Gathering supports 'magnificent 7'
IRWIN: Former DNR executives called heroes for asking legal questions.
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By DON HUNTER
Anchorage Daily News
Published: October 29, 2005
Last Modified: October 29, 2005 at 07:20 AM
Ousted Natural Resources Commissioner Tom Irwin and six top aides who resigned with him were touted as "Alaska heroes" and "the magnificent seven" Friday at a mid-day rally in the shadow of the governor's office in the Atwood Building.
The protest, sponsored in part by groups promoting an all-Alaska natural gas line, drew several dozen people including politicians from across the spectrum. Just about all of them called on Gov. Frank Murkowski to open up his negotiations with producers to a "fair and transparent comparison" of competing pipeline proposals.
Lori Backes, director of the All Alaska Alliance, described Irwin as a "deeply committed" state employee who struggled with his doubts about Murkowski's gas line strategy. Putting them in writing to the attorney general "took a lot of courage and a lot of soul searching on his part," she said.
Other speakers included former Gov. Wally Hickel and two who have announced for next year's governor's race -- Republican Sara Palin and Democrat Eric Croft. There was Fairbanks North Star Borough Mayor Jim Whitaker; former Green Party gubernatorial candidate Jim Sykes; David Gottstein, co-founder of the petroleum industry watchdog group Backbone II; and Alaska Teamsters boss Mike Kenny.
Gottstein said Irwin was punished for raising legitimate questions about the legality of the negotiations -- "critically important issues that must be examined in depth and not glossed over."
Palin, a former Wasilla mayor, said the mass exodus of top Natural Resources officials is "a defining moment in our state" and "a perfect example of things that are amiss in Juneau."
Croft offered a barking dog analogy: "If your guard dog wakes you up at 2 a.m.," the Democratic state representative said, "you can investigate, or you can shoot the dog. Gov. Murkowski chose to shoot the dog."
Whitaker, who chairs the Alaska Natural Gasline Port Authority, which has a competing pipeline proposal, said in an interview after the event that he believes Murkowski will have to shed more light on his negotiations.
"It's going to happen," Whitaker said. "It must be transparent. I helped write the Stranded Gas Act. It was very clear that we required a transparent comparison of options. And it is not being fulfilled."
Murkowski has said his administration is working toward a gas line contract that will benefit Alaskans. While he respects differences of opinion among his cabinet members, the governor said Thursday, differences become problems "when we're not working as a team." |
