By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
and The Associated Press
The signature-gathering process began Thursday across Alaska as a group seeks to recall Gov. Mike Dunleavy.
In Sitka, 343 signed on to the recall effort, at an event at the Unitarian Universalist Hall Thursday from 4 to 7 p.m., held for those who wanted to sign or learn about the next steps in the recall process.
Stephen Courtright, lead Sitka organizer for the group Alaskans to Recall Mike Dunleavy, said the atmosphere at the event was “mostly positive.”
“People seemed incredibly happy to do something,” Courtright said.
Dunleavy, a Republican who took office in December, angered many with more than $400 million in budget vetoes.
The recall effort started off with events across the state.
At left, Bridget Kauffman and Cheryl Stromme gather signatures Thursday night at the Unitarian Universalist hall as part of the first stage of a recall effort to remove Gov. Dunleavy from office. (Sentinel Photo)
The Anchorage event featured a speech by Vic Fischer, the last living member of the group of 55 men and women who wrote Alaska’s constitution.
In Juneau, a shame totem pole with a likeness of both Dunleavy and President Donald Trump, created by artist Tommy Joseph of Sitka, urged people to recall the governor.
Courtright said he knows Sitkans and others are upset about many of the vetoes, but “the recall is about the fact he has violated the law and violated the constitution.”
The recall website www.recalldunleavy.org cited the grounds for the recall as “Neglect of Duties, Incompetence, and/or Lack of Fitness.”
It said that Dunleavy violated the law by refusing to appoint a judge to the Palmer Superior Court within 45 days of receiving nominations; and “violated Alaska Law and the Constitution, and misused state funds by unlawfully and without proper disclosure, authorizing and allowing the use of state funds for partisan purposes to purchase electronic advertisements and direct mailers making partisan statements about political opponents and supporters.”
The website said that Dunleavy also “violated separation-of-powers by improperly using the line-item veto to: (a) attack the judiciary and the rule of law; and (b) preclude the Legislature from upholding its constitutional health, education and welfare responsibilities” and that he “acted incompetently when he mistakenly vetoed approximately $18 million more than he told the Legislature in official communications he intended to strike. Uncorrected, the error would cause the state to lose more than $40 million in additional federal Medicaid funds.”
“We are confident they are legal grounds and that they will withstand scrutiny,” Courtright told the Sentinel. “It’s becoming very, very clear this governor has disregard for the law and isn’t doing his job the way it needs to be done. It’s time for the citizens to take the power the constitution gives us and call for a reset.”
Dunleavy spokesman Matt Shuckerow said in an email to The Associated Press that Dunleavy was elected as an agent of change and is addressing challenges in Alaska that others have been unwilling to tackle.
Some 28,501 signatures are needed to request a recall petition from the Division of Elections, which is overseen by Lt. Gov. Kevin Meyer. If the petition is approved, supporters will need an additional 71,252 signatures in 60 days to force a recall election.
Courtright said so far seven Sitkans are gathering signatures, and he expects community members will do more than their share in the effort to get the item on the ballot.
“I’d like to see us get over half the voters who voted in the last election,” he said.
Courtright said he is available for questions at 738-2247.
