Alaska's Attorney General: Prioritizing Politics Over People

Alaska's acting attorney general, Stephen Cox, has been in office for a short time, but his actions have raised eyebrows. He seems more focused on making a name for himself in national politics than on serving the people of Alaska. Cox's first move was to bring in an attorney from Indiana to be his second in command. This attorney doesn't even live in Alaska or have a license to practice law there. This decision upset many people who had worked in the Department of Law for years, some for decades. It also hurt the morale and retention of the department. Cox has also been busy filing briefs in cases that have nothing to do with Alaska. He seems more interested in promoting his far-right views than in protecting the interests of Alaskans. For example, he spent time and money trying to stop same-sex couples from buying wedding cakes. Most Alaskans probably don't care about this issue, but Cox does.Cox also caused trouble in his own backyard. He picked a fight with the Anchorage School District over some copies of the Declaration of Independence and Constitution. These copies were donated by a conservative group and included propaganda attacking the federal government. Cox attacked the school district for putting disclaimer stickers on them. He even had a conflict of interest because he is personally affiliated with the group that donated the copies. When the truth came out, Cox quickly backed down. Cox also failed to stand up for Alaskans when it mattered. For example, he didn't take a position on whether Alaska should be allowed to count absentee ballots that arrive after Election Day. This could disenfranchise thousands of Alaskans, including those in rural areas and those serving in the military overseas. Another time, Cox pushed the view that rural Alaskans are not entitled to subsist on the fish in their rivers. He attacked a case that has provided a rural subsistence priority for taking salmon for decades. This position was not only morally wrong but also legally incorrect, as the U. S. Supreme Court rejected his arguments. Alaskans deserve an attorney general who will defend their Constitution, laws, and people, regardless of partisan politics. Cox does not seem to be that person. Fortunately, the Alaska Legislature has the power to reject Cox's confirmation as attorney general.