Deborah Bonito Launches “Rubber Boots Tour” of Southeast Alaska

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 6/20/2014

ANCHORAGE - Deborah Bonito kicked off her “Rubber Boots Tour” of Southeast Alaska encouraging volunteers in Southeast communities to make their voices heard in the 2014 election by supporting Mark Begich. Bonito is promoting Senator Mark Begich’s record of standing up for the rights of Alaska’s women, including equal pay for equal work and Begich’s strong record of creating jobs and boosting the Southeast economy.

Bonito began her tour yesterday in Hoonah and Juneau. In Juneau, she hosted a Women for Begich event with volunteers and encouraged Alaskans in Southeast to vote. Other stops include Ketchikan, Sitka, Klawock and Metlakatla.

“What makes Alaska special is the caliber of its people. We have a responsibility to keep these families healthy, thriving and growing with smart policies that keep our communities and local economies strong. I’m happy to pull on my Tlingit-rubber boots and talk to old and new friends across Southeast about the importance of supporting Mark,” said Deborah Bonitio.

Bonito is a small businesswoman from Anchorage who owns popular businesses like Kobuk Coffee in the downtown area. She is a champion for mental health services and has been active in her community her entire life.

Members of the media are invited to join Bonito at the following upcoming events:

Monday - June 23

Ketchikan

Educators for Begich Phonebank

5:00 p.m.

KETCHIKAN OFFICE

123B Stedman Street

Thursday - June 25

Sitka

Sitka Field Office Opening

5:30 p.m.

SITKA OFFICE

206 Seward St. Suite B

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RELEASE: Sullivan Attacks Stuck On False

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 6/19/2014

ANCHORAGE — False and disgraceful attacks by U.S. Senate candidate Dan Sullivan and his supporters continue to politicize the tragic death of veterans in Arizona despite being proven false by both independent fact check organizations and Alaska veterans.

Last week the U.S. Senate passed significant legislation to improve the care provided to veterans nationwide. The legislation includes an effort to facilitate agreements between the VA and local clinics to provide veterans closer to home. The practice was pioneered in Alaska at the behest of Mark Begich.

Reports have shown that wait times at the Alaska VA have declined dramatically and that veterans are receiving care at a much faster rate than in the past.

“Dan Sullivan and his Outside supporters continue to wage attacks called out by independent fact check groups in an attempt to distort Mark Begich’s record of going to bat for Alaska’s veterans,” said Max Croes, Alaskans for Begich Communications Director.

Read about Begich’s record of fighting for Alaska veterans here.

Fact Check:

Claim: Dan Sullivan claims Mark Begich barely acknowledged the problem at the Arizona VA.

Fact: An independent fact check organization has found that Dan Sullivan and his supporters are “twisting” Begich’s response to the tragic death of veterans in Alaska. Begich responded within 24 hours to the Arizona VA scandal. Begich demanded action, answers and proposed a solution when the news broke.

Claim: Outside Groups supporting Dan Sullivan are implying Mark Begich isn’t fighting for Alaska’s veterans.

Fact: Veterans are standing up for Mark Begich’s record of fighting for them, including Alaska resident and Afghanistan war veteran Bryan Box.

Claim: Mark Begich hasn’t addressed the long waitlists at the VA.

Fact: Mark Begich heard from Alaska veterans and saw a problem at the Alaska VA. He went to work to fix it with innovative agreements to allow Alaska veterans to receive local care. As a result, VA wait times in Alaska are declining.

Claim: Mark Begich hasn’t used his seat on the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee.

Fact: Mark Begich sits on the Veterans Affairs Committee and has been aggressive in working to fix problems with the unacceptable backlog at the VA as well as reducing wait times in Alaska and across the country. He was recently named to the Conference Committee to spearhead bipartisan talks and bring serious reform to problems at the VA. He led on legislation to allow veterans to receive care closer to home, an idea that has been implemented in Alaska and helped reduce wait times. Begich is pushing to implement the proposal on a national level.

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Begich Keeps Up Momentum with Endorsement from Alaska Realtors

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 6/18/2014

ANCHORAGE — Mark Begich continues to gain broad support from Alaskans with the endorsement of a non-partisan organization representing Alaska’s realtors. In the U.S. Senate Begich fights to grow Alaska’s economy and create jobs by supporting homeownership for Alaska’s families, active military members and veterans.

“In the Senate I have successfully fought to achieve smart and balanced policies that make homeownership a reality for Alaska families, veterans and first time buyers. I’m grateful to have the support of Alaska realtors,” said Begich.

“As a realtor and community member in Fairbanks, I’ve seen firsthand how Mark Begich’s work for our economy has been such a notable benefit for our housing market. Fundamentally, what realtors want is a strong healthy economy and housing market and Senator Begich has long fought for that. In Fairbanks, Begich fought to keep our F-16s at Eielson which saved thousands of jobs and supports the Fairbanks economy and families,” said April Monroe Frick, a realtor in Fairbanks.

“Senator Begich has been a vocal supporter of vital tax incentives that help make homeownership affordable for middle class families. His support for programs that make homeownership a reality for first-time buyers as well as policies that support military, veterans, and rural housing is critical to Alaska and our economy overall. We look forward to continuing to work together with Senator Begich to promote homeownership in Alaska,” said Don McKenzie, Anchorage resident and REALTOR® and Federal Political Coordinator for the National Association of Realtors.

Mark Begich, a small businessman, has used his clout in the U.S. Senate to deliver results for Alaskans.

A copy of the endorsement can be found here.

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ICYMI: KDLG - Begich Touts Alaska VA Care

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 6/17/2014

ANCHORAGE - Alaska Public Radio station KDLG highlighted Mark Begich’s successful efforts to improve care for Alaska veterans. Last week Begich spoke about the vast improvements to wait times at the Alaska VA for veterans seeking care.

Begich discussed the importance of agreements he facilitated between the VA and tribal health organizations to allow Alaska veterans to seek care closer to home, instead of traveling to Anchorage or Seattle. Begich is pushing for the efforts to be mirrored on a national scale, including the recent passage of legislation to improve care.

An Outside group has been following U.S. Senate candidate Dan Sullivan’s lead by twisting Begich’s strong record of fighting for vets in an attempt to score political points. Alaska veterans and an independent fact check group have been quick to point out the false nature of the ads.

KDLG: Begich Touts Alaskan VA Care

3:30 PM FRI JUNE 13, 2023

US Senator Mark Begich discussed several successes in improving health care for Alaska veterans Thursday while supporting a more comprehensive veterans’ health bill. KDLG’s Chase Cavanaugh has more.

Senator Mark Begich took to the Senate floor Thursday to voice his support for the Veterans Access to Care through Choice, Accountability, and Transparency Act of 2014. It was passed by the Senate Wednesday in a 93-3 vote. While the act includes penalties for falsifying waitlists, it also features measures to expand care that were first successful in Alaska. Begich says they involve combining Veterans Affairs care with those of the Indian Health Service.

“Why not figure out how to maximize our public resources for the betterment of not only our Alaska natives but our veterans in Alaska. So we worked out an idea that today, we now have agreements with 21+ tribes. All these black dots on this map show the new areas that veterans can access health care if they want. It’s just another choice. It’s not a requirement but if they want to stay in their region, stay close to their home, be part of their own health care system there, they can, and the VA will reimburse them, reimburse the clinic so it’s no money out of the pocket of the Indian Health Service or tribes that deliver health care.”

Alaska does not have a dedicated veterans affairs hospital, so without this collaboration, veterans would have had to travel to distant cities such as Anchorage or even Seattle. Begich says these measures have reduced Alaskan wait times considerably.

“Before we had all this integrated system…..it used to be a thousand people, almost a thousand people on the waiting list. Today, a few dozen. This changes, this fluctuates. Don’t get me wrong, so when people call me and say “that’s not 10, it’s 50 or it’s 5,” it does fluctuate, but it’s no longer the thousand. In the wait period in the audit that was just done, on 140 facilities that they audited throughout the country, we, Alaska, our VA was tied for first in the best response in regards to appointments on the waiting lists, cause that was the big debate.”

Finally, Begich says the collaboration has helped make the service cost-effective.

“They can provide the health care per-patient at a cheaper rate. No disrespect to the private doctors that are out there and we contract with. They’re just more expensive cause they work in a different model, a different business model. That’s understandable, but this is a more cost effective way. So hopefully, by passing the bill, we don’t just say we’ve passed the bill and we’re done, but six months from nowor a year from now, we review the costs of delivering this healthcare, to make sure we’re getting the most cost-benefit, but also delivering quality care for our vets no matter where they live.”

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More False Attacks from Group Endorsing Dan Sullivan

New Crossroads Ad Perpetuates Old Misleading Attacks

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 6/17/2014

ANCHORAGE — Karl Rove’s Crossroads is shifting the subject from U.S. Senate candidate Dan Sullivan’s disgusting attempts to attack Senator Mark Begich’s record of fighting for Alaska’s veterans. The shadowy Outside group, which has endorsed Sullivan, is continuing its attempts to mislead Alaskans with a new ad perpetuating attacks already proven false.

Claims Mark Begich was the ‘deciding vote for Obamacare’ and Begich votes with Obama have already failed tests with independent fact check groups.

“Trying to shift gears from their disgusting attempt to politicize the tragic death of veterans in Arizona, Crossroads and Dan Sullivan are only building on their record of deceit to mislead Alaskans. With Outside groups like this endorsing you, it’s no wonder Dan Sullivan can’t look Alaskans in the eye on issues that matter to Alaska,” said Max Croes, Communications Director for Alaskans for Begich.

Fact check groups have already proven the statement Begich was the “deciding vote” is a tired and inaccurate Outside talking point in Senate elections across the country. It’s has been proven false several times: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

ICYMI: Fairbanks Daily News-Miner Calls Out Sullivan Scheme as “Flawed”

“…unwillingness to support limits on campaign finance in races other than his own”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 6/16/2014

ANCHORAGE — Dan Sullivan’s endorsement of Citizens United, corporate personhood, and unlimited corporate spending in elections was called out by the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner and pinned as a contradiction and another attempt to score political points.

An editorial in yesterday’s News-Miner highlights Sullivan’s endorsement of the Citizens United Supreme Court decision and points to an inability to “square” the spirit of the scheme with Sullivan’s “unwillingness to support limits on campaign finance in races other than his own.”

‘Alaska Agreement’ good theory, flawed practice: The campaign funding reform issue shouldn’t be tackled piecemeal

Posted: Sunday, June 15, 2023 12:05 am

Fairbanks Daily News-Miner editorial:

Read the Full Article Here

“Also undercutting Sullivan’s intention of giving local voices more weight in political campaigns is his stance in support of the U.S. Supreme Court’s well-publicized decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, which prohibited the government from restricting campaign spending of the szort he would seek to limit in his current race.

The disharmony between Sullivan’s stances on political campaigns in general and the specific race he is running this fall is peculiar, and doesn’t support his stated intentions in seeking the agreement.
We agree that elections, especially recent ones, have become longer, more expensive, and dirtier affairs than is beneficial to healthy political discourse, and that the sentiment of Sullivan’s “Alaska Agreement” is worthwhile.

We should seek to have more local voices and issues represented in political races at every level of government.

But we can’t square that intention with the facts of how this year’s Senate race is being conducted — and with Mr. Sullivan’s unwillingness to support limits on campaign finance in races other than his own.”

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New Ad: Alaska Veteran Calls Out False Attacks on Begich

Afghanistan War Vet Bryan Box: “Mark saw the V.A. delays four years ago and forced them to fix the problem in Alaska.”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 6/16/2014

ANCHORAGE — When Mark Begich saw a problem at Alaska’s VA he went to work to fix it on behalf of Alaska veterans like Bryan Box who calls out attack ads from Outside groups supporting U.S. Senate candidate Dan Sullivan.

Read Begich’s long record of fighting for Alaska veterans

“I respect my fellow veterans who are attacking Mark Begich, but an independent fact check showed the outside attacks are false. Mark saw the V.A. delays four years ago and forced them to fix the problem in Alaska,” says Box who served in Afghanistan with the 173^rd Airborne Brigade.

Dan Sullivan and Karl Rove’s Crossroads groups are politicizing the death of multiple veterans in Arizona with sickening political attack ads attempting to tie Begich to the scandal. An independent fact check group recently debunked the attacks.

Begich sits on the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee where he successfully facilitated an agreement between the VA and tribal health facilities to allow veterans to receive care closer to home, helping to significantly cut down on VA wait times in Alaska. The Alaska VA has confirmed the dramatic and serious reduction in wait times for Alaska veterans thanks to these agreements.

TV Script - Bryan Box:

Bryan Box: I’m Bryan Box and I served in Afghanistan with the 173rd Airborne Brigade. I respect my fellow veterans who are attacking Mark Begich, but an independent fact check showed the outside attacks are false. Mark saw the V.A. delays four years ago and forced them to fix the problem in Alaska. Now we can go to a local clinic and our waitlist went from over 900 to almost zero. Now Mark’s helping the rest of the country.

Begich: I’m Mark Begich and I approved this message.

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Sullivan Blunder of the Week: Endorsing Citizens United

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 6/13/2014

ANCHORAGE - U.S. Senate candidate Dan Sullivan stunned Alaskans with an endorsement of Citizens United and the practice of unlimited spending from corporations and billionaires in Alaska’s elections. Less than 24 hours after his endorsement, an Outside group began airing an ad on Sullivan’s behalf.

“Dan Sullivan gave Alaskans a clear message, if they elect him to the U.S. Senate he will fight to allow billionaires and corporations to spend any amount to buy Alaska’s elections,” said Max Croes, Communications Director for Alaskans for Begich.

Dan Sullivan tried to sidestep his support for Citizens United three times on a conference call with reporters this week. Listen to the audio here. Sullivan later voiced his full support for the decision which allows limitless spending and infamously declared that corporations are people.

As Attorney General, Dan Sullivan failed to fight against the Citizens United decision and issued an opinion on the case from the Department of Law.

Dan Sullivan continues to be the favorite candidate of Outside groups, including the Koch brothers and Karl Rove’s Crossroads. Collectively these groups have pledged and spent over $10 million in television and radio spending from now through Election Day attacking Mark Begich.

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Disgusting New Attack Follows Dan Sullivan’s Lead

New Ad Comes One Day After Sullivan Endorsed Citizens United

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 6/11/2023

ANCHORAGE — Doubling down on sickening attacks that have already been criticized by independent fact checkers and the Republican Chairman of the House Veterans Committee, Dan Sullivan’s Outside backers continued to politicize the tragic death of veterans at the Arizona VA.

Alaskans are standing behind Mark Begich’s record of delivering improved care for Alaska’s veterans.

Read about Begich’s Record of Fighting for Alaska Veterans HERE

An independent fact check organization debunked today’s claim from Crossroads GPS and outlined Begich’s aggressive response to the Arizona VA scandal.

“Dan Sullivan’s continued attempts to turn the tragic death of veterans at the Arizona VA into a political attack in Alaska prove he can’t be trusted and he’ll say or do anything to score political points,” said said Max Croes, Communications Director for Alaskans for Begich.

Begich has widespread support from the Alaska veteran community. Begich also sits on the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee where he successfully facilitated an agreement between the VA and tribal health facilities to allow veterans to receive care closer to home, helping to significantly cut down on VA wait times in Alaska.

The Republican Chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, Jeff Miller (R-FL) has called these ads inappropriate and referred to them as a “political football.”

Alaska veterans are standing with Begich:

“Mark has consistently stood by Alaska’s veterans and military families when we have needed him the most. I am a disabled veteran and he has always been there for me. Whoever says he stands on the sidelines is flat out lying. He helped lead the fight to improve health programs, hospital services, and health care access that so many of us need when we return from combat or retire after a long career. I am supporting Mark, because I know he has my back. - LTC Joseph W. Vargas, Retired

“Since his first days in office, Mark has always put first my needs as well as those of my fellow armed service members and their families. As a veteran here in Alaska, I watched proudly as he fought to preserve the cost of living allowance we were promised and brought accessible health care to Alaska’s veterans with the Hero’s Health card so we don’t need to travel to Seattle for simple procedures anymore. I’m supporting Senator Begich because he’s fought for me and my fellow members of our nation’s armed services and our families.” - MaCherie Dunbar , Technical Sgt, USAFR

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Yet Again Sullivan Tries to Tell Alaskans One Thing, Does Another

Endorses Citizens United and Unlimited Corporate Spending in Alaska While Claiming to Want Cuts

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 6/10/2023

In a strange, but not surprising turn of events today, U.S Senate Republican primary candidate Dan Sullivan endorsed the Citizens United court case while trying to tell Alaskans he wants to limit special interest Outside spending. Sullivan is currently the largest recipient of support from Outside spending in the competitive Republican primary. Groups like Karl Rove’s Crossroads and the Koch Brothers have already spent millions supporting Sullivan.

The Supreme Court’s Citizens United ruling allows for unlimited anonymous spending to influence elections and infamously declared that corporations are people.

“Sullivan again tried to tell Alaskans one thing, but then quickly revealed the truth today - he supports allowing corporations to engage in unlimited spending in our elections,” said Susanne Fleek-Green, campaign manager for Alaskans for Begich. “If Dan Sullivan makes it out of his competitive primary, it will be a stark contrast between his put-corporations-first position and Senator Begich’s support for real campaign finance reform including support of a constitutional amendment throwing out Citizens United.”

On a conference call with reporters, Dan Sullivan confirmed his support for the Citizens United three times and reaffirmed it in a tweet. As Attorney General, Dan Sullivan failed to fight against the Citizens United decision that allowed for unlimited dollars to flow into elections and issued an opinion on the case from the Department of Law.

Listen to the audio of Sullivan being asked about Citizens United.

Mark Begich is the only candidate in this race serious about curbing Outside spending in elections and is a co-sponsor of legislation to throw out Citizens United with a Constitutional Amendment to limit corporate personhood. He is also the only candidate to have signed the Alaska We the People Pledge opposing dark money in elections.

Dan Sullivan faces a competitive primary in August but potentially due to his outsized corporate support failed to mention his primary opponents Mead Treadwell, Joe Miller or John M. Jaramillo in his initial call for the pledge today. A poll not affiliated with any Senate candidate and conducted by Dittman research has Treadwell and Sullivan running neck and neck in the crowded August primary.

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