Things about Hollis French that I am wondering about. . .

by: Pekoe

Tue Aug 04, 2009 at 15:18:09 PM AKDT

He mentioned that there had been over 1000 (again, I cannot find the article so bear with me) cases of reported rape and that less than a fifth got to court and received sentences. He did not express a concern with the legal process to be fair and prosecute honestly and to weed out inconsistencies and possible lies. Does he think that every case deserved to be prosecuted? Is it a horrible thing for a prosecutor to not have at least some sentence on an accused person? Do they get made fun of back at the office? "Looser!" they jeer each other with, making the L sign on their foreheads whenever the prosecutor who lost a case walks by.

Candidate French's website is vague. "Our crime rates, which are among the worst in the nation in some categories, are shameful and demand swift action." What does this mean? What kinds of crime is he referring to? What is "swift action"? Should DNA evidence be preserved indefinitely lest other questions come up on a case where a defendant is swearing his or her innocence and they hope they can find something to win an appeal?

Hollis French is an ex prosecutor. Why isn't he furious that there were cases that he had to prosecute that were a waste of his time and the public's money? Surely he had several like that where he felt that there were laws that just shouldn't have existed, that took time away from important cases. (I've not looked into what cases he prosecuted. After a court custody battle, I get anxiety attacks in the court house even though I prevailed in my case. Court houses are not places with good vibes. The only beings who are smiling are lawyers and "winners" in the battles.)

How does Hollis French feel about mandatory minimums?

Does he work closely with the DOC to make certain that there is rehabilitation and psychological help for prisoners? What about having a punitive side of prison, but also a rehabilitative aspect where the food is better? Does he know the financial strain that it puts on families where they send their offenders money and they have to buy over priced items in the prison commissary, double the price of what is paid at Costco, so they can eat a little better? Will he push for a 10% mark up max on items that the prison offers? The prisons have expensive catalogs that inmates must buy from and to make their stay, deserved or not, a little nicer, their families get taxed to death. Inmates collectively donate a lot of money to causes, but much of it comes from overpriced commissary goods.

Does it bother Mr. French that it is only a misdemeanor if a corrections officer has sex with an inmate?

Did it bother him that he may have been prosecuting the same people over and over again? How will Hollis French help significantly reduce recidivism in Alaska?  

The prison kitchens don't keep up to standards that restaurants have to keep up to, and this information comes to me via a reliable source. (MICE! Volunteer groups won't eat in the prisons.)

Instead of complaining about needing to beef up the education system, why isn't he telling Alaskans that reading scored are used to determine prison growth ( http://www.invisiblechildren.o... ) and that as a former prosecutor, he wants to pump up money into his area as a way to prevent crime?

Will he pay attention to concerns of inmates? They are disenfranchised, but they will care more for their communities if they have a say in them. Why isn't he encouraging inmates families to vote en mass?  

What about pushing for a federal prison in Alaska? Does he feel that crime prevention would be more effective if inmates had more support and access to the communities that they will live in? At least say that you will push for a federal half way house in Alaska!

I can't qualify any of his statements. Our schools are good but should be great-- what is holding them back? What is great? Does he like charter schools? He's never said if he will push for UA to have the same prerequisites in each university.

Hollis doesn't have the same vibe as politicians that I have liked. I married someone like Governor Knowles on purpose-- those commercials of Tony with his little daughter made me fall in love with him. (I was 14 and thought, "I want to marry someone like this man! I hope he wins!" So I didn't have the best reasons for supporting him, but my heart was in the right place!) Jay Hammond was the cool grandfather and I liked listening to him on the news. Frank was a a-hole uncle who married into the family. Cowper was the fly-by-night governor. Bob Poe is the professor who you'd change majors for because he makes everything interesting. I initially liked Sarah Palin because I thought we were alike and that she understood me-- OK, we have noting in common besides a female hormone. Hollis French comes across not as a lawyer, but specifically as a prosecutor. He needs to change his image if he is able to do so. Is his wife dynamic? He needs to get her out with him-- Bob is fascinating, but Terzah outshines the sun. Hollis French doesn't yet seem to me like a crusader for people's rights, but as a status quo guy unless a person screwed up, then he is going for their jugular. I can't even call him Hollis or something familiar.

For a while, Sarah Palin was Sarah. Tony Knowels has always been Tony even though to his face I call him Governor and he corrects me, "I'm Tony." I am having a rough time warming up to Senator French and it's not because of a respect, but because I prefer the distance. "Yo Frenchy!" I just don't feel it for him.

I really hope Hollis French fleshes out what I am bringing up because I feel that he COULD bring much to the election that will have to be discussed and solutions planned. As a former prosecutor, he could really shine a light on the legal system and show us how to make it better for the people it is to serve and show us a plan to introduce and maintain checks and balances that will protect people from the government as well as from the bad guys.

Democratic candidates are chosen by vote, not "entitlement"--Correction and comment from Ethan

by: Celtic Diva

Wed Jun 03, 2009 at 01:43:11 AM AKDT

*********************************UPDATE****************************

Ethan Berkowitz properly corrected me on my brain fart (I fixed it) and added a comment on the post:

I read your recent piece and just wanted to remind you about the Cngressional race.

After Diane Benson declared, State Democratic Party Chair Jake Metcalf jumped in, then I entered.  It's not accurate to say that the primary was just between Diane and myself.

As far as the governor's race goes, no one is entitled to any elected race -- not those who've run before, not those who served the party, not those who started early.  It is supposed to be a bout a contest of ideas and qualifications, and the voters make the determination.

Thanks,
Ethan

Thanks, Ethan!

Those of you who follow the blog understand; these days, I don't put much stock in what Sheila Toomey writes.  However, this week's Alaska Ear put out some scuttlebutt concerning Gubernatorial Candidate Bob Poe that concerned me:

A MORE INTERESTING QUESTION ... How hard are mainstream Democrats, perhaps including Ethan Berkowitz, Hollis French and Eric Croft, trying to convince Bob Poe to drop out of the nascent governor's race "for the good of the party?" It's hearsay, but a persistent claim, the fear being he splits the primary vote enough to win but can't take the general. Unclear who they think the best candidate is. Probably some differing opinions there.

In hopes that this was just information thrown out there to divide the Democrats, I decided to do some research of my own and talked to a source close to the campaign...

...only to find out that the story is true!  Fellow Democrats truly are trying to dissuade Bob Poe!!!  Are you kidding me?

So...let's get this straight:

"Hey, Bob! We know you've been out there for the last six months working your butt off and dumping your own money into this campaign because you weren't allowed to raise any.  Now, only a couple of weeks into being able to receive contributions, we want you to back out of the race because a couple of our buddies are going to jump in and take it from here."

Are you serious?  That doesn't even make any logical sense!

For one thing, this isn't the Anchorage Mayor's race when coming to a candidate's agreement would have made sense.  The Governor's race has a lovely primary far enough ahead of the General Election that the winner can pick up considerable momentum.  There's NO real reason (other than for candidates who are afraid of the competition) to try and cull the herd ahead of time.

Secondly, it's only June 2009.  The election isn't until November 2010!!!  The talented Kay Brown just got to work on the Poe campaign,
there's still another Legislative Session in between and NO ONE knows what's going to happen between now and then!  

The really irritating/disturbing part for me is this sense of "entitlement" that seems to be expressing itself here...that one has to "prove" him/herself to a certain "clique" before one can run for office in this state, especially in the urban areas.  It's especially discomfiting because I've been witnessing this and hearing about it for awhile.

There's the case of Diane Benson, two-time candidate for Don Young's seat, who received no Alaska Democratic Party money either time.  When former legislator Ethan Berkowitz and Jake Metcalfe joined the race, both men were showered with praise and contributions before Jake dropped out.  Meaning no disrespect to Ethan, I must point out that Diane got the same percentage of votes against Don Young on a shoestring budget during a Republican-friendly year that Ethan got in 2008 with a huge warchest.  Also meaning no disrespect, I must point out the Native woman vs. Caucasian male issue...it is there.

During the session, when the Legislature and Governor Palin were having their standoff over a replacement for Juneau Senator Kim Elton, we were introduced to the name Joe Nelson.  Joe was clearly not the right guy, as he allowed himself to be used as a "spoiler" against the Senate Democrats and he also said something really stupid in a Governor's Press release when he withdrew his name from consideration.  However, before all of that happened, I remember wondering "Why wasn't this guy courted by the Juneau Democrats before?  After all, he IS married to Mary Nelson, former Democratic Legislator.  What's up with that?

Then some of my sources from Juneau (especially the Native Community) explained how "cliquish" it is there.  I was tp;d that it's almost impossible to "break in" to the circle of Democrats who make a great deal of the decisions.

And once again, when we look at the racial and gender make-up of the urban legislators from Anchorage, Fairbanks and Juneau, you would think that those of us who live in these cities are all-white and mostly male.

So, it seems we have two issues here that are interrelated:

1)  Some people get huffy if a "new face" tries to run for office without "paying their dues"...whatever those "dues" may be...and...

2)  While the Democratic Party is definitely the party of inclusion (especially in comparison to the Republicans), we still have a long way to go to improve representation within our own ranks.

We MUST reach out to enthusiastic candidates who can fire up a campaign.  We cannot allow one faction of the Party to dictate the views that EVERY DEMOCRAT must have, discouraging highly qualified potential candidates from running.  We MUST encourage young minority members to become active in the party and mentor them into running for office.  For Alaskans to become engaged in the political system, they must be able to see their own faces in the legislature and the local councils and assemblies.

Resolving both of these issues depends upon nurturing, encouraging and supporting new blood to run for office as Democrats at ALL levels on the ballot. If that didn't happen nationally, Barack Obama would not be President today.

Just Released: AG Talis Colberg will accept court ruling

by: Celtic Diva

Sun Oct 05, 2008 at 15:00:09 PM AKDT

Attorney General Talis J. Colberg Releases Statement on Status of Subpoenaed Employees in Legislative Investigation

For Immediate Release:

October 5, 2008

(Anchorage, AK)  Alaska Attorney General Colberg announced today that the seven state employees who filed suit to quash the Senate Judiciary Committee subpoenas will make themselves available to testify in the legislative investigation.  

The Senate Judiciary Committee issued the subpoenas for the benefit of Stephen Branchflower, who is conducting an investigation for the Legislative Council of events surrounding the removal of former Public Safety Commissioner Monegan.  The Department of Law challenged the authority of that committee to subpoena the state employees in a lawsuit filed on September 25, 2008, Kiesel et al. v. Seven Subpoenas et al.  In a decision dated October 2, Superior Court Judge Peter Michalski determined that those concerns were more properly considered by the legislature than by the courts.  The Department of Law then consulted with the seven state employees and advised them of their options.  

All seven employees have decided, in light of Judge Michalski's decision, to cooperate with the legislative investigation.  Attorney General Colberg said today, "Despite my initial concerns about the subpoenas, we respect the court's decision to defer to the legislature.  We are working with Senator Hollis French to arrange for the testimony of the seven state employee plaintiffs."

Working on a post and I'll talk about this later.

Alaska Jedis Strike Back...errr...I mean Lawmakers!

by: Celtic Diva

Tue Sep 23, 2008 at 17:42:02 PM AKDT

Last week, Republican legislators filed suit to halt the investigation, arguing that it had been inappropriately politicized by Democratic senators Hollis French and Kim Elton. This afternoon, Peter Maassen, an attorney representing French and Elton, as well as independent investigator Steven Branchflower, announced in a press release that he will be asking a judge to throw out that lawsuit.

The press release points out that the investigation was launched in July after a 12-0 bipartisan vote of the legislative council. And it asserts that the original GOP complaints "suggest that Alaska legislators with open political views should be prohibited from participating in any legislative function that might -- might -- reflect badly on Governor Palin."

The release refers to "powerful and increasingly heavy-handed national interests" as being opposed to the investigation's continuance.

Hollis French, Lyda Green, Bill Wielekowski, Les Gara and all other Legislators who are speaking out are my heroes!

Troopergate Question #8: What if the big story has nothing to do with Monegan?

by: Celtic Diva

Sun Sep 21, 2008 at 01:05:53 AM AKDT

However, it seems no one was paying much attention to another Op Ed piece by Conservative talk show host Dan Fagan.  I admit, I usually avoid his editorials as well but I'm glad I read this one.  It was probably the best summary I've read all week of the egregious ways the McCain-Palin people have taken over Alaska's Department of Law.

Yes, I just paid that very large compliment to hard-core right-winger Dan Fagan...hell hath frozen over.  Sarah Palin's idiocy is causing us to make very strange...errrr...bedfellows.

However, there was another very important piece in his writing that reflects what a number of us have been saying this week...with additional information:

Why do she and her new handlers in the McCain camp believe there is something in Troopergate that could cost them the election?

The real damage to Palin from Troopergate comes with an injury claim involving trooper Wooten when he hurt his back while in the line of duty.

Independent investigator Steve Branchflower testified recently he believes someone in the governor's office tried to block Wooten's workers' compensation injury benefits.

Harbor Adjustment Services, the company hired by the state to process, evaluate and decide on workers' benefit claims, had great financial incentive in bowing to pressure from the governor to deny Wooten's injury claim.

Obviously, the state is Harbor Adjustment Services' largest client. The owner of the company denies the governor's office pressured her to deny Wooten's benefits. Why wouldn't she? Ratting out the governor could cost her the lucrative state contract.

But Branchflower says an employee with Harbor Adjustment Services contradicts the owner and has testified the governor's office did apply pressure to deny Wooten his benefits.

Branchflower says the unnamed employee testified, "I don't, you know, care if it's the president who wants the claim denied. I'm not going to deny it unless I have the medical evidence to do that,"

We know which employee is testifying about this to Mr. Branchflower.


(more after the fold)

Troopergate Question 3: What do the Obama or McCain Campaigns have to do with Troopergate?

by: Celtic Diva

Wed Sep 17, 2008 at 09:31:14 AM AKDT

Often, the "guilty" party accuses the "innocent" party of what the "guilty" party is actually doing...in this case, interfering in the investigation...in order to deflect attention.

Per the ADN:  (below the fold)