APOC Files Its Own Complaint Against Rep. Bill Thomas (Update)
Many of you know about the APOC complaint I filed against Rep. William Thomas, Jr. (R-Haines) because he claimed ads like this were “thank you ads,” not “campaign ads”:
One of the 17 ads named in the complaint
The status of that complaint is basically where we left it in my last post on the subject. The APOC staff re-opened the investigation, as the Commissioners tasked them to do in the Adminstrative Order. I know because they contacted me for more information. The new staff report should be out any day now, as I believe the investigation ended the last week of December.
However, THAT complaint really isn’t the topic of this post.
There’s been an interesting addition to the APOC woes of the Re-elect Thomas Campaign. It was the result of a simple audit performed by the APOC Staff. (Per the complaint):
Translation…the APOC Staff compared the amount of money reported by the successful Alaska House candidates at the conclusion of the 2008 election to the amount listed in the Year-Start reports by these same House candidates at the beginning of the 2010 election season. They wanted to ensure that no candidates started their campaign with more than the $5,000.00, the limit imposed on House candidates by Alaska Statute.
This is what they found:
Ooops…it seems that Mr. Thomas violated state law by over $10,000.00!
(In all fairness I must mention that Rep. Bryce Edgmon (D-Dillingham) also violated the law, causing APOC to file a complaint against him as well. However, Bill Thomas has the dubious distinction of beating him by over $4,000.00!)
These latest complaints are further evidence that some Alaska politicians are so sure they can do anything they want, they don’t even bother to learn the regulations in the first place. They put the evidence APOC used against them right in their own reports!
On a side note:
No one at the Anchorage Daily News has been reporting on my complaint against Rep. Thomas…even though the outcome will have a strong impact on campaign communication in the next election. However, I saw this article today on the Alaska Politics Blog, diligently reporting on the APOC Complaint against Mr. Edgmon.
Yet, though APOC issued the complaint against Mr. Thomas THE VERY SAME DAY (Jan 5th) there was NO MENTION OF HIM in the article on the Politics Blog. You would thing that Mr. Edgmon was the lone House member who committed a violation.
So, Anchorage Daily News, why the descrepancy?
*****UPDATE*****
Sean Cockerham has updated the Politics Blog with APOC’s complaint against Thomas. He also explains why he missed it in the first place (it was not included in the agenda for Thursday’s meeting because the investigation is not yet closed).
It’s wonderful…I signed it yesterday…
I haven’t posted much here of late, but still come in almost daily to follow my favorite blogger.
off topic, but something you might consider. But, Credo…a wireless service provider has a petition going on which says:
“Threats of violence have no place in our democracy. Renounce the use of shooting images in political rhetoric immediately, and stop using your platform to promote and validate violent calls to action on the right.”
They have 207,000 signatures right now. Here’s the site:
http://act.credoaction.com/campaign/palin_violence/
I have already signed it, and encourage others to make their voices heard by this tiny step!
I say this as a friend speaking to friends…
Sadly, I see this type of petition just adding fuel to the fire. Notice how it specifically calls out “the right” for “promot[ing] and validat[ing] violent calls to action”? — that’s going to fall on deaf ears. There is NO way any one who needs to hear the call, will — not when they’ve been, from the outset, accused, tried, and found guilty as sin.
How difficult would it have been to leave the words: “on the right”, off? Adding them is totally disavowing that anyone on the left, ever!, has been guilty of the slightest hint of what the right is being chided for doing; adding them is, imho, so passive-aggressive as to be laughable. And is totally! counter-productive.
Is it possible for two sides to come together towards a common goal if one of the sides is announcing the other is inferior, is nefarious, is conniving, is really a pos? I don’t think so. Two sides can *only* come together if *both* give and accept, respect to and from the other.
Telling “them” that they are (essentially) the scum who has caused all the ugly and that they need to mend their ways because you’ve judged them to be the scum behind all of it, is no way to get “them” to cooperate. Would you, if the tables were turned? If *they* were ‘offering’ the petition to you to get you to change your behaviour, would you just fall all over yourself to cease and desist? I highly doubt it.
Sorry, but I can’t support such a petition. Had it *not* included “the right”, then, yeah – it’s a great thing and worthy of universal support. As it’s written, though, to me it’s like saying: You people on the right, you conservatives, you Tea-Partyers, you GOPers, all of you who do not have the exact same political and social views as me — ALL of you!– *your* chit stinks. Real bad. Mine doesn’t – never has and never will. Change *your* ways, I’m perfect as I am.
Do you see the point I’m trying to make? Do you see what a difference the words “the right” make in a situation like this and how they totally *change* the atmosphere from one of an extended olive-branch for cooperation to one of a two-by-four meant for belittling, berating, and beating? beth.
Beth- I do see what you are saying. I didn’t read it the way you did. I did see the word “right” there…but saw the petition directly aimed at Sarah Palin and her calls to action for those on the right. I can understand how someone on the right might easily read it as directed towards them (especially those easily swayed)…but I signed the petition as a direct letter to sarah…not to the right (who might blindly follow her words). I certainly would opt for a way to bridge the gap between right and left….I fear there is not a lot that we on the left can do other than voice our opinions directly to the mouthpiece. While I appreciate your heads-up…I was glad to see a petition to voice that I read directly aimed at Sarah. 🙂
I see your point but when watching c-span last week a republican senator blamed everything onthe democrates even when a democrat made sure he said both parties whoever was in the minority.So it goes both ways
Very informative article Lacy Lady thanks
Slipstream—I agree. He looks pretty healthy. I don’t know what it would take to turn these people around and take responsibility for their actions. They are like little kids who blame someone else for the damage done.
Received this article from a friend.
http://matthewdg.wordpress.com:80/2011/01/09/words-matter-and-they-can-hurt-even
Inspiring article, the writer obviously walks the walk and is not afraid to share without being preachy. Thank you for the link.
I just got off the phone…I suspect we will see something in the ADN about Thomas in the next 24 hours.
http://community.adn.com/?q=adn/node/155188
“APOC staff files complaint against Edgmon (Updated with complaint against Bill Thomas as well)
Posted by Alaska_Politics
Posted: January 10, 2011 – 4:28 pm
Alaska Public Offices Commission staff is also charging Haines Republican Rep. Bill Thomas with transferring too much money from his 2008 campaign to his 2010 re-election effort.”
Already there! Good job!
Sean was very apologetic.
Comment seen on Huffpo this mornng:
“Easy Access to Very Dangerous Guns + The Gutting of Mental Health Services + A Culture of Violence + The Rhetoric of Political Destruction = Tragedy”
The co-founder of Tucson’s Tea Party is saying that he, his family, and the Tea Party are victims of Saturday’s shooting.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jan/11/arizona-shootings-tea-party
Really? Victims? In the picture, it doesn’t look like he got a bullet through the brain.
I plan to write to my republican senator and request a face to face meeting. I plan to tell him that demonizing the opposition and the use of violent rhetoric is not acceptable. I plan to tell him that I am drawing a line in the sand (to borrow a line from the hatemonger herself) and will from here on in call him out when he uses or condones this hateful language.
Thank you..That is a totally decent thing to do..
I just have to post this!! I saw a question this am online—” Sarah, how’s crossy hairy thing working out for ya”? I am just so sadden by this whole AZ thing. I am hearing many on the left saying they will tone things down, while Beck and Limbaugh just keep up same old thing”.
I have to say you are partially right. Beck and limburger are pushing it for all itis woth but I also notice some commenters are also pretty viious and they are from the far far left,just like Beck and limburger and palin are from the far far right. Joe S seems to be the only conservative handling this well.
sorry vicious
OT, Gabby Giffords is breathing on her own! She’s a fighter. Godspeed to your recovery and the others injured.
So glad to read this. Linda, I hope you and your good sense, as well as your concern as a citizen, prevail.
AK Raven~ I was wondering the same thing? How do they give it back? I wonder how the Alaskan laws are compared to the laws in Delaware. It seems Christine o’Donnell would not do well if she lived in Alaska.
Linda, again thank you. You fight the good fight, when and where it matters. You are a true Alaskan, fighting for your state.
“There are a variety of things candidates can do with unused campaign money, including donations to a political party or charity. Some can be used for a public office expense account.”
http://community.adn.com/?q=adn/node/155188
This may be a stupid question- but what does a candidate do with a surplus at the end of a campaign? Many would laugh at the idea- but what is the legitimate thing to do with the money? What is allowable by law?
Thank you.
Per Alaska Statutes, any left-over funds at the end of a campaign are to be donated to slipstream.
Bwa ha ha…good one. Hey, wait– how about splitting the proceeds? 😉
Sorry, CO, you have to be an Alaska resident.
what the heck is slipstream??
I am!
Just took rereading this post to see it was a LOL
AK Raven,
My understanding, in the past, was the candidate could save it to use for future election campaigns for their own or another’s runs.
Isn’t there a saying about how we usually attribute someone’s actions ( like ADN leaving out other names) to devious motivations when in reality it is just stupidity.
Something like, never attribute to malice something that can be explained by stupidity. My favorite quote. I think it actually comes from a Robert Heinlen book.
Well, obviously it must have been a “thank you”, as he was talking about Nobel, rather than noble, people of this land.
“So, Anchorage Daily News, why the discrepancy?”
They were all happy about their Nobel?
Well, I hope that everybody who runs for office takes the time to read the rules, or has an adviser who does so, to keep it clean and above-board. Clearly, somebody is watching!
I hope you prevail.