Alaska seeks outside attorneys for ethics complaints against top officials

The State of Alaska is recruiting private attorneys to investigate ethics complaints filed against the governor, lieutenant governor, or attorney general. Bids are due Aug. 24. Under the Executive Branch Ethics Act, complaints naming any of those three officials go to the State Personnel Board. The board's chair then hires independent counsel to act in place of the attorney general, and with the attorney general's authority.

The Department of Administration, Division of Personnel, issued the solicitation on behalf of the Alaska State Personnel Board. It is listed as IRFP No. 02-115-26, an informal request for proposals, meaning a streamlined process for soliciting competing offers. The state is seeking attorneys willing to step into the attorney general's role under the ethics act, AS 39.52. Questions from prospective bidders are due Friday, Aug. 7.

The notice describes a category of covered complaints, those involving the governor, lieutenant governor, or the attorney general. It does not identify any specific complaint as pending. Under the ethics act, complaints filed against those officials remain confidential unless the personnel board finds probable cause. The Department of Law has said the attorney general has no role in investigating or prosecuting such complaints. That arrangement separates ethics enforcement from the officials it could reach, along with the agencies that could face real or perceived conflicts.