Journalists, Members of Media Sign Recall Petition Against Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy

A left-wing effort to recall Alaska Gov. Michael Dunleavy (R) is underway in the state, and several members of the media, including journalists, spouses of journalists, and board members of public broadcasting corporations, support the notion.

According to Must Read Alaska, those on the list include “reporters, show hosts, and others associated with KTUU, Fairbanks Daily NewsMiner, KTOO, and Alaska Public Media.”

Anchorage Daily News editor David Hulen’s spouse signed the recall petition, along with members of the board of directors of Alaska Public Media, including “board chair, vice chair, and treasurer. Also, the spouse of the APM general manager has signed the Recall Dunleavy application petition.”

Other individuals whose signatures appear on the petition include:

• Dorothy Chomicz, Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reporter
• Dermot Cole, longtime contributor to the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner and other publications.
• Terrence Cole, Dermot Cole’s brother
• Karen Wuestenfeld, Alaska Public Media board chair
• Beth Rose, Alaska Public Media vice chair
• Pita Benz, Alaska Public Media treasurer
• Blake Essig, with KTUU
• George Reifenstein, KTOO board chair
• Leslie Longenbaugh, KTOO vice chair
• Melanie Lesh, KTOO treasurer
• Vince Beltrami, AFL-CIO president
• Casey Steinau, Alaska Democrat Party chairwoman
• Judge Walter Carpeneti

Former Gov. Bill Walker (I) and Attorney General Jahna Lindemuth, who is an attorney for the recall initiative, signed the petition as well. Walker’s Chief of Staff Scott Kendall, who also serves as an attorney in the effort to recall Dunleavy, also lent his support to the petition.

Former Lt. Gov. Byron Mallott signed the petition, as well as Jody Potts, who works for Village Public Safety Officer. Ed and Cathy Rasmuson of the Rasmuson Foundation, who both fund the recall effort, signed the petition. Rasmuson Foundation President Diane Kaplan’s name can also be found on the list.

Alaska State Rep. Harriet Drummond (D-Anchorage) signed the petition twice, while her colleague Rep. Ivy Spohnholz (D-Anchorage) signed it once.

It was also revealed Sunday that 20 percent of registered Democrat voters in Alaska signed the recall petition, while only seven percent of those who signed the recall petition are registered Republicans.