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Interest groups spar over Ballot Measure 3

by The Associated Press
Friday, Aug. 22, 2008

ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- The Alaska Public Interest Research Group has filed a complaint with the state's political watchdog agency, accusing a campaign of improper disclosure.

AKPIRG filed the complaint with the Alaska Public Offices Commission Friday against The Committee to Stop the Corruption, accusing it of failing to make proper financial disclosures.

The campaign opposes Ballot Measure 3, an initiative aimed at removing special interest money from the election process as well as publicly financing state candidates.

However, an attorney representing the Committee to Stop the Corruption says his group has not launched an opposition effort around Ballot Measure 3.

Ken Jacobus says he "personally" has spoken against the proposition but that the committee itself is not involved in the effort.

Jacobus says the committee was organized to push for its own measure for the 2010 elections that would prohibit government funding for lobbyists.

Either way, Jacobus says he believes the APOC filings were complete and says the committee is paying for its own expenses.