Governor's appointee questioned on Holocaust views, residency qualifications

The Alaska Senate Judiciary Committee forwarded a gubernatorial appointee to the Alaska Police Standards Council to a joint session Thursday despite intense questioning about social media posts questioning the Holocaust and whether she meets statutory residency requirements for the position.

Veronica Lambertson, appointed to represent communities under 2,500 population, lives in Bird Creek within the Municipality of Anchorage, which has a population of 398,000. The appointment raised questions about whether she qualifies for a seat designated by statute for small communities.

Under questioning about social media posts, Lambertson said she believes something happened during the Holocaust but questioned the official account. "Do I believe something happened at the Holocaust and a tragedy and a lot of people died? Yes, I believe that actually happened. Are we being told the true story about it all? No, I do not believe we are being told the true story about it all," Lambertson said.

When pressed on what part of the Holocaust narrative she doubted, Lambertson cited classified documentation. She said she believes the full story has not been released to the public.

Committee members also questioned posts about children being harvested for adrenochrome and claims that January 6 Capitol defendants are innocent. When asked whether she believed people convicted of crimes related to the January 6 events at the Capitol were innocent, Lambertson said she questioned the presentation of the events and referenced claims that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell disarmed police three days before the event.

"I really have questions because of who was in charge, which was Nancy Pelosi. And the, I am forgetting the head of the Senate back at Mitch McConnell. They are in charge of the District of Columbia Police on Capitol Hill, and I would question them and why they disarmed the police three days before that event," Lambertson said.

Senator Loki Tobin raised concerns about Lambertson's eligibility for the small communities seat. "This particular public seat is reserved for very small communities so that they will have a fair voice on this particular Police Standards Council. And it sounds like this member actually is living in a municipality that is much larger and has a much larger population than the particular seat that she is sitting in," Tobin said.

Lambertson said her understanding was that Bird Creek itself is a small community of 200 people, though it sits within the Municipality of Anchorage. Bird Creek is an unincorporated area within Anchorage, where Lambertson owns the Bird Creek Motel.

Tobin requested legal research on whether Lambertson qualifies for the seat. "I would be happy for and appreciate legal research looking back in the record on intent when this council was discussed and established in statute and the lawmakers' intent when they designated two of those seats to be in populations of 2,500 and less," Tobin said.

In closing comments, Tobin said Lambertson had been placed in a seat she does not qualify to hold. "I think this is unfortunately a situation of where Miss Lambertson has been put into a seat that she is not qualified to hold based on statute practice," Tobin said. He encouraged Lambertson to consider withdrawing her name.

The committee forwarded Lambertson's name to a joint session for consideration. The procedural motion does not reflect how individual members will vote during confirmation.

Lambertson told the committee she has been in Alaska since 1985 and was looking for volunteer positions when the appointment was presented to her. She said she brings a public perspective as a small business owner and has worked with law enforcement on issues including trafficking and kidnapping through her motel operations.

The Alaska Police Standards Council develops standards for law enforcement in Alaska and investigates police misconduct. The council includes four members of the public at large and at least two members from communities of 2,500 population or less.

Governor Mike Dunleavy appointed Lambertson to the council. The appointment now moves to a joint session of the Legislature for confirmation.