Legislative aide Ted Madsen/LinkedIn
A man identifying himself as “the chief of staff for Rep. Ivy Sponholz,” D-Anchorage, today eliminated another former employee of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game from the pool of women who might have accused former Board of Fisheries chairman Karl Johnstone of sexual harassment.
The woman, who will not be identified here, brings to five the number of women working closely in and around Johnstone who say they were not sexually harassed. Johnstone said he only remembers working regularly around a half-dozen or so women while on the Board.
Spohnholz has refused to talk about the charges of verbal sexual harassment she leveled against Johnstone during a joint meeting of the House and Senate almost two weeks ago. The #metoo accusation has been credited with killing Johnstone’s reappointment to the Board that sets fishing regulations.
The Legislature provided Johnstone no chance to defend himself against the charge which he says is unfounded. Spohnholz has admitted that was a mistake. but has not apologized.
The Tuesday phone call to craigmedred.news removing another woman from the pool of possible alleged victims traces back to legislative aide Ted Madsen in Spohnholz’s office. The caller identified himself as Ted, but his last name was not clear. When asked to spell it, the angry caller hung up the phone.
A call back to the phone number went to a recorder said to be taking messages for Madsen. The lastest Spohnholz newsletter identifies Madsen as her chief of staff.
Not the one
Madsen’s revelation of yet another woman denying sexual harassment came in the midst of a phoned threat to accuse this reporter of “harassing” the latest Fish and Game employee contacted.
In a loud voice apparently intended to sound threatening, Madsen – who twice repeated that he was Spohnholz’s “chief of staff” – threatened to take unspecified actions if the woman was contacted again before revealing that she was not involved in the Johnstone affair.
The woman serves on an Anchorage Community Council. The councils are public bodies to which the members are elected. Both the woman’s phone number and email show up on the community council’s public list of members.
In a brief phone conversation Tuesday afternoon, the woman said she did not want to talk about Johnstone. She said she didn’t want to get involved in the politics of the situation.
“I had all kinds of problems at Fish and Game,” she said. “(There are) all kinds of politics there.”
Spohnholz, she said, should be the person answering questions.
“Why don’t you ask Spohnholz?” she added.
Not talking
It was explained that Spohnholz isn’t responding to phone calls or emails. Shortly after the phone call with the woman ended, she was sent an email apologizing for troubling her and asking if she could try to get Spohnholz’s office to return a phone call to the reporter.
The woman has had previous contacts with Spohnholz through her community council in a Democrat-dominated Anchorage neighborhood.
Not long after the message was sent, Madsen called on the phone number provided to the woman. The first call was not answered due to other business. A second call followed a few minutes later. It was also not answered. The third call came about five minutes after the other two and was picked up.
Madsen immediately launched into accusations of harassment. When an attempt was made to explain to him that no one was harassed by anyone, Madsen said the women had “reached out” to Spohnholz’s office as had been requested of her.
He would not say what the woman asked the office to do.
But he did remove her from the short list of women who might have been in position to complain to Spohnholz about Johnstone. Spohnholz has said there were “more than two,” but later appeared to reduce that to only two in an interview with the Anchorage Daily News.
When asked questions about what exactly the woman said, Madsen grew belligerent before hanging up. A message later left on Madsen’s voice mail asking him to call back with the spelling of his name was not returned.
Previous calls to Spohnholz’s office to ask her about the charges against Johnstone have also gone unanswered. An email also went answered. She has never provided any hint of what it was Johnstone is alleged to have said.
What a giant waste of time! Eventually every female that worked around Johnstone will deny having a problem with Johnstone and you will be forced to conclude Ivy lied to the Alaska Legislature. And you know what you’re going to do about that? NOTHING!
Spohnholz refusing to clear the air after making her accusations verified her negative justice motives. She is a harassment terrorious who should be run out of the legislature.
Thanks for keeping on this Craig. The State won’t police the State. So, lying and corruption runs rampant and unabated. That was shown to us long ago when it took the feds to clean up the CBC. And Poison Ivy represents the modern-day, leftist CBC. But in her case, it’s probably not the Corrupt Bastards Club. More like … the Corrupt Bitches Club.
Want to piss off a Conservative…Lie to them…Want to piss off a Liberal…Tell them the Truth!
And now there are two. Where do they work now and in what position? Did Carl
Johnstone bring up any constitutional questions during his BOF term? (ie: fish = public
resource)? Who wouldn’t want that question asked? Is Rep. Sponholz just a stooge that was
duped or is she complicit? Follow the money…
And now there are two. Where do they work now and in what position? Did Carl
Johnstone bring up any constitutional questions during his BOF term? (ie: fish = public
resource)? Who wouldn’t want that question asked? Is Rep. Sponholz just a stooge that was
duped or is she complicit? Follow the money…
it’s not exclusive to the left, unfortunately, Bob. left, right, even some in the center, this seems to have become a country where politicians are following the lead of the president in lobbing accusations whether there is evidence or not.
Madsen looks like a typical gender studies major………Perfect for Eye-Vee
Reporting and fact collection is a tough job . It takes a courageous heart and someone mentally tough that gets their rewards not from direct payment but from from abstract progress of the truth . Without quality reporting and honest media our democracy will fall . Thank you for being on the front line for all Alaskans ,Craig .
Art and Brian hit it on the head! Why hasn’t the Republican Party called out the traitors who defected to the dIMOCRATS in the Alaska House. Why haven’t they called out Lisa
for being the first to jump in front of a camera at every turn to thwart President Trump’s agenda. Dims stick together which is why they are able to create such mayhem with lies and “process”.
Lisa is doing a great job? Sullivan is a R puppet.
Get a grip! POTUS has revoked all regs, that were enacted, due to “to big to fail”. US taxpayers paid the bill. American blue collar workers are getting hosed in present US corporate capitalism.
How is that working for you? The 1% have all the money, and you have diddley squat! How does that feel? Have you realized, that reality is not what you think it is?
Drinking the Trump koolaid? The joke is in you! LOL!
Um James, get a grip. Still watching CNN I see. Still whining about the 1% “go getters” huh?
Black and Hispanic unemploymemt lowest in History. Thank You Donald Trump.
“The National Employment Report indicates that private sector employment increased by 275,000 jobs from March to April, according to the ADP Research Institute and Moody’s Analytics.
“April posted an uptick in growth after the first quarter appeared to signal a moderation following a strong 2018,” ADP Research Institute Vice President and Co-head Ahu Yildirmaz said. “The bulk of the overall growth is with service providers, adding the strongest gain in more than two years.”
Additionally, the report revealed that the number of jobs added in March was revised upward from 129,000 to 151,000.”
“The good times are behind us” – Barrackus Obamaus. Where Americans get hosed by Government Marxism.
On a larger scale but, you get the picture. It should be clear which side who is on and which results one side favors over the other. Some will scratch their head and say “what does this have to do with the article”?
https://www.foxbusiness.com/economy/venezuela-protest-socialism-juan-guaido-nicolas-maduro
Different story, same ole story… https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2019/05/01/mueller-report-special-counsel-didnt-examine-dnc-servers-based-on-fbi-investigation-that-didnt-examine-dnc-servers/
Fox sucks! Bill was a really sexual harasser. You identify with them!
Tells me a little about your morale makeup!
James, forgot one:
The unemployment rate for women in the U.S. workforce fell to 3.4 percent in April, the lowest rate since September 1953.
How about CNN?
“A new CNN poll found a high approval rating for how President Donald Trump is handling the economy, with CNN’s David Chalian noting, “this is the highest number we’ve ever seen.”
Fox sucks! Bill was a sexual harasser. You identify with him!
Tells me a little about your morale makeup!
I don’t have any more problem with Spohnholtz than with any other Democrats; they are nihilistic liars who don’t believe in objective truth. If a Democrat tells you the Sun is shining, you go look out the window. If a Democrat tells you they’re going to keep a promise, watch his every move and keep your powder dry. My problem is more with House leadership that allowed the Johnstone confirmation to come to a vote without providing Johnstone an opportunity to respond, and my greatest problem is with the feckless Republicans who didn’t support the Governor’s nominee.
I long ago learned that with friends like Republican elected and appointed officials you don’t need many enemies. As a rule, the Democrats don’t have to do you in; they just make some allegation against you and the Republicans line up to toss you under the bus. One day the Rotary Club Republicans will figure out what kinds of people they’re dealing with.
Well Craig,
After reading your blog for the last several months….
I can say one thing for certain.
You definitely called the demise of journalism.
Nothing more than party bickering and dead end leads these days it seems in AK “reporting”.
Just remember No means No…even for “newsmen”.
so, Steve, are you trying to confess you did do it?
And what would that be you are now accusing me of?
Leading you off the journalistic cliff in AK?
Steve is jut upset because he was called few names over on MRAK by “the right wing anonymous troll army” as he called them. The deliciously ironic part is that Steve was complaining about being called names while calling others names and complaining about people calling name anonymously on a story about a legislator calling Karl Johnstone names using anonymous sources…and Steve was defending this legislator. You can’t make this stuff up.
http://mustreadalaska.com/that-time-when-ivy-spohnholz-lectured-on-taking-responsibility
Steve O…
Actually this is my post that got the “right wing anonymous troll army” out on MRAK….
Sadly,
Most of the discussion around these “inappropriate sexual comments” that may or may not have been made by Johnstone is around the messenger.
Do Alaskans not remember that sexual harassment and abuse is currently an epidemic in this state?
Why is it so hard for folks to stop blaming the “left and right” and just realize that we may have a “Wildfire” currently spreading across America.
“Since the start of 2017, The Associated Press has tallied at least 90 state lawmakers who have faced public allegations or repercussions over sexual misconduct claims. Most of those cases became public since the #MeToo movement gained momentum in October 2017, although some of the incidents allegedly occurred several years ago.”
“Alaska: Rep. Dean Westlake, D, submitted resignation letter Dec. 15, 2017, after being accused by several women of inappropriate behavior.”
“Alaska: Rep. Zach Fansler, D, resigned effective Feb. 12, 2018, after being accused of slapping a woman hard enough to rupture her eardrum during a sexual encounter after a night of drinking. He pleaded guilty June 21 to a misdemeanor harassment charge.”
“Alaska: Sen. David Wilson, R, placed on probation and disciplined in December 2017 by Senate leaders after a review found he engaged in retaliation as he defended himself against sexual harassment allegations.”
“Alaska: Rep. Justin Parish, D, directed to undergo additional sexual harassment training after a sexual harassment complaint in February 2018 outlined a series of unwanted flirting, touching and phone calls to a woman.”
And let’s not forget about Mallot and how he walked away before any “accountability” or investigation could move forward on the allegations against him…
Every day it seems more “authority” figures in Alaska are involved in sexual harassment and abuse.
Maybe it is time to take every allegation seriously until proven false or next time it may be your friend, wife, mother or daughter that is victimized by those in power in AK.
https://www.apnews.com/a3377d14856e4f4fb584509963a7a223
Obviously, Steve O still wishes to debate my comment….
Steve,
There is no debating your comments. You do not know how to debate and on top of that there is simply no conversing with you, you just quote leftwing nonsense and offer little to no individual thought in to your posting. It’s just one sided nonsensical ranting on your part. You attack what you call “the right wing anonymous troll army” for pointing out a legislator using anonymous sources to derail a vote and deprive a citizen of due process and yet you cannot even grasp the irony involved in your statements. You are arguing both against and for anonymity at the same time.
Thanks for posting your manifesto wherein you say “Maybe it is time to take every allegation seriously until proven false”…good idea Steve, let’s upend our entire judicial system and the very foundations of our government by simply assuming any and everybody is guilty until proven innocent. Steve Stine, you need to think before you write.
There is no debating your comments because they are nonsense.
Well Steve O…
For such nonsense coments…
They sure keep you busy?
Steve,
Answering your nonsense really doesn’t take much time or keep me busy at all. But thanks for the concern.
And then we have the President of the United States of America lying everyday, serially. Objective Truth to him is a confection that Hostess makes to augment Twinkies and Ding Dong’s.
POTUS is a narcissistic egotistical guy! He uses a 144 character platform to communicate with the American public. If that works for you, great! Does not for me! I cannot wait for 2020!
And what has Trump lied about? And what should he be impeached for again? And why should Barr or Mueller step down? Insane leftist lies? Hillary amd Obama are still walking the streets and not in prison? Why? Now you want to talk about criminal liars. I think their crimes are obvious unless you’re insane.
I mean, look at these insane Democrats. All diversions from their real crimes of Sedition. Impeach Trump and Barr for what? Uncovering criminal Democrats and telling the truth?
https://www.breitbart.com/entertainment/2019/05/02/chelsea-handler-we-need-to-impeach-barr-and-trump/
If you are taking flak, you must be over the target or very close to it. Cheers –
While I agree with the sentiment, something struck me awhile back.reading that phrase. Taking flak just means you are over _a_ target, not necessarily the _right_ target. =)
Ivy got some splainin’ to do…about more than two things.
Hang in there Craig! You’re doing it right! Ivy was way out of line on this one. I am appalled!
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Seeing a pattern here? Make-up a phony Russian collusion story, peddle the lie to a complicit media, repeat said lie with zero proof, then when lie is exposed, go after the messenger, repeat “Impeachment” for the next several years. Attack, attack, attack, and distract without proof. Kavenaugh much? This is and has been typical Democrat lynch mob (they love their lynch mobs) mentality for years. Typical Alynsky tactics. Terrible times we are living in and I blame Democrats. Of course coward Repubs allow it to happen. Thank God Trump exposes these cancers.
U mean like the fake obama birther thingy?
Dave, watch this. Very educational. You may have missed it on CNN or MSNBC.
https://youtu.be/Jp-Rrk1UHp0
Bryan,
Sorry,I dont waste $’s on cable, in fact I dont devote alot of spare time for TV period.
And i dont spend $’s on unlimited data packages either(phone or house),and its less about $’s, but more about how I want to spend my time.
You won’t find me on Facebook either,Ive never been good following the crowd.
Any time I watch an online video clip its almost always some sort of “how to”.
Even though Im a visually oriented person like most,I prefer to get most of my news and insights by way of text.And do my own analysis and projections.
Perhaps you noticed that Cook Inlet Setnetters are floating a permit buyout That seems more important to 300k people from the tip of the kenia to the matsu,than whatever riveting subject your link is about.
Of course they must be libtards,who else would think of socialist program like that.
Sorta like all those Commies who decided to buy river front lots on the Matsu over the past 70 or 80 yrs.
No typos noted. Stand strong, Craig, the Left thinks it can get away with slander to suit it’s ends….and gets indignant when called to the carpet. These spoiled brats should have been called to the carpet by their parents when they were 6, 9, or 12 years old….and now that you do it, the harsh reaction is out of fear- the trapped, fearful animal lashes out…
No specifics…. very fishy!
Good reporting.
Sent from my iPhone
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