Radio waves: Porcaro, Demboski rolled the tape
Assemblyman Kevin Cross saying he doesn't care what Eagle River and Chugiak think about torching zoning
Good morning from Somewhere in Alaska!
Thanks for being an adventurous reader, a lover of Alaska, and a subscriber to Must Read Alaska. If you like getting this newsletter, please support it! And check www.mustreadalaska.com for more news throughout the day. Thanks for being here!
Trump faces even more charges
The new charges relate to former President Trump and two of his employees asking another employee to delete security cam footage at Mar-a-Lago to prevent it from getting to the grand jury.
Trump also faces charges in Manhattan over hush money to Stormy Daniels. He faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. There are lawsuits against the Trump Organization in New York as well. Also, the rape, battery, and defamation case from advice columnist E. Jean Carroll in federal court in Manhattan. There’s a pending lawsuit against him by a Fulton County, Ga. district attorney relating to interfering in the election.
As for the main classified records charges, a federal indictment already has 37 criminal counts against Trump and six against his aide Waltine Nauta for violating the Espionage Act 31 times by holding on to sensitive national-security documents, conspiring to obstruct justice, lying to law enforcement, and violating three different statutes that pertain to withholding and concealing government records.
Then, there is a looming indictment for Trump’s role in the Jan. 6, 2021 surge into the U.S. Capitol, when protesters attempted to stop the ratification of the electoral college vote. Trump’s legal team have already met with special prosecutor Jack Smith about that impending indictment.
And yet, Trump is still the leading GOP candidate for president, according to every poll we’ve seen.
Meanwhile, cocaine in the Biden White House
The Secret Service refused a request to turn over the list of individuals who may have accessed the area of the White House where authorities discovered cocaine over the Fourth of July weekend, saying that the record of such a list does not fall under the Freedom of Information Act. More at The Daily Signal.
Radio spice: Assemblyman Cross on tape describing how to buy land with new zoning regs coming online
Eagle River Assemblyman Kevin Cross is on tape saying he has set himself up to profit from the new zoning laws he is pushing and that when it comes to the public, he’s “nobody’s bitch,” and doesn’t care what his community councils think. Just wow. You can’t put that toothpaste back in the tube.
Listicle: Gov. Dunleavy is seventh most popular governor in America
This may be especially tough for Democrat operatives who were trying to recall him from the moment he was sworn in. He’s one of the most popular governors in the country.
One weird trick could end up costing your entire PFD this year
You may want to read this if you signed up to donate through the online Pick.Click.Give. form, which stated you can donate $2,800. What’s up with that?
Update: Chinese illegal and Alaskan indicted in Fairbanks for illegal big-game guiding
The Chinese man is technically not a guide, as one reader points out. But he poses as one and is sure a hustler for Chinese to come hunt big game in Alaska. The prostitution side gig was a unique angle. He’s going to face charges in federal court.
Deena Bishop chosen as new commissioner of Education
She was superintendent in Mat-Su, later in Anchorage, served on the Board of Regents, and most recently an adviser for Gov. Dunleavy.
Hunter Biden plea deal in jeopardy after his team caught scamming court
Hunter Biden’s plea agreement with the Justice Department may not materialize yet, after the judge was reluctant to let Biden off on the felony gun charge, and after she admonished the Biden legal team for trying to pull evidence through a scam on the court.
Under oath: Top 12 takeaways from 'Unexplained Anomalous Phenomena' hearing in Congress
It’s now in the Congressional Record: They’re here. There has never before been a hearing like this one in the history of the world. Military whistleblowers have cracked open the lid, and there’s no going back.
Peltola votes against funding for Veterans Affairs, military
Every single Democrat voted against funding for our military families, including those injured by toxic burn pits and Agent Orange.
Peltola hot take: Women who stay home should be paid
House committee hears how military recruiting, readiness was damaged by Biden Covid vaccine mandate
Despite the 2023 National Defense Authorization Act language requiring the Department of Defense to revoke the Covid vaccine requirement, national security remains in jeopardy as military service members deal with the aftermath of the mandates, said First Liberty Institute senior counsel Danielle Runyan.
Filed for office
JoAnn Wallace filed for Juneau, City and BoroughAssembly
Scott W. Crass filed for Fairbanks North Star BoroughAssembly
Heath Smith filed for Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly
Tammie Wilson filed for Fairbanks North Star BoroughAssembly
Kelly Cooper filed for Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly
Question of the Week: Will Hunter Biden be hauled into court?
This day in history
July 28, 1868, The 14th Amendment was adopted, granting citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the United States, including formerly enslaved people. Civil rights leader and Secretary of State William Seward issued a proclamation certifying the amendment.
July 28, 2016, Hillary Clinton accepted the Democratic Party nomination for president.
Columns
Downing: Biden’s shifted focus to climate change ignores Americans’ decreasing standard of living
Bidenomics and its evil twin, the climate con game, have infiltrated every facet of the Biden Administration. The ramifications for most Americans have felt like a kick in the teeth.
Alex Gimarc: Magical thinking of Sen. Tobin regarding electric vehicles
The author was the unfortunate recipient of a copy of comments sent by Sen. Loki Tobin to Curtis Thayer of the Alaska Energy Authority on July 17. It was a very happy letter, gushing over electric vehicles, decarbonization, and calling for AEA to do everything humanly possible to deploy sufficient charging stations for EVs using free federal energy money.
Downing’s Daily Caller column: Ranked-choice voting gave us this
She said she would be bipartisan … but she votes with The Squad.
Rick Whitbeck: Deb Haaland is being rebranded as centrist, but facts speak louder than words
Reading the Washington Post profile, one could be forgiven for seeing Haaland as a down-the-middle administrator, tasked with making tough decisions in the best interests of the nation, with no agenda driving her actions.
Hayden Ludwig: Dark Money bought ranked-choice voting in Alaska. Will dark money keep it in 2024?
In recent years the state has become one of the Left’s favorite “dark money” dumping grounds in an effort to give Democrats an unlikely edge in the Republican stronghold.
Win Gruening: Juneau Assembly’s Transparency Deficit Disorder
The Assembly hides its process from the public, adding to growing mistrust by voters.
Alaska oil: $86.25
Henry Hub gas: $2.49
Alaska North Slope Production: 435,326
Permanent Fund (principal and earnings reserve): $79,840,400,000
Must Read Alaska LLC | 200 W. 34th Ave. #220, Anchorage, AK 99503
www.mustreadalaska.com