JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) - The Latest on Alaska judicial nominations (all times local):
4:40 p.m.
Gov. Mike Dunleavy has met with the chief justice of the Alaska Supreme Court amid a dispute over judicial nominations.
It wasn’t immediately clear what happened. The executive director of the Alaska Judicial Council expected a statement later Tuesday. A Dunleavy spokesman said he had not yet had a chance to speak with the governor about the meeting.
Dunleavy last week filled one Palmer Superior Court seat but refused to fill a second. In a letter to council members last week, he said there were qualified applicants “inexplicably” not nominated and requested the council’s reasoning.
Chief Justice Joel Bolger has said founders of Alaska’s constitution intended for a governor to appoint for judgeships candidates nominated by the council. Bolger has defended the council’s vetting and nomination process.
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11:45 a.m.
Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy says he plans to meet Tuesday with the chief justice of the Alaska Supreme Court in a dispute over judicial nominations.
Dunleavy told Alaska Public Media’s Talk of Alaska he agrees he has to pick from the list of candidates advanced by the Alaska Judicial Council. But he says he wants to know if that list can be broadened, particularly looking to future nominations.
Dunleavy last week filled one Palmer Superior Court seat but refused to fill a second. In a letter to council members, who sent him three finalists for two seats, Dunleavy said he would “not be selecting a second candidate from this truncated list.”
Meanwhile, Dunleavy made clear his willingness to use his veto power to get spending in line with revenue.
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