so they can’t be used against him by his political rivals.
First is the controversial prosecution led by Taylor’s office against a former police chief in Ketchikan, Jeffrey Walls. Questions about the prosecution were raised in an article published in Must Read Alaska last month. Two days ago, AG Taylor was allowed to present his side of the story in the same online paper, but failed to address the specific concerns about the case. Taylor said the Walls case was all about equal justice for all, but after quickly bringing charges against Walls, the case against him was dismissed in exchange for the police chief’s resignation from his position. Since an out-of-court settlement was reached, the public never had a chance to see the evidence against the police chief, nor was he allowed to defend himself in public. This doesn’t sound like justice was being done, but instead hints at something more sinister.
The second and much bigger problem for AG Taylor is his lack of action against an unconstitutional order by Alaska’s Supreme Court, which effectively neuters the Grand Jury system in Alaska. The court issued Supreme Court Order (SCO) 1993 (Issued in 2022), which takes away the ability of Grand Juries to act independently. SCO 1993 makes the AG the gatekeeper for grand juries, giving him control over what they see and are allowed to investigate. This subordinates the Grand Jury process to the AG’s office, stealing their independence, which is the opposite of what our state Constitution intended.
The AG can delay and drag his feet, but if no action is taken, opposition from the public will only intensify.
Some claim that the Alaska Supreme Court implemented SCO 1993 in response to a Kenai Grand Jury indictment of retired Judge Margaret Murphy for perjury. The indictment, followed by a dismissal of the charges against Murphy on a technicality, has the stench of corruption about it that has never been adequately addressed.
In an attempt to put these issues behind him, AG Taylor met in a public hearing at the Borough offices in Soldotna last night. Taylor had to have known he was entering the Lion’s Den, but he came anyway, so credit to him for that. After providing some introductory comments, the AG outlined his position on SCO 1993 and explained how his office intended to comply with it. He made several important points, including:
1 – To comply with the order, a new formal system has been established on the Department of Law’s online website, allowing citizens of Alaska to submit allegations requiring Grand Jury review to the AG’s office.
2 – A team in the AG’s office will pass these allegations on to a Grand Jury if they decide that the charges have merit.
3 – The AG said he pledged to be a benevolent gatekeeper and allow most cases to proceed to Grand Juries, at least at first.
4 – The AG said that he believes that SCO 1993 is unconstitutional and agrees with many points made by those who oppose it, saying many of his thoughts aligned with critics of SCO 1993.
When he concluded his comments, public testimony was allowed, and the first to speak was noted expert on this legal issue, David Haeg. Mr. Haeg’s fight for justice in the state court system is well known, and he came to the meeting last night prepared for AG Taylor. Mr. Haeg rebutted each of the points AG Taylor made with precision. Using quotations from Alaska’s Constitution, the original Grand Jurors handbook, and notes taken by the authors of our state’s Constitution, Haeg didn’t just rebut what AG Taylor said; Haeg made the AG look like a bumbling first-year student in law school. Nobody knows these issues better than David Haeg, and last night his laser-like legal knowledge was on display for all to see.
Haeg made two important points that AG Taylor was unable to address adequately.
First, Haeg said that the state constitution requires Grand Juries to be independent, but SCO 1993 takes that freedom away. He commented that a benevolent gatekeeper is still a gatekeeper, with authority that the Constitution does not grant to the AG, and that SCO 1993 is likely unconstitutional, a view with which AG Taylor agreed.
Next, he asked the AG, since he agreed that SCO 1993 was likely unconstitutional, why hadn’t the AG taken action? Haeg said that the position of Attorney General is the top lawyer in the state’s Department of Law. If a law is unconstitutional, the AG has the obligation to do something about it. The AG had no reply other than to weakly suggest that challenging SCO 1993 might harm public confidence in the state’s legal system. Unfortunately for the AG, after the Margaret Murphy trial debacle, that ship has already sailed.
Haeg concluded by saying that opposition against SCO 1993 is not going away. The AG can delay and drag his feet, but if no action is taken, opposition from the public will only intensify. In response, AG Taylor ducked responsibility by suggesting that if people felt that way, they could reach out to their legislators to take action, as if a legislature that can’t even fund schools adequately can address the critical issue of the constitutionality of actions taken by our state supreme court.
ALASKA WATCHMAN DIRECT TO YOUR INBOX
Several other individuals also gave public testimony. Many made excellent observations. One area they focused on was the botched state prosecution of retired Judge Margaret Murphy and how that case, and its dismissal on a technicality, had the odor of a cover-up about it. They raised the issue of Special Prosecutor Clint Campion only appointing 12 Grand Jurors, the missing Grand Juror who caused the jury nullification, and how attorneys in Alaska have an inherent conflict of interest when acting as special prosecutors. Since all attorneys aspire to career advancement, it is unlikely they would put forth their best effort in prosecuting a retired judge, something that could cripple their careers. AG Taylor was quick to shirk responsibility and place all the blame for the failure of the Murphy prosecution on Special Prosecutor Campion.
At the end of the evening, AG Taylor concluded his presentation with the usual platitudes about his commitment to the rule of law, but two things became abundantly clear. The first is that AG Taylor has a whole lot of baggage for someone trying to run for higher office. His opponents are sure to use it against him.
The second point is that while he showed the courage to come to Kenai and speak to those concerned about corruption in the Alaska justice system, Taylor has failed to adequately address those issues – issues that he alone is empowered to resolve. Instead of taking bold action, AG Taylor blamed others and shirked his responsibility. It is clear that Mr. Taylor lacks the strong leadership necessary to be the governor of this state, and his dreams of becoming governor just crashed against the rocks of reality. Based on what he said last night, Treg Taylor will never become the Governor of Alaska.
The views expressed here are those of Greg Sarber. Read more Sarber posts at his Seward’s Folly substack.
16 Comments
I agree with the authors conclusion! I would go further though. Taylor himself should be removed from his position and placed under an FBI INVESTIGATION! DAN BONGINO AND KASH PATEL LED! Listening to the local fbi agents testimony last night revealed that Treg Taylor, and I would also include Mike dunleavy, are involved in corruption way over their heads, and can no longer keep it hidden!!! Time for a
REVOLUTION, REFORMATION, REVIVAL
PRAY……………PREPARE……PROCEED
VOTE NOT FOR TREG OR ANY OF THE OTHER DUNLEAVY SPORS!
VOTE DAVE MAXWELL, A WHISTLE BLOWER WHO DOESNT FEAR TRANSPARENCY, OR THE CORRUPT BASTARDS CLUB!
I’m with you on this one!
Taylor screwed up by putting his trust in John Skidmore —the same weasel he’s always been. Now there’s a recording of him lying, and they’re desperate to hide it until after the election. But the patriots on the Kenai Peninsula won’t be silenced — their voices WILL be heard.
I’m afraid what we have here is failure to communicate:
We The People are not asking judicial branch to tell us how to reach Grand Jury, we asking our civil servants to stay out of People’s way of reaching people Grand Jury.
Nothing more.
Dear Honorable Attorney General Taylor,
Pursuant to your oath of office and your own public statement that “the rule of law doesn’t work unless it applies to all of us,” I am forwarding the attached Petition for Original Jurisdiction and Expedited Relief, which you are constitutionally and legally obligated to file with the Alaska Supreme Court on behalf of the People of Alaska. The recent Town Hall in Soldotna (August 18, 2025) made it unmistakably clear that the citizens now insist upon the restoration of their Article I right of direct grand jury presentment. Delaying further only deepens the breach of trust and places you personally in conflict with your sworn duty. Please file this petition immediately.
“Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” —2 Corinthians 3:17
IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF ALASKA
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
ATTORNEY GENERAL TREG R. TAYLOR, in his official capacity, Petitioner,
v.
SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF ALASKA, Respondent.
Case No. __________
PETITION FOR ORIGINAL JURISDICTION AND EXPEDITED RELIEF
I. INTRODUCTION
This Petition is brought by the Attorney General of Alaska, in his official capacity and under oath of office, to protect and restore the constitutional right of the People of Alaska to initiate grand jury investigations into matters of public concern.
Two recent orders of this Court — Supreme Court Order No. 1993 (December 15, 2022) and Supreme Court Order No. 2000 (September 13, 2023) — together restrict and condition the People’s historic Article I right of direct presentment upon the discretion of the Department of Law, effectively converting the Attorney General into a gatekeeper of a constitutional right that he has sworn to protect.
This Petition respectfully requests immediate review and expedited relief, as the continued enforcement of these orders constitutes an ongoing violation of Article I, §§ 5 and 8 of the Alaska Constitution.
II. JURISDICTION
This Court has original jurisdiction under Article IV, § 2 of the Alaska Constitution and Appellate Rule 21, which authorizes petitions invoking the Court’s supervisory and constitutional authority. The questions presented are matters of exceptional constitutional importance affecting core rights of the citizenry and the integrity of the grand jury system.
III. STATEMENT OF URGENCY
On August 18, 2025, at a public Town Hall in Soldotna, Alaska, numerous citizens expressed serious concern that the People’s constitutional right to present matters directly to a grand jury had been effectively denied by the 2022 rule change.
Participants invoked Attorney General Taylor’s own public statement that “the rule of law doesn’t work unless it applies to all of us” (Must Read Alaska, Treg Taylor: The rule of law doesn’t work unless it applies to all of us, published August 17, 2025).
Despite publicly acknowledging that the rule change is constitutionally troubling, the Attorney General has not yet brought this matter before the Court.
A subsequent opinion published on August 19, 2025 (Alaska Watchman) warned that “if no action is taken, opposition from the public will only intensify,” and questioned whether political considerations were being placed above constitutional duty.
The continued enforcement of Supreme Court Orders 1993 and 2000 therefore threatens to erode public trust and cause ongoing harm to the People’s right of access to justice. Immediate review is necessary.
IV. ISSUE PRESENTED
Whether Supreme Court Orders No. 1993 and 2000 impermissibly burden and deny the People’s constitutional right, under Article I, §§ 5 and 8, to initiate grand jury investigations, and whether the Attorney General, bound by oath, must seek their reversal to protect that right.
V. ARGUMENT
A. The Alaska Constitution Guarantees Citizens the Right to Initiate Grand Jury Investigations.
Article I, § 8 declares that “The power of grand juries to investigate and make recommendations concerning the public welfare or safety shall never be suspended.”
This constitutional grant has consistently been interpreted to include the right of citizens to request such investigations.
In State v. District Court, 191 P.3d 1111, 1120–21 (Alaska 2008), the Court held:
“While the legislature may regulate the procedures for invoking the investigative jurisdiction of the grand jury, it may not do so in a manner that unduly burdens or effectively denies the right itself.”
B. Supreme Court Orders 1993 and 2000 Unduly Burden and Functionally Deny that Right.
SCO 1993 and SCO 2000 require all investigatory referrals to first pass through the Office of the Attorney General. As applied, these orders transform the Attorney General into a gatekeeper, with discretion to screen, delay, or decline presentments brought by citizens.
This conditions a constitutional right upon the prior approval of the executive branch, which is incompatible with Article I, §§ 5 and 8.
C. The Attorney General’s Constitutional Duty Is Non-Discretionary and Oath-Bound.
Under Article XII, § 5 of the Alaska Constitution, the Attorney General has sworn to “support and defend the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Alaska.”
Where a duty is constitutional in origin, it is ministerial, not discretionary. As the United States Supreme Court explained in Marbury v. Madison, 5 U.S. (1 Cranch) 137 (1803):
“Where a specific duty is assigned by law, and an individual has a right to see that duty performed, the officer is not left to his discretion.”
Likewise, courts have recognized that a public official “violates the public trust when failing to perform a constitutional duty for political or personal reasons” (People v. Harris, 188 Misc.2d 722 (N.Y. Sup. Ct. 2001)).
The Attorney General’s duty to defend the People’s right of grand jury presentment is therefore non-delegable and mandatory.
D. Public Trust and the Rule of Law Require Immediate Judicial Intervention.
The People of Alaska have voiced their concern in direct testimony and public comment. The Attorney General himself has affirmed that the “rule of law doesn’t work unless it applies to all of us.” Respectfully, that principle demands immediate action to remove any executive discretion over a constitutional right that belongs to the People alone.
VI. RELIEF REQUESTED
Petitioner respectfully requests that this Court:
Accept jurisdiction over this Petition;
Expedite its consideration in light of ongoing constitutional harm;
Declare that Supreme Court Orders 1993 and 2000, to the extent they require executive approval of citizen grand jury referrals, violate Article I, §§ 5 and 8; and
Vacate or stay the enforcement of those orders accordingly.
VII. CONCLUSION
For the foregoing reasons, and so that the People of Alaska may once again exercise their constitutional right of presentment without executive interference, Petitioner respectfully requests that the Court grant this Petition and provide the relief outlined above.
(Signature block intentionally left blank )
AG Treg Taylor, please fill in the final line under your SACRED Oath you sworn on/to January 30, 2021.
With the most fully respective request,
Ed Martin Jr
Great Job Ed.
Please post Taylor’s Thank You for helping him out in this matter.
Attorney General..? You misspelled “state employee”.
All the other 49 states have ELECTED officeholders who are required to be members of their respective Bar Associations. Alaska does not.
Alaska is the only state in the U.S. that does not have an American Bar Association accredited law school.
Alaska Constitution Article XIII Section 1 requires that proposed amendments must be approved by two-thirds of each House of the Alaska Legislature and then be approved by a majority of Alaska voters in the next General Election.
Article XI governs Initiative Petitions which impact Alaska Statutes. 18 states let Initiative Petitions go before the voters without Legislative approval, but Alaska is NOT one of them.
SJR 21 was introduced by Senator Elvi Gray-Jackson 2/24/20 “Proposing amendments to the Constitution of State of Alaska relating to the office of attorney general.”
*Please join our Facebook Group:“Elect Alaska Attorney General 2026” https://www.facebook.com/groups/697790762401945
and
*Please join our new Facebook Group:“Alaska Permanent Fund Board Confirmation Committee” https://www.facebook.com/groups/630155036690688
Note to file: the American Bar Association is the problem. Just saying.
“……..The second and much bigger problem for AG Taylor is his lack of action against an unconstitutional order by Alaska’s Supreme Court……….”
Huh? Can you please explain how an unconstitutional order can be issued by the very people who constitutionally define what is or is not constitutional?
It appears to me that both the Walls “deal” and Supreme Court order on Alaska Grand Juries are yet more macro issues with the judicial branch of government than particular faults with AG Taylor.
Article 3, Sec. 16 empowers the Gov (and the executive branch, of which Treg Taylor is the top Enforcer) to “restrain violation of any constitutional or legislative power, duty, or right by any officer, department, or agency of the State or any of its political subdivisions.” So, he comes here to wring his hands in feckless helplessness. He says that he doesn’t like the “gatekeeper” power of the DOJ that SCO 1993 created. Great. don’t obey it. His slide show was also insufficient — he didn’t even know about the pre-Gov. Sheffield GJ protocols! But he is right up there with Gov. Dunleavy, who tells us he wants to return to “traditional elections”. He has the power to halt RCV because it passed in defiance of the SINGLE SUBJECT RULE for citizen initiatives. But the gods on the supreme court told us that the statute was unconstitutional. No executive need enforce their warped and politically-inspired opinions. The entire structure of gov’t is compromised: 1) the judiciary, because they dismantled the constitution, 2) the executive, which even now has the power to halt it and 3) the legislative, because they ought to impeach every one of the members of the SC.
All the other 49 states have ELECTED officeholders who are required to be members of their respective Bar Associations. Alaska does not.
Alaska is the only state in the U.S. that does not have an American Bar Association accredited law school.
Alaska Constitution Article XIII Section 1 requires that proposed amendments must be approved by two-thirds of each House of the Alaska Legislature and then be approved by a majority of Alaska voters in the next General Election.
Article XI governs Initiative Petitions which impact Alaska Statutes. 18 states let Initiative Petitions go before the voters without Legislative approval, but Alaska is NOT one of them.
SJR 21 was introduced by Senator Elvi Gray-Jackson 2/24/20 “Proposing amendments to the Constitution of State of Alaska relating to the office of attorney general.”
*Please join our Facebook Group:“Elect Alaska Attorney General 2026”……http://www.join.money63.com
Well said Bob, especially the Impeachment part. The Supreme Court did not pen SCO1993, John Skidmore did. The Supreme Court shirked their responsibility and rubbered stamped what was given to them without proper review. They were desperate to quickly stop the Grand Jury movement from expanding.
Sunlight is the best disinfectant; restoring transparency is not only the surest way to achieve results, but also to earn back trust in government. Moreover, the surest way to become subject to the corruption of tyrants is for one’s self to become corrupt. Passive compliance with tyranny is a form of corruptio in it’s own right. Ergo, our population is corrupt… for the most part. Reference: French philosopher Etienne de La Boetie 1530-63.
Treg Taylor did nothing when Mary Fulp was kidnapped by State Troopers carrying a counterfeit warrant. No one arrested, no one fired. He has done nothing while the Anchorage Mayor and city council violate their city charter. He is a grifter, and unfit for public office or polite society.
Treg Taylor is as despicable as Dunleavy. Dead Heads and going out the door with nothing done for this state. It will be a great day when they are gone. Treg Taylor is another one of Dunleavy’s mealy mouthed liars he hired. The other note worthy liar is lying mealy mouthed Adam Crumb. Beware the worse candidates ever.