Nick Moe: A wolf in sheep's clothing

Nick Moe, a longtime Democrat turned independent, is running against Democrat Carolyn Hall for the open West Anchorage House seat. I know both of them.

I have known Nick for over a decade. He has been on my podcast a few times and he worked as a legislative staffer in Juneau. I consider him a buddy. I have known Carolyn since 2018 when she was working for the Municipality of Anchorage. Her husband Scott Jensen and I started working together in 2019. Scott and I started a production company, Tudor Road Studios, in 2021. Scott owns 15% of the Alaska Landmine. Scott and Carolyn are both friends of mine.

I had purposely avoided really covering this race for two reasons. One, I personally know both of the candidates. Two, this race is less significant in terms of the balance of power in Juneau because whoever wins will almost certainly caucus with the House Democrats.

For over a month Chelsea Foster, a supporter of Nick Moe, has been repeatedly attacking Carolyn Hall by falsely claiming that Hall owns part of the Landmine. Carolyn does not, and never has. Hall has nothing to do with the Landmine. This has been repeatedly explained to Foster, yet she has persisted with this dishonest and underhanded line of attack.

Foster has also repeated the tired and dumb argument that I attack progressive women. The truth is that I attack any elected or public official who does something stupid or that deserves scrutiny. Sometimes those people are progressive women, or men. And sometimes they are conservative men or women.

I exposed Republican Kelly Tshibaka’s illegal fishing when she was a candidate for U.S. Senate. I successfully sued Governor Mike Dunleavy (R – Alaska) on First Amendment grounds on access to press conferences. I am currently in litigation against House Speaker Cathy Tilton (R – Wasilla) over the House’s failure to take up veto overrides at the beginning of the last session, something the Alaska Constitution requires. The Landmine broke the story about how then-Mayor Dave Bronson briefly shut off the city’s fluoride supply. That story was picked up by the New York Times, which credited the Landmine.

Until yesterday, all of Foster’s public attacks were on Twitter (X). Which I more or less ignored.

When Nick Moe came on my podcast in early July, he told me before we started recording that he asked Foster to stop attacking Hall by incorrectly tying her to me. Foster, apparently, did not get the message. Yesterday, the Anchorage Daily News printed a letter to the editor by Foster in support of Moe. The letter included:

Nick isn’t just about promises; he follows through with concrete actions that make a difference in our lives. In contrast, his opponent, Carolyn Hall, has a connection to a media outlet known to target progressive women. This raises concerns about her ability to stand firm in her convictions and effectively represent the interests of her constituents. When leadership was needed most, she did not rise to the occasion. Given the stakes, we need a representative who is not only capable but also willing to take decisive action for the betterment of our community.

The irony here is that Foster claims that I attack progressive women… but it’s Foster, not me, who is attacking the progressive female candidate in this race. And she’s doing so in a dishonest effort to support a well-connected white male candidate. Foster’s attempt to use identity politics has things completely backwards here. And that’s not all.

Let’s focus on the two of the sentences in the above paragraph:

“Nick isn’t just about promises; he follows through with concrete actions that make a difference in our lives.”

“This raises concerns about her ability to stand firm in her convictions and effectively represent the interests of her constituents.”

Since filing in late May, Nick Moe has taken several concrete actions that question his convictions.

Moe has worked on and off over the years as a legislative staffer for Democratic legislators, most recently for Senator Bill Wielechowski (D – Anchorage). Wielechowski is well-known to support raising taxes on the oil industry. Moe worked to advance legislation from Wielechowski that would have done just that.

On July 1, Anchorage attorney Robin Brena donated $10,416.89 to Moe. This is over a third of the $28,300 Moe has raised so far. Brena is a huge supporter of raising oil taxes. He has contributed big money over the years in support of ballot initiatives and candidates that aim to do so.

There’s nothing wrong with Moe getting support from people like Robin Brena. But let’s just say it’s unclear where Moe’s loyalties lie.

According to Moe’s latest campaign finance report, he paid Trevor Jepsen’s company, Pragmatic Data Solutions, $1,265 for “services.” Jepsen is a petroleum engineer and legislative staffer who works for Representative Tom McKay (R – Anchorage). McKay chair’s the House Resources Committee. McKay and Jepsen are both very pro-industry. Jepsen’s dad is Scott Jepsen, a former vice president of ConocoPhillips.

Nick Moe taking money from Robin Brena and then paying Trevor Jepsen is about as loose as it gets.

Moe also paid Rose Larson’s company, De La Rose Management,$1,524 for “consulting services.” Larson is a legislative staffer who has worked for several Republicans, including Representative Jamie Allard (R – Eagle River) and Representative McKay. She currently works for Senator David Wilson (R – Wasilla).

Moe has enjoyed support from several Republican staffers and one Republican representative. All of these staffers work for Republicans who have vocally opposed raising oil taxes. Some Young Republicans have even been doing lit drops in the district to support Moe.

Moe has taken accepted donations from the following people:

• Representative Jesse Sumner (R – Wasilla) – $521.15.
• Craig Valdez – $52.40. Valdez works for Representative George Rauscher (R – Sutton).
• Bernard Aota – $72.19. Aota works for Representative Will Stapp (R – Fairbanks).
• Dawson Mann – $104.48. Mann works for Senator Robb Myers (R – North Pole).
• Katie McCall – $51.35. McCall works for Representative Dan Saddler (R – Eagle River).
• Forrest Wolfe – $100. Wolfe works for Representative Stanley Wright (R – Anchorage).
• Joe Byrnes – $49. Works as legislative liaison for the Department of Natural Resources. Previously worked for former Republican Representative Bart LeBon.

In addition to donating money to Moe, most of these Republican staffers were listed as co-hosts for a Nick Moe fundraiser, along with Brena and several progressive Democrats. Awkward. 

Former Senator George Jacko also donated $49 to Moe’s campaign. I wonder what Chelsea Foster – who is so concerned with protecting progressive women – thinks about Nick Moe taking money from a guy who was formally censured for harassing female staffers? From a 1993 LA Times article titled, “Sexual Harassment Flap Tops Agenda of Alaska Lawmakers:”

The whole thing started with a 4:30 a.m. call to police.

An Alaska state senator, George Jacko, was on the line. He said he was a state legislator and wanted the police to help him get into the motel room of a female legislative aide. The dispatcher asked why.

“It’s confidential,” the senator said. “It has to do with state government . . . . It’s kind of an urgent situation.”

The skeptical dispatcher said there was nothing she could do. Jacko, who had been knocking on the motel door and trying to persuade the desk clerk to give him a key to the woman’s room, “reeked of alcohol,” the clerk said.

Moe and Jacko actually might have one thing in common. Moe has indicated to some Republicans that he’s open to caucusing with them if elected, while assuring Democrats he will not. From the 1993 LA Times article, “Elected as a Democrat from a rural district the size of Oregon, Jacko angered his party by joining Republicans in a new coalition, giving the GOP a one-vote majority. He was appointed chairman of the Rules Committee.”

In her letter, Foster said, “Given the stakes, we need a representative who is not only capable but also willing to take decisive action for the betterment of our community.” West Anchorage voters should ask themselves what kind of “decisive action” Nick Moe intends to take if elected. Will he listen to the guy who donated a third of the funding for his campaign–or all the Republicans who donated to and did boots-on-the-ground work to help get him elected?