Thursday, October 7, 2010

Hi, I'm running for public office. Write me a check?

Hanging around a North Pacific Fishery Management Council meeting, it's not unusual to see lawyers and lobbyists for seafood companies, crewman right off the docks in their Xtratufs, and even a few millionaire fishermen and processors.

Politicians know this, and come election time they're hanging around fishing for campaign cash.

Take this evening for example. From 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., Gov. Sean Parnell and Mead Treadwell, who's running for lieutenant governor, are holding a "Let's talk Alaska fisheries fundraiser" in the Crow's Nest at the Hotel Captain Cook in Anchorage, where the council is meeting this week. I found a stack of postcards hawking the event on a table in the back of the council meeting room.

The Parnell-Treadwell campaign faces competition for fish funds, as U.S. Rep. Doc Hastings, R-Wash., is holding his own "very special Alaska fundraising reception" during the same timeframe at the Orso restaurant just up the street. A flier lists some well-known fish lobbyists and lawyers as, I don't know, sponsors I guess.

Seeing as how he has very little money and doesn't care who wins, Deckboss reckons he'll skip both fundraisers.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Rep.DOC HASTINGS R-WASH is NO friend to Alaskan FISHERMAN.He's all about agri,power and the status quo.Meaning screw salmon in the Columbia river.

Anonymous said...

Our fisheries have been sold out long ago to outside interests, Parnell needs to focus on how he is going to give it back to ALASKANS and ALASKAN communities. Instead he focuses on this faux dream of a gas line to Canada, another sell out. Alaska needs an In-State gas line for Alaskans!