OPINION: Who’s funding slanderous political attack ads?

Attack ads from a group called “Families of the Last Frontier” are hitting your media and are particularly slanderous and baseless. Who is this latest special interest attack group?

“Families of the Last Frontier” isn’t funded by anyone in Alaska. Instead, it is a front for the Republican State Legislative Committee, or RSLC, based in Washington, D.C. RSLC is not a traditional political party group. Instead, it is a front for Big Pharma, Big Tobacco, and school privatization special interests. Two of RSLC’s biggest donors are pharmaceutical companies that unleashed the drug epidemic and tobacco companies that operate vape firms that market to children.

Why would these firms care about the Alaska Legislature?

Answer: The tobacco companies want to block any taxes or regulation that would impede their efforts to hook children on nicotine — hence, RSLC’s top beneficiary of dark money is Rep. Craig Johnson, the South Anchorage House Rules Committee chair who worked to block Senate President Gary Stevens’ bill to reduce youth addiction. RSLC has spent $88,000 slandering Chuck Kopp, a lifelong Republican who — in the view of RSLC — has committed the cardinal sin of caring about kids rather than selling out for companies that cash in on addiction. RSLC also is a front for Washington, D.C. extremists who want to defund public schools. So it’s no surprise they’d support Craig Johnson.

You may have noticed that all these individuals are Republicans: Gary Stevens is an honorable person and respected leader of the Senate Bipartisan Coalition. Chuck Kopp is a retired police chief and former legislator who’s known for his strong advocacy for public safety. Does it sound strange that the “Republican” Legislative Campaign Committee is attacking Republican Chuck Kopp? Follow the money and see that RSLC is just a front group for merchants of death who launder their money through Washington, D.C. special interest groups.

RSLC will run dark-money ads supporting anyone who they think will be a pawn to their agenda of addiction.

In addition to attacking Republican Chuck Kopp, the RSLC is attacking Maxine Dibert, a Democratic teacher from Fairbanks, and Ky Holland, an independent entrepreneur from South Anchorage, among many others. In contrast, RSLC is a big fan of Republican-turned-“independent” Thomas Baker, who cast the deciding vote to disenfranchise Alaska Native voters, and to block a permanent increase to education funding.

Take a look at the Alaska Public Offices Commission website, and search for “Families of the Last Frontier.” If this Washington, D.C. attack group supports a candidate, that should cause serious reservations for any voter. If RSLC is attacking a candidate, that candidate is probably a person of integrity who has the courage to do the right thing rather than roll over for dark-money special interests.

It’s on us to do the research. Let’s choose not to believe ridiculous attack ads from groups like RSLC. Let’s not surrender our election choices to Big Pharma, Big Tobacco and anti-education groups. Let’s reject these attacks and vote for candidates of integrity, regardless of their party affiliation.

Zack Fields represents downtown Anchorage and surrounding neighborhoods in the Alaska House of Representatives. Cathy Giessel, a nurse practitioner and state senator, represents South Anchorage and the Hillside, down to Whittier.

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