Here Come The Smears

I came home from Begich HQ yesterday afternoon to find a ridiculous, homemade-looking flier hanging on my doorknob, claiming that Ethan Berkowitz (who has a good shot at unseating Congressman For All Alaskans Who Voted For Him Don Young on Tuesday) has ties to Bill Allen and VECO (the oilfield services company that bought Alaska politicians, cheap).

Apparently the flier distributers were hitting all of House District 23 yesterday, because today I was forwarded this e-mail from the Rogers Park Community Council, which is not my community council, but is in my district:

Friends and Neighbors,

As election day approaches it is unfortunate that honesty and civility appear to be discarded by some. As just one example, this evening it has come to my attention that a fraudulent effort is underway to distribute fliers on our neighborhood doors purporting to link candidate for Congress Ethan Berkowitz to Veco.

The flier states that it is "Paid for by Alaskans for Clean Elections". In context, a leader of Alaskans for Clean Elections confronted a person distributing these fliers in my driveway. The person distributing these fliers reportedly indicated that he is in fact working for Nenana Creative Arts. He fled when he was told the police were on the way. A quick Google search of Nenana Creative Arts indicates that it has contractual ties to the Don Young campaign, which in turn has had extensive ties to Veco.

I have contacted Alaskans for Clean Elections this evening, and am assured that Alaskans for Clean Elections has nothing to do with the fliers at issue. The statement on these fliers saying so is fraud. I encourage you to photograph anyone distributing these fliers so that they can be identified for the police and other authorities, as appropriate.

Thank you.

Jim Wright

RPCC President

Nenana Creative Arts probably could put their efforts to better use in another part of town. Not only is this a solidly Democrat neighborhood, but Bill Allen lives right down the street.

UPDATE: Celtic Diva had her own experience with the Fraudulent Flier Club.

(Side Note: Some of the Begich staff were talking about the lunchtime options at the various campaign headquarters located near their Fairbanks Street office. Apparently the Obama people, just across the street, had great barbecue the other day. “Do you ever stop by Don Young’s to see what they’re having?” I asked, gesturing in the direction of the Young field office further down the block. “No,” they said. “There’s never anyone there.”)