Nine Benefactors of “Alaskans Standing Together” in Violation of Federal Election Law

Complaint Reveals Federal Contractors Illegally Spending Millions to Re-Elect Murkowski

Anchorage, Alaska. October 20, 2010 — The Joe Miller for U.S. Senate Campaign Committee today filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission alleging that nine benefactors of “Alaskans Standing Together” (“AST”) and two of its officers have acted in violation of federal law in trying to influence the Alaska U.S. Senate election on behalf of Senator Lisa Murkowski.

According to the complaint, Arctic Slope Regional Corporation Ahtna, Inc., Bering Straits Native Corporation, Calista Corporation, Chugach Alaska Corporation, Sealaska Corporation, NANA Regional Corporation, Koniag, Inc., and Doyon, Ltd., are all contributors to “Alaskans Standing Together” and “are major suppliers of goods and services to the federal government…” according to the Alaska 8(a) Association Mission Statement.

Federal Election Laws specifically prohibit federal contractors from making contributions or expenditures related to federal elections. According to the complaint, “nine of these corporate entities that are part of the scheme that has received billions in federal funds and contract with the federal government contributed a total of $805,000 to AST, which has now reported making ‘independent’ expenditures in the US Senate race in support of Lisa Murkowski, totaling $595,000 to date.”

Republican nominee for U.S. Senate Joe Miller released the following statement:

“Even by Washington D.C. standards, the level of corruption shown by ‘Alaskans Standing Together’ and Lisa Murkowski is shocking. Their efforts to preserve the status quo and re-elect their ‘bought and paid for’ Senator are not even bound by the law. The Alaskan Native Corporations have reaped billions from questionable set-asides and federal contracting programs and Senator Murkowski has fought efforts to reform them. We now know why.”

From the complaint filed by the Miller campaign:

Federal law prohibiting the use of federal funds for political purposes is clear – and Respondents Jason Moore, Barbara Donatelli and AST have violated the statute by soliciting such funds from the contractor donor Respondents and each of them have violated federal law by contributing federal contractor funds for a political purposes.

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