Editor’s note: The following column by Alaska gubernatorial candidate Dave Bronson is in response to a Dec. 16 column by Greg Sarber.

Alaskans deserve straight answers, especially on constitutional issues. Let me be absolutely clear about where I stand on the Grand Jury independence in Alaska.

The Alaska Constitution is not optional. Article I, Section 8 guarantees the right of citizens to access a Grand Jury without judicial or prosecutorial gatekeeping. Supreme Court Order 1993 weakened that right, and I agree with many Alaskans on the Kenai who believe it crossed a constitutional line. As governor, I will not ignore that concern, and I will not hide behind consultants.

Before addressing next steps, I want to correct a false narrative that has emerged from my stop in Homer.

The notion that I, one of the most measured, informed, and constitutionally grounded candidates in this race, am somehow waiting for “East Coast outsiders” to wave a magic wand and tell me what I am allowed to believe is patently false. I have spent my entire career making consequential decisions under pressure, accountable for outcomes, not headlines.

I will support legislative action to reaffirm citizen Grand Jury access and to reassert the Legislature’s constitutional authority over court rules when those rules conflict with the Constitution itself.

What I will not do, and never have done, is blindly agree to a position in order to avoid a “gotcha” moment. I especially will not stand in a campaign fundraiser and tell Alaskans what I think they want to hear. Leadership means pausing, listening and fully understanding complex constitutional issues before committing the power of the governor’s office to a course of action. That pause was not indecision; it was discipline.

It has since become clear that the exchange was less about seeking clarity and more about manufacturing a political moment. Alaskans deserve better than that kind of politics, and I will not govern that way.

Now, to the substance of the issue.

Here is what I will do as governor:

First, I will direct the Attorney General to formally review Supreme Court Order 1993 for constitutional compliance and pursue every lawful avenue to restore the original intent of the Grand Jury clause. That includes litigation, legislative remedies and if necessary, constitutional clarification.

Second, I will support legislative action to reaffirm citizen Grand Jury access and to reassert the Legislature’s constitutional authority over court rules when those rules conflict with the Constitution itself. Courts do not get the final word when they exceed their authority, the Constitution does.

Third, I will support an independent investigation into any credible allegations of judicial or prosecutorial misconduct related to Grand Jury interference. No branch of government is above scrutiny. Accountability is not radical, it is conservative.

Fourth, I will appoint an Attorney General who understands that his or her duty is to the Constitution and the people of Alaska, not institutional convenience or judicial insulation.

I am running for governor because Alaska needs leaders who will stand up to overreach, restore balance between the branches of government, and protect the rights of everyday citizens. That includes standing up to a court when it exceeds its constitutional role.

I am ready for this job. And I will govern the way I always have, with deliberation, conviction, and an unwavering respect for the Constitution of the State of Alaska.

The views expressed here are those of the author.

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