Hal P. Gazaway House District 15 Chair

Congratulations on your election as a delegate to the Democratic Convention.

The 2016 Democratic Caucus promised the dawning of a new era in Alaskan politics. Those attending demonstrated a heightened awareness of the serious problems facing our state, mostly due to the inordinate influence wealthy corporations and individuals have with the .

When Bernie Sanders first announced, I identified with his message. In 1962, I took part in sit- in demonstrations. In 1967 I registered African Americans to vote in rural South Carolina. Much of my time during the past decade has been pushing against the adverse influence in Alaska of corporations and a few wealthy individuals.

At this time in Alaska’s history, Bernie Sanders’ message needs to be heard. Bernie warned of the inordinate power and influence by a small, but wealthy, segment of our society. They use their wealth to manipulate politics and the economy for their benefit. Bernie’s speeches address the very issues my wife, Barbara, a few friends and I had been asserting from the first day won his race for governor of Alaska.

Sean Parnell’s policies resulted in the sale of Alaska's oil for less than fair market value and low production taxes. Governor Parnell stacked the Alaska legislature with reactionary Republicans. These Republican legislators introduced legislation that benefit some of the world’s wealthiest people. They continue to support projects like:

Pebble Mine; An extension of a road north of Juneau by 30 miles to benefit a senator’s husband; An illegal 20 year lease of the Anchorage Legislative Information Office; Steep cuts to the budget for the University of Alaska; Gutting public education in grades K-12; A $700 million subsidy of the oil companies.

These Republican legislators plan to continue flawed programs by financing state spending on the backs of all working Alaskans, young and old. They propose doing this by:

Cutting permanent fund dividends; Imposing a non-graduated income tax; Imposing sales taxes; Refusing to fund Alaska’s budget 1

For so many young and energetic people to show up to cast their vote for their choice for the President of the United States, gives us hope for a better future. Alaska needs that enthusiasm to continue and to extend to every campaign for public office in our state.

Thank you for your commitment and your enthusiasm.

I write this letter because of misunderstandings that have been circulated that, if believed, could snatch a great victory from the hands of Alaskans by diverting attention from the main issue to squabbling over personal ambitions for positions within the Democratic Party.

Internal disputes and vendettas are harmful and destructive This is not who we are as Progressive Democrats!

These efforts stir distrust fears division

Our party’s past history is one of great leadership and progressive ideas, not degradation of fellow Democrats, honed by years of experience.

FOUR ISSUES HAVE COME TO MY ATTENTION

1. Accusations that our state Democratic Legislators refuse to support legislation to prohibit influence buying

2. Allegations the ADP is giving money to the campaign.

3. An accusation that an ADP leader arbitrarily restricts use of "vote builder”.

4. A Petition to un- invite Debbie Wasserman Shultz from speaking at The State

Convention Banquet. 2

ADDRESSING THESE ISSUES

#1 Democratic legislators do not support a law prohibiting influence buying.

Ray Metcalfe and I have worked for number of years on several political campaigns. Specifically, we worked together to draft the Referendum on Senate Bill 21 (SB21) oil tax legislation which benefits the oil companies and has substantially reduced our production tax and changed the oil tax credits, at the expense of Alaskans. We also drafted an initiative for a law making it a felony for an Alaska legislator to vote on a bill that financially benefits himself, his spouse, family or employer.

Recently, Ray Metcalfe has been quoted as saying the Alaska legislators have not supported legislation to prohibit influence buying or selling. Ray fails to tell the whole story. Attached you'll find my wife's letter to Ray Metcalfe and his response. Senator Wielechowski offered to meet with Mr. Metcalfe and me to provide language that would help him get the bill through the legislative committee process. Ray refused to consider any modification of the scope of the prohibited influence buying as defined in our proposed initiative. Others objected the language went too far. Mr. Metcalfe refused to discuss their objections.

(Exhibits 1, 2 and 3)

#2 Alaska Democratic Party giving money to the Hillary Clinton campaign.

The Alaska Democratic Party has not given any money to the Hillary Clinton campaign. The Alaska Democratic Party has given money to the Democratic National Campaign which will be used to benefit the campaign of whoever wins the nomination.

Recently I sent a letter to Kay Brown, Executive Director of the Alaska Democratic Party to ask her about this issue. My letter is Exhibit 4. Ms Brown advised the following:

(Kay Brown's email attached as Exhibit 5)

The Democratic National Committee Campaign Fund has been established to promote the Democratic Party.

#3 An Alaskan Democratic Party leader arbitrarily restricts use of “Votebuilder.”

The National Democratic Committee’s (DNC) protects its property interest. It does so by limiting who the Alaska Democratic Party (ADP) allows to access “Votebuilder” and the terms of their use. The Democratic National Committee (DNC) had the “Votebuilder” software developed. That makes it the Democratic National Committee’s (DNC) intellectual property. The Alaska Democratic Party (ADP) receives “access” to “Votebuilder” through agreements with the DNC. DNC and ADP, jointly, control access and terms of use for “Votebuilder”. Both groups use it for party building and to benefit Democratic candidates. The ADP now provides

3

access to “Votebuilder” for its District, Regional, and Statewide Officers for party building purposes. The DNC’s contract protects its property interest by limiting who the ADP allows to access “Votebuilder” and the terms of use. (Email from Neil Reiff, counsel for the Alaska Democratic Party, attached as Exhibits 6 & 7)

Not only do contracts govern ADP use of and access to “Votebuilder”, but its use would also be governed by other legal requirements. The Alaska Public Offices Commission(APOC) has rules, regulations, and statutes which impose reporting requirements and limitations on political contributions. The fines for violation can be substantial. Programs like “Votebuilder” have a market value, sometimes, a significant value.

For a district officer to allow a group sponsoring a referendum or individual campaign to use “Votebuilder”would be considered an in kind contribution of property. It could cause contributions to be over the limit. It would create reporting responsibilities for the individual contributor, the campaign and the party.

The accusation is inaccurate. The proposed solution being suggested is not well thought through and will create more problems than it solves.

#4 The petition to "uninvite" from speaking in the state convention banquet.

This last week, my decision on one issue has changed, based upon consideration of information recently shown me by my wife, Barbara.

For years, my practice of staying informed consisted of reading the local daily newspaper, The Economist, listening to Public Radio (NPR) and 1-2 times/week reading either The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, or The Washington Post.

Conversation with several people about the Saturday night banquet speaker, Debbie Wasserman Shultz caused me to research additional sources. Last night, my wife, Barbara, Showed me online articles posted on The Huffington Post and other political blogs. These articles raised serious reservations for us about Debbie Wasserman Shultz.

Based upon this new information, my opinion has changed. Enough concern about Debbie Wasserman Shultz exists that each person should decide for themselves whether they chose to hear Debbie Wasserman Shultz. A person may decide, in good faith, to support the state party and not show disrespect to the Democratic National Committee by staying to hear Ms Wasserman’s address. Another person may decide, equally in good faith, to object to Debbie Wasserman Shultz supporting legislation detrimental to working Americans and being too cozy with corporations or Wall Street money men.

Whichever one decides, in good faith, should be respected by others.

4

It is about two basic responsibilities our democratic values require of us:

RESPECT for each other’s Right to Freedom of Association

RESPECT for another person’s Right to Freedom of Expression

The party invited Debbie Wasserman Shultz to speak nearly a year ago. Most of the controversy associated with the Congresswoman had not been covered by the newspapers. Most of the articles I read had been written within the last year. For that reason, the party leadership should not be blamed for inviting an allegedly, flawed national personality to speak at our state convention.

A State Party Convention should serve to unite us as a party.

The stakes are too high for Working men and women to Waste Time, Money and Effort on This internal party fight

CONCLUSION

The United States Supreme Court recently struck down a law restricting corporations from spending unlimited amounts of money to influence elections. The court made new law by granting corporations personhood. The court found corporations have a Constitutional right of free speech which allows them to spend unlimited amounts of money. Recently, one of the justices that made up that majority died. The refuses to follow the United States Constitution and appoint a replacement justice to the Supreme Court.

Electing either Secretary Clinton or Senator Sanders will result in the appointment to the United States Supreme Court of an individual that will change the current philosophical alignment of the Supreme Court.

A Democrat as president for the next 4 to 8 years could appoint from 1-4 Supreme Court Justices. Those appointments would change the decisions of the United States Supreme Court for the next 30 years.

We have important elections facing Alaskans this coming November. The ballot will include:

5

 one United States Senator  a US Congressman  40 seats in the Alaska House of Representatives  10 seats in the

We need to unite and focus our collective time and energy on electing statesmen and stateswomen to fill these offices. We need men and women motivated by men and women motivated by making a prosperous state to benefit all Alaskans. We do not need politicians motivated to enact policies that give them and their big money contributors a bigger piece of a diminishing pie.

We need representative citizens who will work to benefit Alaskans, not the 1% and not multinational corporations.

Let’s focus and strive for unity to build a better future.

Our party’s past history is one of great leadership and progressive ideas.

With my best personal regards and congratulations to each of you.

Hal P. Gazaway HD-15 District Chair

6