Speedo Sinks Alaska Gov’s Appointee
Amid a firestorm of gasps, giggles, and moral outrage, Alaska’s Governor Bill Walker (I) has withdrawn from consideration an appointee to the Alaska Commission on Judicial Conduct.
Jeff Landfield’s own conduct came under scrutiny after several Facebook photos came to light, which the governor’s spokesperson Grace Jang said were “disrespectful” and “misogynistic,” a characterization Landfield disputes. No specific images were cited, but Landfield’s personal Facebook page is a cornucopia of party pics, poolside Las Vegas romps, and boozy musings.
The position Landfield hoped to take for the Walker administration handles complaints filed against state judges – an unpaid appointment which would have required legislative confirmation. Landfield currently chairs the Anchorage Federation of Community Councils, and is a former candidate for the Alaska State Senate. He ran a primary challenge against Republican incumbent Lesil McGuire in 2012. She still occupies her seat, currently chairs the Judiciary Committee, and would have overseen the confirmation – requiring a vote of the full legislative body.
The awkwardness was noted by Alexandra Gutierrez, a reporter from Alaska Public Radio who tweeted on February 4th:
Several of Landfield’s Facebook photos circulated around the Capitol building in Juneau to raised eyebrows. The images showed him clad in a leopard skin-patterned Speedo and a cowboy hat, surrounded by women in bikinis at a Las Vegas swimming pool. Another showed him grabbing a woman’s breasts in a bar. Landfield said he thought better of sharing that particular image, and quickly deleted it after posting – about a year ago. Other pictures showed him at a bachelorette party making a crude and suggestive gesture with a party favor, and hiking an Alaskan trail drinking whiskey from the bottle.
Landfield is known to his 1300 Facebook friends (which include many local and state politicians) for posting photos of himself and others in revealing attire, and drunken revelry. “This is not something I hide,” he said. “I’m kind of an open book.”
Alaska isn’t the only place where Speedos have become controversial. A Republican lawmaker, Rep. David Moore (R-Montana) put forward a bill on Tuesday, which would tighten the definition of “indecent exposure” to include tight fitting clothes including Speedos and yoga pants.
Craig Fleener, Walker’s adviser on Arctic Issues recommended Landfield in the administration’s attempt to get more young Alaskans involved in the process, said Jang. The 30-year old Landfield submitted his resume and expressed interest in boards and commissions.
Despite cohosting a fundraiser for Walker during his recent gubernatorial run, Landfield says he doesn’t hold a grudge against the governor for whom he says he has “the utmost respect.”
“To be clear, I hold no ill will towards Governor Walker or his administration,” he said. “I understand they have to make decisions that they think are best for Alaska. What probably happened was a person or persons who don’t like me or don’t want to see me do anything, used the Facebook stuff to try and make me look bad.”
Landfield agrees with the importance of getting young Alaskans involved in politics, but sees problems ahead for those who grew up during the era of social media. He posted a response to the controversy on his Facebook page Wednesday.
“Personally, I think this is a generational issue. I am 30 and grew up in the age of digital cameras, smart phones and social media. Many of my generation have told me that the potential for publicity such as this is the exact reason they do not want to get involved in public service. I anticipate this sort of reaction to social media will wear off as more of my generation become involved and view it for what it is – being young in the digital age…
“But I want to be clear that I remain committed to doing what I can to ensure Alaska remains a prosperous place to live and work… My commitment to public service has never been stronger and I am not changing how I live my life.
“Anyone who knows me, and lots of people do, knows I like to have a good time, don’t hide anything and do my best to enjoy life to the fullest. At the same time I focus my full attention on serious issues when it’s time to address them. I will continue to do that going forward.”
Landfield says that he plans to run for the same State Senate seat in 2016, but no plans to ditch the Speedo. “I am what I am.”
[Full disclosure: The author knows Mr. Landfield personally, but has been spared the Speedo experience. She will be co-hosting The Dave Stieren Show on 750 KFQD radio in Anchorage with Mr. Landfield on Tuesday, February 17 from 2-5pm Alaska time.
Geez, I’ve been hearing about this “speedo” stuff but didn’t pay much attention, until now. My gosh, if the guy was going to pose his physique so openly on F.B., surrounded by hotties, it seems he would have signed up for a stint at “Planet Fitness”, maybe ten years worth, before posting. Also, quit putting in so much over-time with the knife and fork. Seriously, you can’t look like a loaf of bread with four toothpicks sticking out of it and be naive enough to believe that image portrays one worthy of respect for a civil service slot.
My eyes are still bleeding from looking at that photo.
To (nearly) quote a friend of mine: “Speedo should be a privilege, not a right.”
We do not need to be governed by people who are willing, and good at, apologizing for inappropriate personal behavior. We need to be governed by people who have nothing to apologize for.
Gollygoosherooey JHypers,no witty,slanderous comebacks.
It’s about time this SJW blog published something worth trolling over….
How many people reading and commenting here know that Lanfield speaks fluent Russian…and stayed by a friend as he died after being shot outside of Platinum Jaxx? Inconsequential to anything, but some added value perhaps to what everyone else sees (primarily older women, based on the commentary…with mike from iowa as an honorary member) as a drunken lecher.
This is just my conjecture, but maybe he is the way he is because he ‘gets it’. He’s swallowed the red pill, if you will. He knows that society no longer operates on the old set of books, and is living his life in accordance with his own rules. In other words: no f**ks given. Unless he’s paid the darling ladies dangling off of him in those photos, he is presenting everyone else with a bit of reality, particularly for the more senior readers in the crowd.
In today’s openly hypergamous society, men are little more than clowns to women. The nice, standup, reliable, boring man pales in comparison to the lively cad who alleviates a woman’s boredom through emotional variance. The comments on his physique should also let the readers in on another secret regarding female preference, which is that a man’s game can overcome deficiencies in both looks and status.
I respect Jeff Lanfield for two reasons. First, he makes no apology for the way he is. Second, he takes full responsibility for his actions. I detect no evidence of butt-hurtitude on his part over being dropped from consideration for this political position. He’ll move on in life, and continue to uphold his burden of performance.
I think we get it,sport. You want his” koch”-don’t you? You’re one of these macho man types that bag stuff for the thrills,but it is his meat your after. Don’t be ashamed to admit it. 🙂
I saw your photo in your avatar. Is that a tinfoil hat you are wearing? It would certainly explain alot.
Eh. Ya wanna be a party animal, Lounge Lizard Larry, fine.
People will laugh at you, of course, and call you a tool and a fool.
You have to be a classier frat boy, like Shrub, in order to hold public office.
Classy-what’s worse than last class?
After the ..reading of this..I must say..I ..wandered off..to muse. At 77..it has been my joy..to never have known any such slackers..such ‘posures’..and so..the world..has been good to me. He seems to hunger after..a palenesque..type of ‘importance’. Lets give that poor soul..what he asks for. Send him worn out thongs.. rolls of socks..and a fair..amount of pity. 30? Even worse.
Employers often look at personal FB pages, from what I have heard. Everyone should use some discretion when they post updates, or keep their page private with select “friends”.
This definitely is not the type of stuff that Alaska needs in order to dredge our reputation from the muck after the palin debacles. Social media is good for one thing – eliminating those who are too stupid to keep their junk private.
No wonder the rest of the country snorts with laughter when we say we live in AK.
No state is immune from embarrassing politicians and scandals. It has not been my experience that people laugh at Alaska. The laughter is directed toward individuals, not the state.
I’m glad to have social media, but also glad my wild years occurred long, long ago.
That is some stuff that happened in Vegas that should have stayed in Vegas. Seriously!