State releases over 4,000 email pages in National Guard case

  • By Mark Thiessen
  • Saturday, April 25, 2015 9:52pm
  • News

ANCHORAGE — The state of Alaska released more than 4,000 pages of emails covering the National Guard scandal, but they revealed little new information into how former Gov. Sean Parnell’s administration handled the allegations of sexual assault and misconduct.

The state had initially released about 600 pages under court order just before the November election. Besides a few more emails released the night before the general election, the state didn’t release any until providing reporters with a link to a 4,142-page PDF document Friday afternoon.

The emails were heavily redacted, and the state also released a 51-page privilege log detailing the reason for the redactions, such as deliberative process. Many pages were also duplicative, including several copies of the voluminous federal report.

ADVERTISEMENT
0 seconds of 0 secondsVolume 0%
Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
00:00
00:00
00:00
 

Parnell released the results of the federal investigation the same day in September that he demanded and received the resignation of his adjutant general, Thomas Katkus. This happened months before the election, but Parnell was dogged by criticism that he didn’t act soon enough after Guard chaplains took their concerns to his administration as early as 2010. Parnell lost the election to Gov. Bill Walker.

Parnell has said Katkus had assured him reports of sexual assault and fraud were being properly handled.

Parnell said he received concrete examples of how guard leadership was failing members, and in February 2014 asked the federal National Guard Bureau to investigate. The report by the bureau’s Office of Complex Investigations found victims didn’t trust the system because of a lack of confidence in the Guard’s senior leadership.

Media organizations including The Associated Press sought the emails that touched the inbox of former Parnell Chief of Staff Mike Nizich from 2009-2014.

Included in the emails was an open letter to the Alaska Legislature in March 2012. The letter outlines what it claims were problems with the Guard under Katkus’ leadership, including allegations that sexual assaults brought to the command’s attentions weren’t investigated.

The anonymous letter says the Parnell administration “has opted not to address these problems.” It asks the Legislature to investigate both the allegations of corruption and the “omission of action by Governor Parnell and his administration.”

It wasn’t immediately clear how or if the letter was transmitted to lawmakers. However, a week later, Nizich wrote in an email to Katkus: “We still need to do the letter refuting the claims and get it to legislators.”

Former U.S. Sen. Mark Begich, D-Alaska, also asked the National Guard Bureau to investigate the allegations in 2012, and that office didn’t find any wrongdoing in its investigation.

“Interesting that Sen. Begich had the same result in 2012 that I had in 2010 on the same issue,” Parnell wrote in an email to his spokeswoman, Sharon Leighow, and Nizich was copied in to the note.

Parnell has said Nizich went to the FBI when he heard about specific conduct in 2010, and the federal agency found no basis for criminal charges. The FBI has said it doesn’t discuss pending or past investigations.

Walker took office in December and later named Laurie Hummel as his adjutant general.

“Because the release of these documents is part of pending litigation, I need to refer all questions to Department of Law,” Walker’s spokeswoman, Grace Jang, said in an email to the AP.

Department of Law spokeswoman Cori Mills said the records took a long time to be released in part because they needed to be carefully reviewed to protect people’s privacy. They included information about victims, perpetrators and whistleblowers, she said.

Mills said her office also re-reviewed every record provided before November’s election. In many cases the department removed redactions from those records, she said.

The department in late May plans to release the results of a special investigator’s report on the case, she said.

More in News

A man fishes in the Kenai River on July 16, 2018, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Peninsula Clarion/file)
Silver salmon hang in the Seward Boat Harbor during the 2018 Seward Silver Salmon Derby. (Photo courtesy of Seward Chamber of Commerce)
Seward Silver Salmon Derby opens for 70th year on Saturday

There will also be 10 tagged fish with their own prizes, mystery weight prizes, and a guessing game for non-fishers.

Parents show their kids how to cast their fishing lines during the youth-only coho salmon fishery on Saturday, Aug. 5, 2023 at the Nick Dudiak Fishing Lagoon on the Homer Spit in Homer, Alaska. (Delcenia Cosman/Homer News)
Youth coho fishery opens Saturday in Homer

A portion of the Nick Dudiak Fishing Lagoon will be reserved for youth anglers on Aug. 2.

Nathan Erfurth testifies in his own defense during his trial at the Kenai Courthouse in Kenai, Alaska, on Wednesday, July 30, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Judge grants motion for acquittal on 5 charges in Erfurth trial

Nathan Erfurth, 37, is facing another 50 charges in the case.

Rep. Justin Ruffridge, R-Soldotna, speaks during a joint luncheon of the Kenai and Soldotna chambers of commerce in Kenai, Alaska, on Wednesday, July 30, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Ruffridge reports back on legislative progress ahead of special session

He recapped the monthslong effort to get education funding and policy legislation across the finish line.

Anglers fish in the Russian River in early September 2020. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News file)
Sockeye salmon bag limit increased on Russian River

On the nearby Kenai River, nearly 2.7 million sockeye have been counted — far beyond an escapement goal of 750,000 to 1.3 million fish.

A voter fills out their ballot at the Kenai No. 2 Precinct in the Challenger Learning Center of Alaska in Kenai, Alaska, on Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Filing period opens Friday for local elections

The filing period for candidacy applications across all six electoral races closes at 4:30 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 15.

Amber Gall (left) and Rachael Kincaid (right) are South Peninsula Hospital's new Chief Nursing Officer and Chief Operating Officer, respectively. Photo provided by Derotha Ferraro
South Peninsula Hospital names new leadership

South Peninsula Hospital’s former chief nursing officer has been named the new chief operating officer.

A sign directs the public toward a tsunami shelter in Seldovia, Alaska, on Sept. 27, 2021. (Photo by Erin Thompson/Peninsula Clarion file)
Tsunami watch canceled for Resurrection Bay, Kachemak Bay communities

The watch followed an 8.7 earthquake that occurred Tuesday afternoon off the coast of Kamchatka, Russia.

Most Read

You're browsing in private mode.
Please sign in or subscribe to continue reading articles in this mode.

Peninsula Clarion relies on subscription revenue to provide local content for our readers.

Subscribe

Already a subscriber? Please sign in