This story was originally published on dermotcole.com and is republished here with permission.
Gov. Mike Dunleavy used state employees to promote his reelection, obliterating the line between governing and campaigning.
This was a clear misuse of state resources. State law prohibits the use of “state funds, facilities, equipment, services or another government asset or resource for partisan political purposes.” The state ethics act is useless, however. It is overseen by three people appointed by the governor.
The personnel board, which is supposed to enforce the state ethics act, includes former GOP Rep. Craig Johnson, who was just elected to the House again and has to be replaced; Keith Hamilton, president of Alaska Christian College, (the state website says his term expired in March, but he remains a member); and Alfred Tagmani Sr., a former state employee and member of the board since 2006.
At least two of the state employees who promoted Dunleavy during the campaign as part of their state employment collected raises during the campaign year, according to state employment figures as of the end of October.
Right-wing PR man Dave Stieren received a raise to $156,000 during the past year. He now makes more than the governor. He also makes more than state commissioners with actual responsibilities. In most cases, commissioners are paid $141,000.
Stieren, the poster boy for bloated bureaucracy, doesn’t do anything that benefits the public, as his entire job is to serve as a Dunleavy cheerleader. He is now one of about 15 people in the governor’s office who earns more than the governor. Dunleavy earns $145,000. The lieutenant governor earns about $115,000.
Dunleavy hired Stieren four years ago at $135,000 a year to lead the cheerleading squad. Last December the state listed his salary at $139,000.
Last fall, Dunleavy hired Stieren’s friend, right winger Andrew Jensen, as a PR man in the governor’s office at $90,000 a year. This was about the time the Dunleavy reelection campaign needed a PR man.
Jensen claimed his campaign work had no relation to his state job and was perfectly legal because it was a “volunteer” position.
But his state job and his campaign job were the same—praising all things Dunleavy and attacking Dunleavy enemies.
Jensen was listed as Range 22, Step XX last year. Now he is Range 23, Step XX. Stieren remains at Range 25, Step XX, as he was last year.
Jensen has already received a raise and now earns $97,578, according to the state file of executive branch salaries as of Oct. 31. Here is the complete 2022 list.
Other PR people on the governor’s staff include: deputy communications director Jeff Turner, $138,000; deputy press secretary Shannon Mason, $89,000; digital media specialist Jeremy Cubas, $40 an hour; and community outreach manager Kollette Schroeder, $92,000.
Dermot Cole has worked as a newspaper reporter, columnist and author in Alaska for more than 40 years. Support his work here.
