The Anchorage Assembly has subpoenaed four witnesses to give testimony regarding an April challenge to the city’s upcoming election. Two of them were former executive members in the administration of Mayor Dave Bronson: Sami Graham, who was once the chief of staff as well as Marc Dahl who resigned from his post as the director of IT in the last week.
The Assembly is demanding Graham, Dahl and two election observers, John Henry and Daniel Smith to testify at an assembly on Friday in City Hall.
Anchorage Ombudsman Darrell Hess had been investigating Graham and Dahl as well as allegations that they collaborated to challenge the results of the city’s elections. The controversy is rooted from a challenge to the election brought in the name of Graham. in her protest, Graham claimed that she was not able to verify an IT policy governing the transfer of data on USB drives.
In Hess the report that was published last month, he claimed that Dahl provided Graham the policy the day she filed her complaint. It was concluded Dahl provided Graham information that helped her come up with contests to the city’s election and suggested Dahl be dismissed. He also reported information for authorities in the state Office of Special Prosecutions, warning of possible violations of the state’s election laws.
Bronson later asked Dahl’s resignation However, he has said that he does not believe Dahl was involved in any illegal activity.
Assembly members claim they have questions regarding the challenge to the election which includes whether others Bronson officials were in the mix, and whether the city’s election laws have to be amended to prevent any further “subversion.”
In a rare step in the history of the Assembly, the Assembly granted itself subpoena power in the month of March to seek answers.
