Tony Knowles makes another political U-turn

Spectrum, by Scott Ogan

Once again, Flip-Flop Tony jumps in front of any issue he thinks will bring him votes. He signed the original shallow-gas bill into law in 1996 and even took credit for coal-bed methane development in the Matanuska Valley in his "Record of Accomplishments, 1994-2002."

This is verbatim from his Web page, dated October 2002: "Two innovative new leasing programs, shallow gas leasing and exploration leasing, have spurred activity in the Mat-Su and the Interior, including exploration licenses for more than 2 million acres in the Copper River and Nenana Basins."

In 2001, when Knowles was chairman of the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission, he personally presented the "2001 Chairman's Stewardship Award" to Evergreen Resources in anticipation of their development of the Mat-Su. According to the Oil and Gas Reporter, Knowles' chairman's award praised Evergreen Resources for "working to make quality water from its coal-bed methane operations to local landowners for stock water and to enhance wildlife."

Compare this with his latest spin on the issue, published in the Frontiersman July 11 of this year: "Unfortunately, the bill and the process were hijacked by some who had apparently all along had their sight set on the property rights of Valley and Peninsula residents."

He went on to say, "Perhaps the most disturbing news to the people of Alaska, specifically in the Mat-Su and the Kenai Peninsula, the bill contains provisions which will further encourage coal-bed methane drilling in Alaska."

Wasn't Tony encouraging this drilling just two years earlier?

This behavior is only to be expected from Knowles, who has a track record of political flip-flopping. During the subsistence debate he took an early courageous stand in appealing the Katie John vs. U.S. case. This case would have challenged the federal government taking over Alaska's right to manage subsistence fisheries in state navigable waters. In an Anchorage Daily News article published March 3, 2000, Knowles wrote, "No governor of any state would -- or should -- ever voluntarily relinquish authority back to the federal government."

He went on to say, "As Alaska's governor, I believe it is my clear responsibility, even in the face of a difficult political battle, to vigorously defend this important aspect of state sovereignty."

Apparently, the political battle became too difficult for Tony, as he deliberately dropped the appeal of the case to the U.S. Supreme Court, ignoring his "clear responsibility" of "this important aspect of state sovereignty."

One thing we can count on when it comes to Flip-Flop Tony, when the going gets tough, his backbone quickly turns into a wishbone. Like many liberal political types, he checks which way the political wind is blowing that day before opening his mouth. Knowles must have graduated from the John Kerry School of Flip-Flop.

Sen. Scott Ogan represents District H, which covers rural Mat-Su, including the communities of Butte, Knik River, Big Lake, Houston, Willow, Sunshine, Talkeetna and Trapper Creek.