Candidate for governor, Treg Taylor, visited with voters in Soldotna on Saturday, and one thing became very clear: he doesn’t deserve to be the next governor of Alaska. This conclusion is based on his refusal to take ownership of his biggest failure as attorney general, his inability to protect Alaska’s grand jury process.
It all began back in 2022, when, as AG, Taylor went along with the Alaska Supreme Court Order 1993, which made an illegal change to Alaska’s Constitution. The court issued this order in response to a Kenai grand jury’s indictment of a retired state judge. This order effectively prevents future grand juries from making similar indictments and makes it impossible to prosecute any malfeasance within the Alaska Court System or Department of Law.
Whatever justification the court had for issuing SCO1993, in his role as attorney general, Taylor had the obligation to oppose it. Instead, he facilitated the implementation of the order, which has caused a firestorm of opposition on the Kenai Peninsula from citizen activist groups. Ever since it was issued, these groups have been seeking a restoration of the citizens’ right to appeal to a grand jury and are looking for a governor willing to help them.
This should be a lesson for all the gubernatorial candidates planning on meeting with voters on the Kenai Peninsula: Be advised that you will be asked for your views on this issue.
These events all happened before he decided to run for governor, and it is with this background that Treg Taylor held a campaign event with citizens in Soldotna on Saturday. What Mr. Taylor said to the voters who gathered to hear him defined his candidacy.
In his comments, Mr. Taylor indicated that he thought from the day it was written that SCO 1993 was “problematic” (his words). When asked if he thought SCO 1993 amounted to an unconstitutional amendment to the Alaska Constitution, he said he thought the order had grounds to be challenged. When asked why he went along with the order instead of challenging it, Mr. Taylor said that he didn’t have the resources at the time in his department and thought the right outcome might be difficult to achieve.
Think about that for a minute.
Taylor said a challenge was merited, but the fight would be difficult, so he didn’t engage. Suppose George Washington felt that way in 1776, or any of our country’s other famous leaders when they faced similar challenges? Great leaders don’t hide from the battle; they seek it out with a plan to win. Treg Taylor had a duty to fight this unconstitutional change, but thought the fight was too difficult. That tells you all you need to know about Treg Taylor’s courage.
What is even worse is that after Mr. Taylor admitted to not being willing to challenge SCO 1993, he said he thinks he can solve the problems it created if we elect him governor. Mr. Taylor needs to realize that he had the opportunity to fix the problem as AG and failed to act. Alaska’s governor needs to be a dynamic man (or woman) of action who will not shrink from the fight and relishes the challenge. Unfortunately, Treg Taylor does not appear to be that individual.
This should be a lesson for all the gubernatorial candidates planning on meeting with voters on the Kenai Peninsula: Be advised that you will be asked for your views on this issue. You should be prepared to answer the following questions.
— In your view, was SCO 1993 an unconstitutional change to the grand jury process? Yes or No.
— If your answer is yes, and if you are elected governor, what do you intend to do to correct it?
— Would you support the creation of an independent commission to investigate the alleged crimes of retired judge Margaret Murphy and any actions taken by individuals within the DOJ or the court system to cover up those crimes?
— Would you support allowing the commission to review the suppressed Kenai Grand Jury’s report and, after their review, release it to the public?
These questions are a litmus test. Anyone coming to the Kenai Peninsula unprepared to answer these questions does not deserve to be the next governor of Alaska, just as Mr. Taylor demonstrated on Saturday.
The views expressed here are those of Greg Sarber. Read more Sarber posts at his Seward’s Folly substack.
2 Comments
I wonder though. The AG in Alaska is not elected but is appointed by the governor. Fixing our grand jury process is clearly not a Dunleavy priority, and he did not campaign on fixing it.
If the current governor is opposed to fixing it, can we blame the AG for not fixing it (or trying to)? I believe it is a worthy fight and should be fought, but I also acknowledge that the AG does not have a public mandate, the public official who was elected (in this case the governor) has the mandate, and as an appointed official it is difficult to try to override the governor, since the governor is the only one who was elected. The governor can certainly seek out a AG who will support his agenda (right or wrong). Don’t forget, Taylor is the third AG Dunleavy has chosen for his administration. What the next governor will do to fix our grand juries seems the more important question.
I wonder though. The AG in Alaska is not elected but is appointed by the governor. Fixing our grand jury process is clearly not a Dunleavy priority, and he did not campaign on fixing it. If the current governor is opposed to fixing it, can we blame the AG for not fixing it (or trying to)? I believe it is a worthy fight and should be fought, but I also acknowledge that the AG does not have a public mandate. The public official who was elected (in this case the governor) has the mandate, and as an appointed official it may not be possible to override the governor, since the governor is the only one who was elected. The governor can certainly seek out an AG who will support his agenda (right or wrong). Don’t forget, Taylor is the third AG Dunleavy has chosen for his administration. What the next governor will do to fix our grand juries seems the more important question. As part of that, will he appoint an AG who will be bold and courageous on this issue (and so many others), or simply be a lapdog for all that is wrong with the Alaska Judiciary.