Miller Calls on Lt. Governor Campbell to Fulfill His Duty

In this email dispatch, Joe Miller calls upon Lt. Governor Craig Campbell to uphold Alaska's Election Law. The Lieutenant Governor had argued for the first distribution of write-in candidates' lists at polling sites for the first time in Alaska's history. "This action was taken solely as a favor to Murkowski, for the purpose of ensuring that Murkowski voters spelled her name correctly – as Campbell understood the state write-in statute to require."

Lt. Gov. Campbell took issue with Miller's state injunction suit filed Monday to stop certification of the Senate election in Alaska in a press release. "This position is also directly contrary to Murkowski’s original position as reflected by her advertising campaign that focused on spelling bees and wristbands," Miller wrote.

Ed. Note: Lt. Gov. Campbell was once the Adjutant General of Alaska's National Guard. He spoke in glowing terms about Gov. Palin's Commander-in-Chief skills. To undertake these actions as he did - contravening established statute - in favor of Lisa Murkowski is truly hurtful. He should know better.

Miller Calls on Lt. Governor Campbell to Fulfill His Duty Anchorage, Alaska. November 24, 2010 -- The Lieutenant Governor, with only two weeks remaining in his term, issued a press release yesterday vigorously criticizing the Miller campaign and its state court legal action that the federal court ordered to be filed by this past Monday. Unfortunately, Campbell plays fast and loose with the facts in his press release. It was in his own court briefs several weeks ago where he argued vigorously for the use and distribution of a write-in candidate list at all of the state’s polling places, a first in Alaskan history. The trial judge found that these lists violated state law. Campbell then appealed to the Alaska Supreme Court and argued that providing these unprecedented write-in lists was necessary so that voters would not misspell Murkowski’s name and thereby have their votes counted. This action was taken solely as a favor to Murkowski, for the purpose of ensuring that Murkowski voters spelled her name correctly – as Campbell understood the state write-in statute to require. The fact that Campbell has now taken a position 180 degrees different from what he argued before the Alaska Supreme Court prior to the election is truly unbelievable. His accusation now, that the Miller campaign has wrongfully sought recourse in the courts, flies in the face of his own actions and statements. This position is also directly contrary to Murkowski’s original position as reflected by her advertising campaign that focused on spelling bees and wristbands. The unfortunate fact is Campbell had two months to prepare for the write-in election rules but then waited until after the election, and just 36 hours before the write-in counting began, to issue his illegal written standards for review of the write-in vote. To make matters much worse, he then rushed the count date forward by over a week, seriously compromising the integrity of the count. Had Campbell done his job in a neutral, competent, and lawful fashion, the Miller Campaign would not have needed to seek court assistance. Is it too much to ask that the Lieutenant Governor be unbiased and simply follow state law? Campaign spokesman Randy DeSoto said, "The Lt. Governor is correct about one thing – if the questions raised by the Miller campaign are left unanswered, the public will lose trust in the election process in Alaska. Where we disagree is the source of this distrust. Currently the Federal Court seems to agree that we have raised ‘serious' legal issues that must be resolved before this process moves forward.” ### P.S. Help us ensure a fair vote count in Alaska. Please click here to donate a gift of $100, $75, $50, or $25. Paid for by Joe Miller for US Senate Recount