While all of the Governor’s cabinet members were confirmed by the Legislature, several commissioners were not. Namely, Joe Paskan for the Alaska Gasline Development Corp; and Robert Ruffner for Board of Fisheries. Also, though the Attorney General Craig Richards and Dept of Revenue Commissioner Randy Hoffbeck were confirmed, they too garnered numerous “no” votes.
In the most controversial board appointments Walker has made, the Legislature confirmed former Senate President Rick Halford as a member of the Alaska Gasline Development Corp. board but rejected the nomination of another former senator, Joe Paskvan. Halford was approved by a 35-24 vote and Paskan was defeated by a vote of 28-31.
The Legislature also voted 29-30 against confirming Board of Fisheries appointee Robert Ruffner. In 2013, Board of Fisheries nominee Vince Webster was also voted down by a 29-30 vote.
Other “no” votes for cabinet officials came with the confirmation of state Attorney General Craig Richards which had been expected but who was confirmed in the end by a vote of 36-23. There were also “no” votes for Revenue Commissioner Randy Hoffbeck, however, which came as a surprise, although he was also confirmed by a vote of 47-12.
See Full Story Here at Alaska Journal of Commerce
