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Accusations Fly in French v. Bell State Senate RaceDemocrat French says Republican Bell is under investigationRelated Content
ANCHORAGE - Hollis French vs. Bob Bell has been seen as one of the marquee match-ups in legislative races this fall. Now it's becoming one of the roughest. The Senate contest in west Anchorage is now turning into a test of character. Democratic Senator French says Republican challenger Bell has trouble understanding or following rules, even ones he made when he was a member of the Board of Game. French sent out an email saying Bell is under investigation by state troopers for a musk ox hunt in 2010, and added that Bell doesn't know the definition of a bribe. The musk ox incident concerns whether Bell improperly took horns out of a game management unit after a subsistence hunt, without having the trophy value destroyed. "The rules say the horns have to be destroyed,” French said. “That's his obligation to follow the rules, as a member of the Board of Game. He shouldn't be bending the rules or breaking them. He should be following them very scrupulously." Bell says he later bought carved horns from an artist, whom he says checked with the Department of Fish and Game before mailing them to Anchorage. The matter was investigated at the time, and resolved, Bell says. He accuses the online Alaska Dispatch of making up a story that he is under investigation now. "I will lay at Senator French’s feet the flyer that he put out yesterday saying that I'm under investigation by the state troopers and that I don't know what a bribe is. That is negative," Bell said. "And at the Chamber of Commerce forum, he agreed that he would not do any negative campaigning, and apparently he isn't keeping his word on that." The bribery issue goes back to Bell's time on the Anchorage Assembly, when he says he rebuffed an offer of financial reward from VECO CEO Bill Allen in exchange for support of a private prison. Allen later went to prison in the public corruption scandal, in a case involving oil taxes. "Because I’d received counsel from somebody that knows that sort of thing and said because there was no vote before the assembly, none anticipated or none needed, there was no bribe,” Bell said. “And if I made that kind of accusation, I’d be subject to a libel charge." French responded: "That's not reporting. That's talking to a lawyer in confidence. Reporting is when you tell the public, tell the police, tell the FBI, tell someone who could act on it." The candidates disagree on what constitutes negative campaigning. French says it's just the truth. Bell says it's neither positive nor true. Amanda Coyne of the Alaska Dispatch says she stands by her story that Bell is under investigation for the musk ox hunt. But Megan Peters of the troopers says the agency has never said that and does not identify subjects of investigations. |
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Robo said on Tuesday, Oct 23 at 9:06 PM
Hope the folks do the right thing and select the right man to send down south....something stinks when a politican can't stand on his record and trust in the people.
104686256akbob said on Tuesday, Oct 23 at 10:31 PM
Perhaps French's award of a $100,000 no-bid contract to his friend Steve Branchflower during Troopergate should also be investigated.
104687856Tink said on Wednesday, Oct 24 at 1:42 PM
Bell wants the prestige of the office. He's a business man so others will be forced to do his work. And he has lied about his education to acquire jobs his staff bid on at least 5 projects. He feels entitled to the seat and to hell with everyone else. That he is pandering to Latinos by saying he is learning Spanish is felonious and uncouth to say the least. Avid fisherman? Why on earth should that statement render him worthy? Aren't WE All avid fishing folks. He is old and this job requires someone that can be 20 places at once and not send a lackey to do their work for them like Bell would do. Not cool.
104740706rdranman said on Wednesday, Oct 24 at 2:51 PM
Just like Obama, with no record to run on, Mr. French must resort to name calling and making up stories in an attempt to swing voters. Mr. French wouldn't know what to do if he weren't in the public eye or in the news during the legislative sessions. I think he would just slowly fade away... of course one can always hope.
104745176Chuck said on Thursday, Oct 25 at 9:00 PM
In the pamphlet I received from the league of woman voters Mr. French claims military experience USMCR (PLC) with the dates provided by Mr. French he was 17 years old and was in HIGH SCHOOL at the time that means he was in Junior ROTC in High School not even close to any type of true military experience. As a true Vietnam Veteran this is despicable and degrading to true veterans anyone who uses High School Jr. ROTC as military experience should be run out of town. Mr. French is a despicable person and any true military veteran should not vote for French.
104848201VOTE HOLIIS FRENCH said on Friday, Oct 26 at 9:06 AM
Hollis Check you email - you got mail...add this... In 1989 a Vietnam Veteran was hung by an Idaho KKK and it was because he was going to notify the HUGE trust fund baby she was entitled to more than 10,000 dollars...when she was worth 108.401,5000 dollars...Ritcher Investments...it's a federal case for sure bubba...lets take them down in a court of law...teachable lesson...smirk
104887016nanook of the north said on Friday, Oct 26 at 6:10 PM
Bell has integrity. French is an Obama clone.
104923875Bell is a Dud said on Monday, Oct 29 at 2:35 PM
He will be nothing but dead weight after the SWEEP..
105136166lol...lol...lol... said on Tuesday, Oct 30 at 5:52 PM
ya alls saw that too? oh my wife was laughing too...well looks whose growing a johnson dear...
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