Clarkson’s anti-union crusade could now cost state $700,000

Attorney General Kevin Clarkson now wants to spend an additional $500,000 to $600,000 pushing his anti-union crusade, regardless of what the Alaska courts decide.

An investigation is needed about the no-bid contract with Trump's lawyer signed in August for this case, which started at $50,000 and was increased to $100,000. Much of the news coverage about the new $600,000 plan failed to mention that the state already hired Consovoy McCarthy for $100,000 on this assignment, at the discount rate of $600 an hour.

The request for proposals published Thursday is set up so that 70 percent of the "evaluation criteria" will be experience, qualifications and the organization. The contract cost will be 20 percent.

This could be set up so that Consovoy McCarthy, the law firm that got the $100,000 contract under a no-bid deal, would still be in a position to get hundreds of thousands more.

The price of the crusade, estimated at $50,000 a couple of months ago, is now 13 to 14 times higher. Was this a miscalculation or a deliberate attempt to disguise the real cost?

The only good part about the request for proposals is this line: "Approval or continuation of a contract resulting from this is contingent upon legislative appropriation."

The Legislature should ask about the no-bid deal signed in August and why the Clarkson crusade should be funded by the state. Not a dime more of state money should be spent on this case.