Alaska Legislature: House Judiciary, 5/4/26, 6pm

Back on the record, we will resume public testimony. We will go first to the Anchorage LIO, Thomas Garber. If you would take yourself off mute, place yourself on the record, and begin your testimony.

Chairman Gray, members of the committee, my name is Thomas Garver. I'm a 30-year resident of Nakiski, Alaska. I oppose the confirmation of Stephen Cox as Attorney General. Mr. Cox published an op-ed on April 2nd in which he described how he handled one of the most constitutional significant questions before his office, the right of Alaskan citizens to bring concerns directly to an investigative grand jury. He wrote plainly, he called in a favor.

He contacted his friend, Professor Richard Garnett, at Notre Dame Law School, who then co-authored an academic article published in the Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy, which Mr. Cox now cites as the best account we have of the grand jury clause. Professor Garnett did this work, in Mr. Cox's own words, for free. This committee should ask, who commissioned the legal analysis that is now guiding the Attorney General's policy? A personal contact? No.

At no cost, with no competitive process and no public transparency. That is not how the chief law enforcement officer of this state should be informing constitutional interpretations that affect the rights of every Alaskan. What does the analysis actually confirm? It confirms unmistakably that the grand jury was always understood as the intermediate between the people and their government. The Harvard article Mr. Cox relied upon states, neither the executive nor the courts should should be permitted to decide what the people may protest about, and that the government may not come between the citizens and the grand juries by screening out petitions.

That is the original meaning. That is the constitutional command.

Yet what does Mitchcock's own framework do? He tells us that when a request comes from the citizens outside the grand jury, the decision is to pursue it is largely left to the at Attorney General's discretion. He is the gatekeeper. He decides what reaches the grand jury. The very document he commissioned argues that is constitutionally wrong, and he is proceeding anyway.

When citizens sought to speak with Mr. Cox directly about these concerns, Mr. Cox told us, "I don't take outside meetings in this job." Alaskans who have spent years studying this issue, who arrived at his doors before he was even sworn in have been turned away. Mr. Cox is in the position of upper-level management and sets the culture by example. Safety and welfare are culture-driven, and Mr. Cox's example just told his subordinates that they don't have to communicate with their disgruntled citizens to resolve safety and welfare concerns if it goes against the Department of Law's core agenda. To deny citizens' rights to investigate public officials through the grand jury mechanism The Alaska Constitution says the investigative power of the grand jury shall never be suspended, and an attorney general who controls the gate, commissions his own supporting scholarship, and does not make himself available to the citizens he serves is not honoring that command. He is undermining it.

I urge this committee to reject this appointment. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Garber, for your testimony, and thank you for waiting over 5 hours to give it. We'll go to Dr. David Gottstein in Anchorage. Please take yourself off mute, place yourself on the record, and begin your testimony.

Hello, my name is David Gottstein. I'm from Anchorage, and this is a famous note from a famous Lutheran pastor. First they came for the communists, and I did not speak out because I was not a communist. Then they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out because I was not a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out because I was not a trade unionist.

And then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew. And then they came for me, and there was no one left to speak for me. Alaska is no longer safe for the Jews. Governor Dunleavy's candidate as Attorney General, Stephen Cox, has made it unsafe for Jews in Alaska in the 8 short months he has been in office due to either gross incompetence or prejudice. He is guilty of allowing his courts to approve more than $100 million being stolen from my father's Alaska Jewish intended charity right under his nose.

In my attempts to recover my father's missing $100 million of intended charity, the acting Attorney General, while he— while she is professionally, personally responsible for investigating the alleged organized crime taking place has been repeatedly notified of ongoing massive theft from what was supposed to be the second largest Alaska-based charity behind the Rasmuson Foundation, the Gottstein Family Foundation. It was supposed to receive $150 million but received nothing as a result of elder fraud. Yet a formal investigative grand jury investigated.

Investigation has been blocked by Mr. Cox, even though he has irrefutable evidence in the form of under oath confessions along with all of the evidence needed to secure justice. I am going to provide members with today. He still does nothing as required by law. Ultimately, this Cox incompetency could result in the loss of nearly half a billion dollars of charitable donations to Alaska and Jewish causes in the decades ahead. Mr. Cox is obligated by law to review my formal petition of criminality filed with the state's investigative grand jury.

He is totally AWOL on protecting the Jewish community. Shame, shame, shame. Like the Jews in London under attack, do we Jews of Alaska have to start thinking about leaving for safe refuge, even from our own government? I can categorically say without hesitation, as a decades-long Alaskan leader in protecting Jews and Jewish charities around the world, that if the state of Alaska, within the Dunleavy administration, under the AG's direct supervision, doesn't take this matter as seriously as it deserves, the tragic consequences will be massive and the reputation of the Alaska judicial system will be tarnished for decades to come, since looking the other way is complicity. Thank you, Mr.

Chair. Thank you, Dr. Katzin, for, for your testimony and for waiting over 5 hours to give it. We'll now move to David Haag, Insuldatna. Mr. Haag, please take yourself off mute, place yourself on the record, and begin your testimony.

My name is David Haag, and I'm an Seldotna. I oppose the confirmation of Mr. Cox as Alaska's Attorney General. Mr. Cox recently wrote formal comments to the Supreme Court on proposed new rules for grand juries. In his comments, Mr. Cox repeatedly states that citizens must be prohibited from presenting various issues to grand juries, especially court cases.

However, a recent report by Notre Dame law scholars commissioned by Mr. Cox himself states this, quote, neither the executive nor the courts should be permitted to decide what the people may protest about. They may nowhere come between the citizen and the grand juror by screening out petitions. Far more damning than this, however, are the undisputed, on-record words of the 55 delegates who wrote Alaska's Constitution: The grand jury, in its investigative power, as well as for the fact that it's sitting there as a panel, sometimes is the only recourse for a citizen to get justice, to get redress from abuse in lower courts. It is the only safeguard a citizen occasionally has when for any reason, and very often for political reasons, a case is not dealt with properly. Unquote.

With such clear and compelling evidence that Mr. Cox has already attacked the public welfare and safety, it will be important for citizens to know how each legislator votes. Thank you for this opportunity. Thank you, Mr. Haag, and thank you for waiting over 5 hours to provide your testimony. We will now go to Sam Wolfe in Anchorage. Please take yourself off mute, place yourself on the record, and begin your testimony.

Hi, my name is Samuel Wolf, and I'm from Anchorage, Alaska. It's my privilege and honor to lend my support to Attorney General-designate Stephen Cox today. I've known Mr. Cox and his family for the better part of a decade, and I believe he is an excellent choice for this position for the following 3 reasons. Attorney General Cox has the requisite qualifications and experience across a broad spectrum of public service and private industry. As you know, serving as Chief Legal and Strategy Officer for Bristol Bay Industrial.

As the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Texas, I worked with a top-secret clearance on the Webster Commission and also served as corporate counsel for Apache Corp, among many other important and impressive roles. Alaska is a big place with many competing interests and constituencies, and it is my belief that to perform well in this job, the Attorney General must have both a wide and deep well of experience to draw from. Thankfully, Mr. Cox possesses this experience in spades. Also, in the time I've known him, we have worked together on several personal projects, and time and again, I was impressed with his ability to see the signal through the noise and to chart a course that brought competing interests to the table to work out a solution. You may think that with his impressive resume, legal acumen, or even an undergraduate education in computer science, he perhaps would be obtuse and difficult to approach or talk to.

But that couldn't be further from the truth. I find he is eminently approachable, transparent, and willing to talk with anyone to hear issues and lend his experience and judgment to help that person out. And it goes both ways too. He possesses a good dose of humility as he is willing to seek out advice and counsel so he can fully see the picture on any given issue. Congeniality and humility aren't always two traits that come to mind when thinking of accomplished legal minds.

Thankfully, you have before you a designee that possesses an appropriate measure of both. And finally, personal integrity and high moral character. We deserve someone in this position we can trust to uphold the rule of law, to adhere to common moral standards of conduct in the way they live their lives. Having been around him and his family, I'll simply say, if I had to, I'd trust him with my wife, my kids, and my money. For these reasons, I respectfully urge you to confirm Stephen Cox as Alaska's Attorney General.

Thank you for your time and consideration today. Thank you for your testimony, Mr. Wolf, and you too for waiting over 5 hours to provide your testimony. We'll now go to William Satterberg in Fairbanks. Please take yourself off mute, place yourself on the record, and begin your testimony. Thank you very much.

My name is Bill Satterberg. I live in Fairbanks, Alaska. I'm testifying as a private citizen. I have to say that Mr. Wolf just took almost all the words out of my mouth. I, I not only do I echo his position, I strongly support the nomination of Mr. Cox.

He's, uh, I— Stephen is an interesting person because one thing I've learned about him as Attorney General, as Mr. Wolf said, he's accessible. And that's one of the things that needs to be always considered is how accessible is your Attorney General. I am rather surprised to find out that Fairbanks is not the home of the sovereign citizen. Apparently they exist elsewhere in the state. But people are going to disagree occasionally with what somebody's going to do in a position, but that does not make them unqualified for the job.

In fact, I'm a defense attorney. I do primarily criminal defense work for the most part. And that's how I've originally been able to contact Mr. Cox is to discuss issues on cases, issues on management. The Attorney General has basically got a crowd of 300 attorneys, 150 civil, 150 criminal, and 700 employees, has to manage— basically, I mentioned at the hearing on Friday, he's herding cats, prima donnas, if you will. Most attorneys tend to be that, including probably myself.

And he has to manage that type of intellect, and he's been doing a great job for the past several months, a fantastic job. And is going to continue to do so, in my opinion. I think it's unethical for anybody to be asking for personal commitments on specific issues, whether it's a legislator or a citizen, because the attorney general does have a duty, as Mr. Cox said, number one, to the citizens of the state of Alaska and then to the executive and the legislative branches. He recognizes that duty, and that's extremely important. And that's what we have to do.

We have to look at somebody who's not only going to be the attorney general for the state, but also the chief managerial office for the attorneys that work with them and for him. I strongly support Stephen. I think he's fantastic. I've been very impressed with him as an attorney general. We had some attorney generals in the past that have basically been political all their life.

Steve's not that way. I think he'll do very well, and I commend him, and I hope that he'll be nominated. Thank you. Thank you for your testimony, Mr. Satterberg, and you too for waiting over 5 hours. We'll now go to Teresa Obermeyer in Anchorage.

Please take yourself off of mute, place yourself on the record and begin your testimony. Chair Gray, can you hear me? I can hear you great. I can hear you. Nominee just come in the room, Representative Gray.

Where is the nominee? That would be my first. Did he just come in here? I don't talk about people behind their back. He is listening.

I know. So, Ms. Obermeyer, he is listening, but he is not in the room. He is listening to the public testimony. I, I just wanted to clarify that. Yes.

First of all, I would— the Attorney General, temporary Attorney General, to update his resume. The resume that I have is not even accurate. It says he's with, uh, Bristol Bay Industrial from 2021 to present. I— it's a resume— resume is not even updated. I really apologize.

There is not fair administration of justice in Alaska. He kept talking about that. That does not exist. Please realize the system that we have is so wrong. And I, I'm just so sorry, our Constitution really did not set our state up well.

The fact that there is no elected officeholder who is required to be a member of the Alaska Bar Association— I have lived this for 40 2 years. We have to get better now. I hope that we can have an elected Attorney General because when we talk about all this stuff, it's, it's not even really relevant because it's not, you know, this man works for the government. And even Mr. Satterberg, and I apologize, Mr. Satterberg, no, he does not work for the.

Citizens. He works for the governor. I, I also wanted to bring up, I'm really amazed and dumbfounded that a man that was not even confirmed would have done the types of things flagrantly that this man has done when he doesn't even hold the job. I, I, you know, he should have been more mature than, and to think about the fact that he filed all these amicus briefs which I have checked, and I can't get the exact amount. It says they could exceed $1 million or over to $5 million, these 110 amicus briefs.

So why, why, why wouldn't he have been more discreet? If he's a smart man, I don't understand it. I wouldn't think he'd want to come in here like gangbusters, hire some Solicitor General that's not from Alaska, file all these amicus briefs. You would have thought he'd be more discreet. A couple of other things to bring up.

I wanted to mention Representative Gray and Representative Isaac. I was very impressed with your question. I'm very interested in these school allotments particularly. And then Andrew, what you talked about, about the Chinese and the Russians and fishing and everything. Excellent.

We have to worry about those type of things. This thing about school allotments, this has been just stagnant for, I don't know, like 5 or 7 years. Is my time up, Andrew? It's all up. If you could wrap up your testimony, Miss Overmeyer.

And thank you for hearing me. Let's not confirm Mr. Cox. I'm not against anybody, but he is not good for our state. Thank you. Thank you so much, and thanks to you too for waiting 5 hours to provide your testimony.

We'll now go to Heather Twitchell in Anchorage. Please take yourself off mute, place yourself on the record, and begin your testimony.

Good evening and thank you. My name is Heather Twitchell and I live in Anchorage. I am testifying in support of the confirmation of Attorney General Designee Stephen Cox. I was privileged to first move to Alaska almost 17 years ago. Part of the military.

My husband was born and raised here in Alaska and is of Yupik descent. In the last almost 5 years, I've been further privileged to get to know A.G. Cox and his family on a personal level. I've witnessed as they seamlessly assimilated into the community and invested themselves lock, stock, and barrel into the state. As an attorney myself, I appreciate A.G. Cox's sharp and objective legal mind. And his openness to differing thoughts and opinions, attributes that are hard to find in today's fractious political climate.

I further admire his courage to take on difficult issues and projects in service of others, having personally witnessed on multiple occasions when A. Key Cox took on an immense amount of work to support his community with no personal gain for himself. In watching today's hearing and the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Friday, I was not at all surprised to see A. Key Cox displaying his usual humility and honesty admitting when he did not know the answer to a question and candidly providing the answer when he did. With his extensive background in both the public and private sectors, of which this committee is well aware, combined with his unimpeachable integrity and commitment, Akey Cox is more than up to the task of not only taking on Alaska's unique legal challenges and the yoke of public service, but running with it in a capable and dignified manner that will honor the state of Alaska and the people in it.

For these reasons, I strongly support the nomination of Stephen Cox as Attorney General. Thank you for your time. Thank you, Ms. Fritschl, for your testimony and for waiting 5 hours to give it. We'll now go to Stephen Routh in Anchorage. Please take yourself off mute, place yourself on the record, and begin your testimony.

You have 3 minutes. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Stephen Routh, um, in Anchorage, testifying on my own behalf. I've been a licensed attorney in Alaska for 50 years. I enjoy a Martindale-Hubbell rating of AV.

The highest rating that attorneys can gain, rating that's awarded to less than 5% of attorneys in the nation. In that context, I'm so pleased to support Stephen Cox as Attorney General. I've known him for several years, have always been impressed with his intellect, demeanor, and openness. He's a problem solver. He brings to the table some very relevant experience in the private sector, which I think is so critical when you join the public sector.

Alaska, in my view, is very fortunate to have someone of Steve's caliber available to serve as our Attorney General. In my career, I've noticed folks like him don't come along very often. I'd like to also highly endorse Mr. Wolf's testimony earlier about his perceptions of Steve. I echo every one of those. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you so much for your testimony, Mr. Routh. We'll now go to Elizabeth Kittle in Palmer. Please take yourself off of mute, place yourself on the record, and begin your testimony. You have 3 Okay, can you hear me? Yes, you sound great.

Okay, thank you. Um, I am in strong support for Stephen Cox as Attorney General because I believe he embodies the kind of leadership, integrity, and commitment that Alaska deserves in a public servant.

I apologize. [Speaker:JESSICA] In a role that demands both sharp legal expertise and sound judgment, Stephen Cox has demonstrated not only a deep understanding of the law, but also a principled approach to applying it fairly and reasonably. His background as a lawyer reflects diligence, clarity of thought, and a respect for the Constitution that is essential for anyone entrusted with upholding justice on behalf of Alaskans. What stands out most is his ability to balance legal precision with real-world impact, recognizing that the decisions made in the AG's office affects families, businesses, and communities across our state. Alaska faces unique challenges from protecting natural resources to ensuring public safety in remote regions, and it requires someone who will approach these issues thoughtfully, not politically.

Just as important, his strong working relationship with leaders and agencies in D.C. can be seen as a meaningful advantage for Alaska. An Attorney General who can effectively collaborate at the federal level is better positioned to advocate for our state's interests, navigate complex regulatory environments, and ensure that Alaska's voice is heard in national conversations that directly impact our economy, our lands, and our people. Rather than creating unnecessary conflict, Stephen Cox understands how to build productive partnerships that can lead to real results that are fair and honest, whether that means securing resources, defending our rights, or resolving disputes efficiently. His ability to engage constructively with federal counterparts reflects both professionalism and strategic thinking, qualities that are essential for advancing Alaska's priorities. Stephen Cox has shown he is willing to listen, learn, and to act in ways that put the long-term well-being of Alaskans first.

He understands that being a public servant is not about personal ambition, but about responsibility to uphold the law, to defend our rights as citizens, and to make decisions rooted in fairness and accountability. His professionalism combined with a clear moral compass gives me confidence that he will serve with both strength and humility. At a time when trust in institutions can feel uncertain, leaders like Stephen Cox remind us what dedicated public service should look like: steady, principled, and focused on doing what is right rather than what is easy. That is why I wholeheartedly support him as Attorney General and believe he will serve Alaska with distinction. Thank you.

Thank you for your testimony, Ms. Kittle, and thanks for waiting 5 hours to give it. Our final testifier tonight is Ed Martin in Kenai. If you will take yourself off mute, place please state yourself on the record and begin your testimony. You have 3 minutes.

Yes, thank you, Chair Gray and members of the House Judiciary Committee. My name is Edward Martin Jr. I testified last week in Senate Judiciary. I've raised again— I've rised again because this confirmation is not merely about resume. It's not about personality or politics.

It's about constitutional duty. Under Alaska statute 4423.020, The Attorney General shall defend the Constitution of the State of Alaska and the Constitution of the United States. That is, that is mandatory language. It is not optional. It is not selective.

And it's not a political convenience. Alaska Constitution is clear. Article 1, Section 2 says all political power is inherent in the people. He is the servant of all of us. And all government is instituted solely by the good of the people as a whole.

Article 8, Section 2 says Alaska's natural resources must be managed for the maximum benefit of its people. Keep in mind two words: the people and its people. I think even our legislature needs to understand this a little clearer, Chair Mongray.

So my question is simple. Has Attorney General Cox defended that mandate? Has he defended the people's constitutional position? Has he explained why the government may treat the people's resources, benefits, as.

Merely another budget line, budget line, while agencies and departments come first. The Attorney General's duty is not to defend the government against the people. His duty is to defend the Constitution, and Constitution puts the people first. If this committee confirms AG Taylor— or AG— well, you did Taylor and look what you got. Uh, if you confirm Cox, who will not clearly defend the people's constitutional standing, the maximum benefit clause, and the rule of law, and the faithful execution of statutory mandates like the bonding statutes, may I remind him, it's not selective enforcement, Mr. Cox, then this committee is not merely confirming a lawyer.

It is accepting constitutional neglect. I respectfully ask this committee, all of you members, to require Mr. Cox to answer directly. Will he defend the constitutional mandate that Alaska's resources exist for the maximum benefit of its people? That is ownership, my friends. Look it up.

Including the People's Permanent Fund dividend. And will he continue allowing the government to place itself health ahead of the sovereign people's rights and benefits. Thank you very much, Chair Gray and members, for allowing me to speak. God bless you all. Thank you for your testimony, Mr. Martin, and thanks for waiting.

You too waited almost 5 hours to testify. We have one more testifier who's joined us, Craig Compo in Fairbanks. If you'll take yourself off mute, place yourself on the record, and begin your testimony. Yeah, hi, my name is Craig Campo. I would like to just be very brief about Stephen Cox.

I've met Stephen Cox. I meet a lot of the people that run for different commissions and agencies in the state. I've got to tell you, I was extremely impressed. I've been a 65-year resident in Fairbanks. Probably the single most impressive person running for— or not running for office, but commissioner that I've ever run into in my first meeting.

Very intelligent, articulate.

Articulate. I think, I think he's like a regular guy. He's very common sense. We need more of that. We need less of these.

Well, there's a lot of opinions that I've heard tonight. A lot of them are the same people you hear all the time. I'm a 65-year resident of Alaska. I believe he's honest. He's very articulate.

And I think, as I can call a guy good in camp, if you're good in camp, you're going to do a good job, and that, that, uh, that goes a long way. So anyway, I just wanted to share my, um, personal experience with Stephen Cox, and I think he'd make a phenomenal Attorney General. Thank you so much for your testimony, Mr. Campo. Um, seeing no one else in the room or online looking to testify, uh, testimony, public testimony on, uh, Attorney General designee Stephen Cox is now closed.

That concludes the business before House Judiciary Committee today. Big thanks to Sophia Tenney and Zach Longhorn for subbing in, for staying very late, and to my committee members for coming back. And we will have a meeting on Wednesday where we'll hold bills previously heard, and then on Friday we'll be bringing back House Bill 157 for invited testimony. So that concludes today's Judiciary Committee. Uh, judiciary adjourned.