March 25, 2019 - 5:55 PM
JUNEAU, Alaska - The Latest on a dispute over judicial nominees (all times local):
4:50 p.m.
Gov. Mike Dunleavy says he looks forward to scheduling a meeting with the chief justice of the Alaska Supreme Court to discuss a dispute over judicial nominees.
That's according to Dunleavy spokesman Matt Shuckerow.
Shuckerow says he does not have any detail on the potential timing of such a meeting.
Dunleavy filled one vacancy on the Palmer Superior Court last week but refused to fill another after raising questions about the Alaska Judicial Council's process for nominating candidates.
Alaska Supreme Court Chief Justice Joel Bolger, in response to Dunleavy, said founders of the state's constitution intended for a governor to appoint for judgeships candidates nominated by the council.
Bolger also defended and explained the council's process for vetting and nominating candidates.
Bolger serves on the council.
___
10:10 a.m.
The Alaska Supreme Court's chief justice says founders of the state's constitution intended for a governor to appoint for judgeships candidates nominated by the Alaska Judicial Council.
Chief Justice Joel Bolger, in recent remarks, defended the council's process for vetting and nominating candidates after Gov. Mike Dunleavy filled one vacancy on the Palmer Superior Court but refused to fill another.
One of the seats is vacant and the second is soon to be.
Dunleavy said he wouldn't select a second candidate from the list of three the council sent him, saying there were qualified applicants "inexplicably" not nominated.
Bolger said the council aims to nominate the most qualified. State law calls for superior court vacancies to be filled within 45 days of the governor receiving nominations. That period has passed.
News from © The Associated Press, 2019