If you've been dealing with Alaska State Senator Lyda Green as long as I have, you'll probably feel, as I do, that her explanation yesterday evening of her withdrawal from the August 26 GOP primary lacks resonance:During this special session, it has become clear to me that a large majority of my fellow legislators intend to support Governor Palin on her AGIA plan for TransCanada. I am completely opposed to that policy.
Since returning to the Valley, it has also become clear to me that a very large majority of my constituents also support and believe in Governor Palin's oil and gas policies.
But I sincerely believe that Governor Palin is wrong. I am convinced that her oil and gas policy will lead to terrible consequences for Alaska. I must make a choice.
I'm sorry, but I don't believe her for a minute. Nor do I believe that she has gotten some polling information showing her to be far behind her GOP Primary opponent, Linda Menard.
My hunch is that the FBI and the U.S. Department of Justice are continuing in their efforts to bring people associated with the pleas of Bill Allen, Rick Smith and Jim Clark into the next phase of their lives, and that Lyda and her attorneys have been having some talks with people who work for the Federal Government.
I had felt, before Sen. Green's announcement, that there would be no indictments of people running for state or Federal office in this cycle, after the first Tuesday in June had passed. I may have been wrong about that.
The Senate District G race now is between Republican Linda Menard, a longtime Mat-Su Valley education activist, and a person closely associated with the political rise of Gov. Sarah Palin; and Democrat Erick Cordero Giorgana, a community activist in both the Valley and in Anchorage, where he works. I'll be volunteering for Erick,
More importantly, this announcement, if my hunch proves to be correct, indicates we may be entering a new phase in the GOP-Veco Corruption scandals, this time even closer to a statewide - and national set of elections.
Hold on to your hats, Alaskans!
image of Erick Cordero Giorgana by Celtic Diva