Alaska is filled with judges that perpetuate Racism’s Frontier by not upholding the constitutional rights of Alaska Natives.  Village residents are especially vulnerable and forced into taking unfair plea bargains because they know they won’t get a fair trial and an impartial jury.  This dismaying truth results in our prisons being filled with a highly disproportionate and growing number of Alaska Natives.

The Governor can appoint only judges who are nominated by the Alaska Judicial Council.  For coveted appellate positions, the Council relies almost entirely on the opinions of white lawyers to determine who they nominate.  In November 2020 the Council rejected public comments asking that they solicit the opinions of the 231 Alaska Native tribes in addition to lawyers.  PBJ has called on Governor Dunleavy to help stop the Council’s discriminatory practices by not accepting any nominations until those Alaska Native opinions form part of the record.  

Click here for the November 19, 2020 letter from PBJ to the Governor.