Introduction:
With the assistance of Lawyers Defending American Democracy, Alaska lawyers have the opportunity to sign the following letter calling on Senator Murkowski and Senator Sullivan to fulfill their congressional duty to serve as a check on presidential actions that upend our Constitution and the rule of law. For the sake of our democracy, please add your name to the letter and share it with your colleagues.
Alaska attorneys might also wish to sign the separate letter from Lawyers Defending American Democracy calling on President Trump to abide by the standards and values of our democracy. As lawyers, we have an obligation to take a stand for the rule of law and for our system of government.
Charles E. Cole, Former Attorney General, State of Alaska
Walter L. Carpeneti, Chief Justice, Supreme Court (Ret.)
The Open Letter:
Dear Senators Murkowski and Sullivan:
We are Alaska lawyers writing to enlist your support in defending the constitutional values and norms of political behavior on which our democracy depends. These core values and principles – the rule of law, institutional checks and balances, separation of powers, freedom of the press, truthfulness to the public, and the integrity of our justice system – are under attack.
In our system of government, laws are only as good as those willing to uphold them. When a president disregards core values and principles, it is the duty of Congress to serve as a check – otherwise the rule of law becomes meaningless.
President Donald Trump is actively challenging the rule of law and undermining constitutional values and principles. Among other things, he is subverting the independence and integrity of the federal criminal justice and intelligence agencies; he is blocking proper congressional oversight of his administration at every level; he has indicated his willingness to take assistance from foreign governments for the next election; he is failing to fulfill his constitutional duty by appointing “acting” administrators to positions subject to consent by the Senate; he has improperly invoked emergency powers over the border wall to circumvent Congress’ appropriation power; and almost every day more evidence emerges of the President’s violation of the Constitution’s emoluments clause.
In direct contradiction of America’s first amendment principles, President Trump has repeatedly attacked the mainstream news media as the “enemy of the American people,” sowing the seeds of violence against journalists. And he undercuts the integrity of the courts with the blanket condemnation that our justice system is “broken and unfair” and by pillorying judges and decisions that he dislikes.
A new, nonpartisan organization called Lawyers Defending American Democracy (LDAD) has recently published an Open Letter to the President and Congress addressing these issues, www.lawyersdefendingdemocracy.org. As it notes, in part:
The President’s attacks on these core American democratic principles undermine the foundations of our Constitution and threaten the rule of law. Unless challenged and checked, this pattern of disregard weakens the norms that underpin America’s self-government and invites unfettered executive power – transforming the United States from a democracy to an autocracy. As members of the legal profession, pledged to support the rule of law and the constitutional separation of powers, we must not allow this to happen.
The values and principles threatened here [transcend] politics, policy differences and any politician’s self-interest. They’re the bedrock of our American, constitutional, democratic form of government.
We are specifically asking you to issue a statement supporting Lawyers Defending American Democracy’s Open Letter (https://lawyersdefendingdemocracy.org/letter/) and cause it to be published in the Congressional Record. We also believe that the Letter could be a worthwhile point of reference for a Judiciary Committee hearing on the challenges currently facing the rule of law in our country. We would hope for bi-partisan support in both chambers. As noted in Lawyers Defending American Democracy’s Open Letter, prominent conservative lawyers have recently spoken out on many of these same issues through a new organization, “Checks and Balances.” We ask you to do the same.
More broadly, we are asking you to join us and take a stand for America’s core values and principles. We ask that you publicly call on the Senate leadership and your Congressional colleagues to take all actions available to preserve and protect America’s democracy.
Thank you.
Signers (NOTE: Please be aware that there will be a time lag between completing the form and your name appearing as a signatory. Thank you for your understanding.)
| Meredith Ahearn – Anchorage Alaska ; Lawyers Defending America |
| Jessie Archibald – Juneau, Alaska; Alaska Bar Member |
| Danielle Baileu – Anchorage, Alaska; Attorney, State of Alaska |
| Nick Bajwa – Anchorage, Alaska; Attorney |
| Elizabeth M. Bakalar – Juneau, Alaska; Ms. Elizabeth Bakalar, Former Senior Assistant Attorney General for the State of Alaska, Department of Law, Current Solo Practitioner |
| James K. Barnett – Anchorage, Alaska; Attorney and Alaska Historian |
| Peter Bartlett – Anchorage, Alaska; Law Office of Peter Bartlett, former Assistant Attorney General, Assistant District Attorney (State of Alaska), former Assistant Municipal Attorney (Municipality of Anchorage), Inactive Member, Washington Bar Association |
| Chris Bataille – Anchorage, Alaska; Flanigan & Bataille |
| Lynn S. Bechtol – Anchorage, Alaska; Attorney at Law |
| Ilona Bessenyey – Anchorage, Alaska; Owner and attorney, Bessenyey & Van Tuyn, LLC |
| Kathryn Black – Anchorage, Alaska; Of Counsel, Birch Horton Bittner & Cherot |
| Kristen Bomengen – Juneau, Alaska; State of Alaska, Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission |
| Bruce A Bookman – Anchorage ; Bookman & Helm LLP. Retired |
| Bruce Botelho – Douglas, Alaska; Attorney General (1994-2002). Mayor, City and Borough of Juneau (1988-91, 2003-2012) |
| Laura C. Bottger – Bainbridge Island; Former Assistant Attorney General, Alaska |
| Paul H Bratton – Fritz Creek; Law Office of Paul H. Bratton |
| James T. Brennan – City and Borough of Sitka, Alaska; (Formerly) Brennan and Heideman |
| Monte Brice – Juneau, Alaska; Alaska Bar Association member |
| Valerie Van Brocklin – Anchorage, AK; Former ADA and AUSA |
| Daniel Bruce – Juneau, Alaska; Baxter Bruce & Sullivan PC |
| David H. Bundy – Anchoage; David H Bundy, P.C., attorney |
| Mark C. Choate – Juneau; Choate Law Firm LLC |
| Grant Callow – Anchorage, Alaska; Alaska lawyer; Alaska Delegate and Life Member – Uniform Law Commission of the United States |
| Annie Carpeneti – Juneau, Alaska; Attorney General’s Office – retired |
| Marianna Carpeneti – Juneau, Alaska; State of Alaska, Office of Public Advocacy |
| Walter (Bud) Carpeneti – Juneau, Alaska; Chief Justice, Alaska Supreme Court (Ret.) |
| Alison Carter – Fairbanks, Alaska; Attorney |
| Shelley K. Chaffin – Anchorage, Alaska; Law Office of Shelley K. Chaffin |
| Evan Chyun – Anchorage, Alaska; Former Assistant Public Advocate, State of Alaska |
| Victoria Clark – Anchorage, AK; Trustees for Alaska Executive Director |
| David D. Clark – Anchorage, AK; Owner, Law Office of David Clark |
| Joan Clover – Anchorage, Alaska; Law Office/Mediation Services of Joan Clover |
| Charles William Cohen – Juneau, Alaska; BLISS RIORDAN, Partner |
| John Connors – Fairbanks; Law Office of John J. Connors, P.C. |
| Teresa B. Cramer – Juneau, Alaska; Retired attorney |
| Anna C. Crary – Anchorage; Attorney, private practice |
| Barbara Craver – Juneau, Alaska; Retired |
| Glenn Cravez – Anchorage, Alaska; Law Office of Glenn E. Cravez, Inc. |
| Eric Croft – Anchorage, Alaska; Croft Law Office |
| Beverly Winslow Cutler – Palmer, Alaska; Retired Superior Court Judge |
| D. Scott Dattan – Anchorage; Lawyer |
| Ann DeArmond – Wasilla, Alaska; |
| Lisa DeCora – Anchorage, Alaska; Alaska Bar Member |
| Eric Derleth – Soldotna, Alaska; Eric Derleth – Trial Lawyer, Inc |
| Steve Devries – Anchorage Alaska; Attorney |
| Cynthia Drinkwater – Anchorage, Alaska; Attorney General’s Office – Retired |
| Heidi Drygas – Juneau, Alaska; Attorney, Private Practice |
| Roger W. DuBrock – Anchorage, Alaska; Sonosky, Chambers, Sachse, Miller & Munson, of counsel |
| Kim Dunn – Anchorage, Alaska ; Partner, Landye Bennett Blumstein LLP |
| Monica Elkinton – Anchorage, Alaska; Assistant Municipal Attorney, Municipality of Anchorage |
| William English – Anchorage, Alaska; Attorney at Law |
| Susan Falk – Anchorage, Alaska; Alaska State Law Librarian |
| Sarah J Felix – Portland, OR; Assistant Attorney General, State of Alaska, Department of Law |
| Walter T. Featherly – Anchorage, Alaska; Holland & Knight, Anchorage office executive partner |
| J John Franich – Fairbanks, Alaska; Attorney |
| Michael J. Frank – Anchorage, Alaska; Former member Alaska and Michigan Bar Associations |
| John Gaguine – Juneau, Alaska; Former Assistant Attorney General |
| Gayle Garrigues – Fairbanks, Alaska; Retired, former Assistant District Attorney, & former Assistant Attorney General, State of Alaska |
| Joseph W. Geldhof – JUneau; Law Office of Joseph W. Geldhof |
| Elizabeth Ann Gifford – Juneau, Alaska; Retired from Faulkner Banfield, P.C. |
| Donna J. Goldsmith – Anchorage, Alaska; Attorney – Former Special Assistant Attorney General and private practitioner – Retired |
| Paul H. Grant – Juneau, Alaska; Former member of the Board of Directors of the American Civil Liberties Union |
| Deborah Greenberg – Anchorage, Alaska; Assistant District Attorney, Alaska/Assistant Attorney General, Alaska |
| Clifford J. Groh, II – Anchorage, Alaska; Former Assistant District Attorney, State of Alaska |
| Chris D. Gronning – Anchorage, Alaska; Bankston Gronning Brecht, PC |
| Peter Gruenstein – Anchorage AK; Attorney |
| Adam Gulkis – Anchorage, Alaska; Solo Practitioner |
| Carmen Gutierrez – Anchorage, Alaska; Retired |
| Andrew Haas – Homer, Alaska; Haas and Spigelmyer, partner |
| Emma Haddix – Anchorage, Alaska; State of Alaska, Senior Assistant Attorney General |
| Amanda Harber – Soldotna; Attorney |
| Stephanie Harrod – Anchorage, Alaska; Associate Attorney, Josephson Law Offices |
| Leone Hatch – Fairbanks Alaska; Attorney |
| John Hedland – Anchorage; Retired., formerly Hedland, Brennan and Heideman |
| Edward H. Hein – Juneau, Alaska; United States Administrative Law Judge (retired) |
| Leslie Hiebert – Anchorage; Private Practice |
| Lindsay Hobson – Anchorage, Alaska; Attorney |
| Deborah A. Holbrook – Juneau; Law Office of Deborah A. Holbrook |
| Lee Holen – Anchorage, Alaska; Lee Holen Law Office |
| Katy Howard – Eagle River, Alaska; Retired Administrative Law Judge |
| Dena Ivey – Anchorage, Alaska; Attorney |
| James R Jackson – Crozet, VA; GCI |
| Ryan W. Jager – Anchorage, Alaska; Solo Practitioner |
| Matthew Jamin – Kodiak, AK; Jamin Law Office |
| Joseph Kashi – Soldotna, AK; Present |
| Beth Kerttula – Juneau, Alaska ; Former Minority Leader, Alaska State House of Representatives |
| Tina Kobayashi – Juneau, Alaska; Former Assistant Attorney General, State of Alaska |
| Eric Kocher – Haines, Alaska; Attorney at Law |
| Tom Koester – Juneau, Alaska; Retired |
| Alex Koponen – Fairbanks, Alaska; Alex Koponen, Attorney at Law |
| Eric Kueffner – Juneau, Alaska; Retired from Faulkner Banfield, P.C. |
| H. Van Z. Lawrence – Fairbanks, Alaska; Alaska Bar Association–Attorney, Commisioner of the Alaska Public Offices Commission |
| Averil Lerman – ; Formerly with the Federal Public Defender; Retired |
| Michael LeVine – Juneau, AK; Attorney |
| Robert M. Libbey – Anchorage, AK 99516; Alaska Bar Association-56 years |
| Erin M. Lillie – Nome, Alaska; LT Nome Law, PC: Partner |
| Robert “Buck” Lindekugel – Juneau, Alaska; Southeast Alaska Conservation Council, Grassroots Attorney |
| Jahna Lindemuth – Anchorage, Alaska; Attorney |
| Thomas Lohman – Anchorage, AK; North Slope Borough Environmental Resource Specialist |
| Erin Dougherty Lynch – Anchorage, Alaska; Native American Rights Fund, Senior Staff Attorney |
| Krista Maciolek – Palmer, Alaska; Palmer, Alaska; attorney |
| Annalee McConnell – Juneau Alaska; Former Director, State of Alaska Office of Management and Budget |
| Kevin F. McCoy – Anchorage, Alaska 99501; Office of the Federal Defender for the District of Alaska |
| Mary Alice McKeen – Juneau; Administrative Judge, Office of Administrative Appeals, National Marine Fisheries Service (ret.) |
| Douglas Mertz – Juneau, Alaska; Mertz Law Office |
| Julia Metzger – Anchorage, AK; Assistant Public Defender |
| Kristina Miller – Fairbanks, Alaska; Alaska Bar Association, Practicing Attorney |
| John M. Miller – Anchorage, AK; Law Office of Jon M. Miller, LLC |
| Vivian Munson – Eagle River; Law Office of Vivian Munson |
| John Murtagh – Anchorage Alaska; Solo Private Practice since 1982 |
| Michelle Nesbett – Anchorage, Alaska; Nesbett Law Offices and former Assistant District Attorney, State of Alaska |
| Brad De Noble – Eagle River; De Noble Law Offices LLC |
| Deborah O’Regan – Anchorage; Alaska Bar Association |
| Susan Orlansky – Anchorage, Alaska; Of counsel to Reeves Amodio, LLC |
| Douglas S. Parker – Anchorage, AK; Shareholder, Littler Mendelson |
| Andy L. Pevehouse – Kenai, Alaska; Gilman & Pevehouse |
| Janet Platt – Anchorage, Alaska; Law Offices of Janet D Platt |
| Jack Garyth Poulson – Juneau, Alaska; Sanders Poulson Woolford, LLC |
| Dawn Reed-Slaten – Anchorage, Alaska; Attorney |
| Jerald Reichlin – Anchorage; owner-Law Office of Jerald M. Reichlin, P.C. |
| Blake Rider – Juneau, Alaska; Alaska Bar Member |
| Justin Roberts – Anchorage; General Counsel, IBEW Local 1547 |
| Kenneth G. Robertson – Anchorage, Alaska; Robertson Law Office, Inc. |
| William G. Royce – Anchorage, Alaska; Law Office of William G Royce |
| Renea Saade – Anchorage, Alaska ; Littler Mendelson – Shareholder |
| Vance A. Sanders – Juneau, Alaska; Sanders Poulson Woolford, LLC; Former President, Alaska Legal Services Corp. |
| Megan Sandone – Anchorage, Alaska ; Jermain Dunnagan & Owens |
| David J. Schmid – Anchorage, Alaska; Alaska Bar Association, Active Member |
| Phil Shanahan – Anchorage, AK; Private practice; former Assistant Public Advocate for State of Alaska |
| Cameron Sharick – Anchorage Alaska; Lawyer |
| Helen Sharratt – Eagle River, Alaska ; Legal Services & Guardian Ad Litem |
| Caitlin Shortell – Anchorage, Alaska; Owner and Attorney, Shortell Law LLC; former assistant attorney general State Department of Law |
| Sharon Sigmon – KODIAK; Retired |
| Moira K. Smith – Anchorage, Alaska; Attorney |
| Marc Andrew Spooner – Anchorage, Alaska; Walker & Eakes |
| Michael A. D. Stanley – Juneau, Alaska; None |
| Michael Stark – Juneau Alaska; Former Assistant Attorney General and Vice Chair Alaska Board of Parole |
| Michael Stehle – Anchorage, Alaska; Law Office of Michael Stehle, P.C. |
| Janna Stewart – Anchorage Alaska; Former Alaska Court System, retired/inactive |
| Margaret Stock – Anchorage, Alaska; Owner & Attorney, Cascadia Cross Border Law Group LLC |
| Kathleen Strasbaugh – Juneau, Alaska; solo practitioner and former Alaska assistant attorney general |
| Cynthia Strout – Anchorage, Alaska; Former President of the Alaska Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers |
| Camillé Oechsli Taylor – Anchorage, Alaska; Retired |
| R. Scott Taylor – Anchorage, Alaska; Former Senior Asstistant Attorney General; Private Practice |
| Meghan Topkok – Nome, Alaska; Attorney |
| Nancy Wainwright – Anchorage, Alaska; Wainwright Legal Services, LLC. |
| Dan Wayne – Juneau Alaska; Member of Alaska Bar Association 28 years |
| W. David Weed – Anchorage, Alaska; Alaska Bar Association; The State Bar of California (inactive) |
| Lisa Weissler – Juneau, Alaska; Assistant Attorney General, State of Alaska, Retired |
| Tara Wheatland – Anchorage, Alaska; Attorney |
| Steve White – Juneau, Alaska; Assistant Attorney General, former |
| Denise Wike – Anchorage Alaska; Anchorage Youth Court Legal Advisor |
| Jill Wittenbrader – Alaska; Attorney |
| Patricia Wong – Anchorage, Alaska; Attorney, Law Office of Brian Heady |
| Emily Wright – Juneau, Alaska; Alaska Bar Member |
| Larry Zervos – Fairbanks, Alaska; Mediator and Arbitrator |