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Parnell Nominee to Board of Game Rejected by Legislature

Nominee to Alaska’s Board of Game, Lynn Keogh, was rejected Tuesday by the Legislature. He had the support of Governor Sean Parnell, and of the powerful Alaska Outdoor Council hunting lobby. He needed 31 votes to retain his appointment. He got 29.

As reported earlier in the week, an email obtained by The Mudflats showed Republican Party Chair Randy Ruedrich forwarding an email from  Rod Arno of the Alaska Outdoor Council threatening legislators with strong-arm tactics if they didn’t approve Keogh’s appointment to the Board of Game.

From: Randy Ruedrich <xxxxxx@gci.net>
Date: March 30, 2012 8:09:07 AM AKDT
To:  <xxxxxx@kpunet.net>, <xxxxxx@gci.net>,  <xxxxxx@hotmail.com>
Subject: Anti’s go after Lynn Keogh’s confirmation to Board of Game

Get the word out, we can’t let the antis defeat Lynn’s confirmation to the BOG like they did with Al Barrette. 

POMs need to be sent to every legislator from now until the Joint House and Senate Confirmations vote supporting Keogh. Plus let legislators know we’ll go after everyone of  them who votes against Keogh next November.

Thanks Rod , AOC

Well, it looks like “the antis” ruled the day again – the antis who are pro-diversity, that is. The Board of Game is mandated to represent a diversity of wildlife interests, and yet time after time, the administrations of Sean Parnell, Sarah Palin and Frank Murkowski have nominated only those with big game hunting, and trapping interests. No biologists, or wildlife photographers, no tourism interests, or nature writers, or bear watchers. Just the notorious “kill ’em and grill ’em” crowd endorsed by the Alaska Outdoor Council and/or Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife – two groups with nice enough sounding names, but very NOT nice agendas. And, they’re all the same.

Lynn Keogh represented yet another big game hunter/trapper on the cookie-cutter board.  He had already voted to allow the highly controversial practices of killing both wolves and bears from helicopters, and also the baiting of brown bears. He is rabidly pro-predator control.

And then there was the mile-long list of civil court records which basically showed Mr. Keogh to be a scofflaw of the highest order in the world of traffic offenses, and also weaseling out of paying a boat launch fee, and using an illegal motor while guiding on the Kenai River. He then tried to convince the Senate Resources Committee that he didn’t know it was illegal.

You can behold Mr. Keogh’s impressive civil court record HERE.

So, what happened? Why didn’t Keogh just slip right in there with the rest of Parnell’s appointees? Well, gentle readers, that would be because of YOU. Your comments of outrage not only at the lack of diversity on the board, and the unsuitability of Parnell’s latest appointee, but about the fact that you said you knew that legislators were being pressured by a special interest group really made a difference.

 Let’s face it, we lose a lot. And some days can be difficult. That’s when you have to remember times like this when the “Antis” ruled the day.  Anti-croneyism, anti-special interest groups, anti-intimidation, anti-asshattery.
Rod Arno, the author of the “we’ll go after every one of them” email, was surprised he didn’t get his way. What is his group going to do now?

“We’re going to be hard-pressed to find someone who is active and has been out, who doesn’t have minor infractions like (Keogh has),” he said. If a clean record is the criteria to sit on the board, “We’re going to have a little old lady who only drives on Sunday and sips tea,” he said.

Apparently, the people he hangs out with have a penchant for law-breaking. And it’s worth pointing out that “a little old lady who only drives on Sunday and sips tea” would actually be some refreshing diversity on the Board of Game. If she’s the nominee, let’s hope her Sunday driving doesn’t involve compulsive speeding like Mr. Keogh.

So now, the AOC will search its membership to see if it can find someone who doesn’t break the law, and is exactly the same philosophically as every other member of the Board. Perhaps the governor will wise up and consider getting a recommendation for the Board from another source. It’s a thought.

Comments

comments

Comments
21 Responses to “Parnell Nominee to Board of Game Rejected by Legislature”
  1. Palmer Kid says:

    Thanks for your hard work on getting the information out, mudflats. Unfortunately Captain “0” will send another dinosaur for consideration.

  2. Jed says:

    It’s not even his speeding. It’s his wanton disregard for fish and game regs. Sen. Wagoner said it best from the floor when he called Keogh out for using a 50HP motor on the Kenai, which has a 35HP limit.

  3. tigerwine says:

    There is a God.

  4. Dave Sheridan says:

    Be sure to email or call to say “thank you” to the legislators that voted against the appointment.

    And a big “THANK YOU” to the AKMuckraker too! For raising the level of awareness and helping to get the word out! Vitamin democracy at its best!

  5. Moose Pucky says:

    We still need to go back and fix that wolf buffer zone around Denali. That loss of protection only passed by one vote and that vote came from Al Barrette, who later was unconfirmed by legislature.

    Why do Alaskans put up with this?

  6. hedgewytch says:

    My other half and I are lifelong hunters and trappers. Those furs are a good bit of money for us each year, though lately the fur prices have been so bad that we didn’t even fun our full trap line the past 2 years as it would cost us more to do that than what we could actually make off the line. (And we use kill only type of traps (konibear), no leg holds and very specifically set to only catch what we are after.)

    Having people such as these types on the BOG is an insult to those of us who adhere above and beyond to all G&F rules and regs, who go out of their way to ensure that the animals taken are done as humanely as cleanly as possible.

    We are also hikers, photographers, flower-smellers, and in general enjoy nature just as much as a non-consumptive user. I sure wish a couple of our types sat on that board. But it is very hard to get into that “clique” – you gotta have connections, usually monied political ones. That last thing the BOG seems to want are people who are actually looking to the future of our wildlife resources and not just how much money they can make off of it right now.

    • Mo says:

      Thanks for this post. It’s so easy to view all people who run traplines as greedy barbarians, we need to be reminded that it’s like anything else – you can do it right, or you can be an asshole. Seems pretty clear what category Arno falls into.

    • mike from iowa says:

      mikey thinks the reason there ar so few dissenting voices on these boards is rooted in rwnj phobia of rules and regulations. Educated biologists and the people that actually care for the resources and how they are managed tend to think,which is anathema to the world of killing and grilling. People that use their heads for more than a hat rack want resources regulated and preserved for future generations. That does not sit well with “Bubba” and company that figure a costly license means they git to kill whatever whenever. You are gonna have to work to change people’s minds that they can kill whatever whenever with no thought for the future.

    • UgaVic says:

      Thanks from this side too, on voicing to all that there are responsible people who also trap. We have only a few in our villages and many more outsiders who want to just do killing from a plane.

      It saddens me greatly to see the disrespect and I too wish a few souls who wisely use the resource where on the board.

      BTW- The state is accepting comments on how the citizen advisory committees for F&G are administered and suggestions for regulation changes. Look it up. I believe we have until Nov of this year to comment and then they will start meeting in Feb/March of 2013 to address concerns.

  7. Zyxomma says:

    Wouldn’t it be refreshing to see a wildlife biologist on the BoG? No, I won’t hold my breath, but I can hope.

  8. tallimat says:

    Oh this tool… he is known to be a real ass in Ninilchik. He thinks his $(;t don’t stink.

    Perhaps Parnell should realize that the Alaska Outdoor Council is loaded with rape and pillage wildlife creeps who could give a rat arse about wildlife…

    “kill, kill, kill, steal, steal, steal, at will” = should be Alaska Outdoor Council’s theme song.

    • luckycharms says:

      And his own reps voted against him – Chenault and Wagoner! Ha! I guess the stink factor increased today.

  9. Martha Unalaska Yard Sign says:

    No. 1 = YAY Legislators! I love it when a few of you show some spine.

    No. 2 = It was mentioned that Parnell might wise up – not gonna happen. He’s on a Dominionist mission and has been since day one in office. Palin in tidy-whities, minus the fake accent and lip liner.

    For today, the Nays have it. YAY!

  10. Alaska Pi says:

    Good.
    ADT.
    Board of Game is too important to all of us to become weighted too far towards the Alaska Outdoor Council and Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife mindset.
    This lil ol lady who sips tea and drives only on Saturday cuz she has to work Sundays wants to see a BoG which strips the muzzle off our wildlife biologists and works to balance all wildlife “uses”.
    Shame on this administration , Mr Ruedrich, and Mr Arno!
    This is about and for all of us- “antis” included.

  11. juneaudream says:

    Trapping..with care, selectivity..and an eye to a balenced health..for all..in the world lands..means to NOT put people with a high profit motive..anywhere NEAR the laws and rules, regulations. That picture in my view, is a ‘one percenter’..with those of us..who espose a different humanity ..’as the pelts’..on their display.

  12. beaglemom says:

    I’m very glad that Keogh’s nomination was rejected. Maybe Mudflats had something to do with that?

  13. Dagian says:

    Good for you! Enjoy the moment and stay alert.

  14. fromthediagonal says:

    The man got 29 votes? That would be 29 too many. The picture above is infuriating!

    • UgaVic says:

      Agree! What I am trying to decide is if all those that are on at least the top to rows are lynx or wolves?

      The one in the middle is a wolf and there are fox but I am not sure on the rest. Although I understand trapping, as done in many of our surrounding villages for generations, I do have an issue with something like this!

  15. Really? says:

    “Perhaps the governor will wise up and consider getting a recommendation for the Board from another source. It’s a thought”. What a hopeful statement AKM. Thank you for the great update. I was so surprised by the close vote. , and Rod Arno’s statement “we’ll go after every one of them” sounds threatening, just what does “go after” imply? I think I’ll have a cup of tea and relax.