Alaska’s House and Senate Republican Caucuses issued a joint statement, denouncing the antics by Rep. Zack Fields (D-Anchorage), who held an “ICE Out” sign during U.S. Congressman Nick Begich’s annual address to a joint session of the Alaska Legislature on March 10.

Among the most leftist state lawmakers, Fields used the time-honored formal proceedings to repeatedly hold up his sign. Similar signs have been employed around the nation by Democrats who are upset with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers who are arresting and deporting illegal aliens.

Fields appeared agitated through much of Begich’s speech, rocking in his chair and refusing to stand and clap when most of his colleagues rose and applauded various points throughout the address. When he did clap, Fields lightly placed his hands together in a slow-motion applause.

For his part, Begich’s speech outlined major federal achievements for Alaska during his first year in Congress, while calling on state lawmakers to act on several state-level priorities, including workforce development, fisheries governance reforms, Alaska LNG enabling legislation, and ensuring the PFD reflects the original promise made to Alaskans at statehood.

In a statement following Begich’s address, GOP lawmakers characterized Fields’ disruptions as a breach of decorum and a disservice to the visiting representative of Alaska’s federal delegation. They also claim Fields’ antics were a clear violation of Uniform Rule 26 and Mason’s Manual, as well as the established customs and traditions of the Alaska Legislature.

“A Joint Session is a time-honored tradition intended for the exchange of ideas between our federal and state representatives,” Sen. Mike Cronk (R-Northway) noted. “It is not a venue for juvenile protest or political theater. Representative Fields’ decision to use the floor of the House as a backdrop for a prop-based protest is an insult to the office of the Congressman and to the Alaskans we all serve.”

House Minority Leader DeLena Johnson (R-Palmer) agreed.

“Sitting on the House floor during our Congressman’s annual keynote address is not the place for disruption and waving protest signs,” she stated. “This behavior reflects a lack of professional maturity and a blatant disregard for the rules of this body. We should be focused on the serious issues facing Alaska – energy, infrastructure, and the economy – not catering to a singular member’s need for social media attention.”

The GOP caucuses stated that while they respect the First Amendment rights of every individual legislator, “the privilege of being seated on the floor of the House of Representatives carries the responsibility to maintain a standard of conduct that reflects the dignity of the institution.”

Bringing hand-held signs into a Joint Session “creates a hostile and unprofessional environment that distracts from the critical federal-state partnership necessary for Alaska’s success,” the caucuses noted.

The Republican Caucuses in both the House and Senate are calling on legislative leadership to review the incident and take whatever steps are necessary to ensure future Joint Sessions are conducted with the gravity and respect they deserve.

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