Once again, Self-Serving Sullivan is prioritizing wealthy campaign donors at the expense of Alaskans. Today, a Sullivan campaign fundraiser will be hosted by John Sturgeon, whose United States Supreme Court case took aim at the Katie John precedents that safeguarded subsistence fishing priority for rural Alaska residents and which the state of Alaska invoked in an attempt to “take unilateral control over subsistence fishing.”
Even while rural Alaskans’ subsistence fishing rights are in jeopardy, Sullivan is cashing Sturgeon’s checks as Alaskans raise the alarm on Sturgeon’s effort to “abolish all Alaska Native subsistence fishing rights.”
“Sullivan has sold out Alaska fishermen for special interest cash time and again: first Pebble Mine, now fundraising with the man whose efforts threaten subsistence fishing rights for rural Alaskans,” said Alaska Democratic Party Chair Eric Croft. “Alaska deserves better than a senator who puts wealthy campaign donors ahead of Alaska fishermen and communities. Tonight makes clear whose side Self-Serving Sullivan is actually on.”
Sturgeon, the host of tonight’s Sullivan fundraiser and petitioner in Sturgeon v. Frost, led the legal effort that threatened subsistence fishing rights for rural Alaskans, jeopardizing food security for Alaska communities amid a historic salmon fishery crisis.
Despite Sturgeon’s all-out assault on Alaska subsistence fishermen, Sullivan has accepted more than $2,000 from Sturgeon and tonight will feature him as a fundraiser host — even as “the fight is far from over” on subsistence rights. Sullivan has been a consistent ally of Sturgeon’s crusade against Alaska subsistence fishermen’s rights: He filed an amicus brief supporting the legal challenge, celebrated the ruling weakening subsistence protections, and has lauded Sturgeon as an “Alaska Hero,” naming him the “Alaskan of the Week” for his efforts.
This is just the latest incident in a long pattern of Self-Serving Sullivan selling out Alaska fishermen for special interest campaign contributions.
