Press Releases
REVEALED: Alaska Governor Funded Group that Aimed to Sow Division Amongst Indigenous Groups
Accountable.US investigation reveals that Alaska Governor Dunleavy wrote seven-figure check to advocacy group after reviewing their plans to undermine Indigenous groups that oppose drilling the Arctic
New reporting in the Guardian, based in part on research and open records requests from Accountable.US, shows that Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy provided extensive funding to an advocacy group that sought to undermine Indigenous activists who opposed his policy objectives.
“Governor Dunleavy has crossed a serious line by spending tax dollars to fund division amongst citizen groups to clear the way for his political objectives. This is a chilling violation of the democratic norm that the government doesn’t attack its citizens for their beliefs.”
Caroline Ciccone, President of Accountable.US
In a highly unusual arrangement, Governor Dunleavy directed as much as $2 million in taxpayer dollars to Voice of the Arctic Iñupiat, a 501(c)(4) group, to engage in a campaign to oppose the Biden Administration’s conservation efforts in Alaska. According to the documents obtained by Accountable.US, Voices made its objectives clear to the Governor’s office: “It’s one Indigenous group taking down another Indigenous group.”
Since receiving an influx of Alaska taxpayer funding, Voice’s spokesperson was interviewed on Fox News and CNN disparaging the Biden Administration’s policies, highlighted in nearly a dozen press releases from Alaska’s US Senators, and quoted extensively in news interviews without criticism or mention that he is a state-funded actor.
Download the entirety of Accountable.US’ research on the issue at the link here and here.
