New House speaker's travel expenses questioned
FAIRBANKS - Rep. John Harris, the Valdez Republican who was just named the new speaker of the House, may face penalties from the Alaska Public Offices Commission for alleged improper travel expenses, state officials said.
Harris was re-elected in his unopposed race and was named speaker of the House on Friday. But while campaigning for both of those jobs, Harris traveled outside his District 12 boundaries.
An APOC official contacted Harris when she found expenses listed on recent fund-raising disclosure reports for at least one trip to Southeast Alaska.
Harris said he will repay the travel costs out of his own pocket.
"I didn't intend there to be an issue, but obviously all of us don't know what every regulation and law is, so I was the first one to admit that I did it, and not intentionally," Harris said. "I don't know how much I have to pay at this point in time, but I'll know here shortly."
Christina Ellingson, APOC assistant director, called Harris' actions unintentional but said his case must be examined by the commission, which will meet in December.
Harris could face penalties or simply receive an admonition from the five-member body.
Mistakes on campaign disclosure forms are nothing new, Ellingson said.
"The fact of the matter is you could pick any of the reports that any candidate turns in and find a mistake," she told the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner.
Brooke Miles, APOC executive director, said the Harris discrepancy was one of the few problems officials have dealt with this year.
In all, there have been five complaints filed leading up to the 2004 election.