The group opposing an effort to recall Governor Mike Dunleavy plans to drop its court fight and instead gear up for a possible recall election.
Stand Tall With Mike, in a statement, said it told its attorneys to withdraw its appeal before the Alaska Supreme Court, saying recent court actions indicate “further participation in the legal process would not be a productive use of its resources.”
The group said, “Stand Tall with Mike will place its trust in the voters, not unelected judges, to protect the integrity of our elections, now and into the future.”
Anger over budget cuts Dunleavy proposed last year helped fuel the recall effort,which gathered more signatures than required as part of an application that was rejected by the Alaska Division of Elections.
Brewster Jamieson, an attorney for Stand Tall With Mike, in a statement said the group considers the recall “seriously flawed.”
“If it is allowed to go forward, this means that Alaska has a purely political recall system, which is contrary to the Alaska constitution. Those issues are still before the court, but in the meantime, with signature gathering underway, my client determined that it would no longer devote resources to legal proceedings.”
The state, on behalf of the Division of Elections, has also appealed. For more information as this story develops, stay with KSRM News.