What is Up With Two of the Three Republicans for Alaska Lt Gov?

Jay Ramras and Mead Treadwell are having some credibility problems in the Lieutenant Governor's race in Alaska.

"I have to laugh that Jay Ramras, the guy who sold his stance on Pebble Mine to Bob Gillam for a hefty 'donation' by (Christian) Gillam to Jay's synagogue is going to stand up and point fingers at Sarah Palin right now," ER Dee wrote on ADN.com in April 2009.

It is also coming to light that Mead Treadwell gave contributions to Democrats Matt Claman and Sheila Selkregg.

Are there any real candidates running for Lieutenant Governor in Alaska that are who they say they are? Actually, yes, there is one. Eddie Burke has been a long time conservative activist and radio talk show host who, despite whatever criticisms his opponents may try to throw it him, can never be accused of not being consistent and who does not have a record of saying one thing and doing another.

Eddie Burke has stood up to the establishment when it was cool and when it wasn't cool. He has taken strong stands on the 2nd Amendment, parental rights and economic freedom. His positions are steady and they are strong. There is no flip-flopping on environmental issues and there are no seedy contributions to "the enemy" or from "friends." While the other two candidates try to claim they are conservatives, Eddie really is one.

Alex Gimare wrote this about Jay Ramras in 2007 at a time when folks were getting fed up with the good ole boys' network:

A Republican member of the Alaska Legislature joined the anti-Pebble Mine fight in early September by sending a letter of concern to the State Attorney General’s Dep artment of Law Criminal Division accusing Northern Dynasty, the local company pursuing the Pebble Mine of bribing local native leaders with jobs, cash, and other inducements for their support of the mine. Rep. Jay Ramras (R – Fairbanks) apparently does not think that hiring locals to work in new projects is a good thing. Northern Dynasty has been out in the region, schmoozing the locals, promising jobs, hiring people, and doing the things necessary to get a multi-billion project off the ground, all in the face of withering, hysterical environmentalist and NIMBY opposition. None of this is against the law. Native leaders in the region immediately cried foul, accused Ramras of libel, and st arted threatening lawsuits. I expect a few to be filed. Ramras, who had a reasonable reputation as a conservative, apparently has become close to the chief anti-Pebble opponent Bob Gillam. Gillam donated a small amount to Ramras, well within the limit of current Alaska campaign finance laws. On the other hand, he also donated $10,000 to Ramras’ Jewish Temple in the Fairbanks area. The donation was discussed in excruciating detail on local Anchorage talk radio late last week. Ramras may have stepped in it big time regarding Pebble, as the Fairbanks area is pretty supportive of mining and development, and has long had its fill of anti-development greens, NIMBYs like Gillam and their enablers in both parties. Apparently Ramras allowed himself to get schmoozed by Gillam into taking an anti-mining stance all under the guise of fighting corruption. There are primaries next August for the legislature. This includes the House of Representatives in the state legislature. I expect Ramras to have some opposition, as this thing to blow up nicely in his face.

Ramras was not the only one "dancing with the devil." A lot of questions are now being raised by conservatives and independents after Burke's campaign uncovered contributions to Democrats from "so called conservative" Mead Treadwell. The Burke campaign put out this press release:

Documentation available from the Alaska Public Offices Commission (APOC) indicates that Alaskan voters should pay close attention to the recipients of Mr. Treadwell’s recent political donations. While his close friendship, support for and countless donations to Senator Lisa Murkowski’s campaigns are public knowledge, it is his donations to liberal, big-government Democrats Matt Claman (here and here) and Sheila Selkregg (here) that should concern Republicans and Independents alike.

According to his APOC Contribution Report, Mr. Treadwell donated $100 to Ms. Selkregg’s Anchorage Municipal Campaign. He also donated $200 on two separate occasions (March 2009, February 2010) to Matt Claman’s Anchorage Municipal Campaign, totaling $400. In fact, according to APOC, Mr. Treadwell’s most recent candidate contribution was to Mr. Claman. Did it ever cross Mr. Treadwell’s mind that he was donating $400 to an individual who sponsored the divisive Ordinance 64: The Anchorage Gay Non-Discrimination Ordinance? These are not the actions of a “real conservative.

On the contrary, this sounds like an individual who is playing both sides of the fence – a candidate who talks the conservative talk, but does not walk the conservative walk. Alaskans should be asking, “Why is a so-called conservative candidate providing financial support to such liberal politicians?”

Alaska has a chance to move forward and grow stronger. The choice is between a two-faced, back room, crony good ole boy network style of politics from the past or real and courageous conservativism. There is only one guy that demonstrates the grit and determination to make his state a place to be proud of. The other two are just trying to crawl back into the dirty holes of corrupt politics that existed prior to the Palin administration when Alaskan politics made the state look more like the alternative in "It's a Wonderful Life" that was known as Pottersville.