By Marcia Kuszmaul

Homer Independent Press

The Alaska State Legislature Select Committee on Legislative Ethics House Subcommittee will move forward with an investigation of complaints filed against Rep. Sarah Vance, R-Homer, alleging violation of the state ethics code. 

Kevin Reeve, the administrator for the ethics committee, said in a phone interview the complaints had met the criteria for the committee’s consideration. He confirmed that, according to the complaint process outlined in the ethics code, the committee had determined that some or all of the allegations of the complaints, if proven, would constitute a violation. 

Reeve confirmed that the committee has adopted a resolution that defines the scope of its investigation. The resolution has been provided to complainants and Vance. The committee is proceeding under the rules of Legislative Ethics Act, AS 24.60.170. 

Reeve described the investigation as a time to close gaps in information and to allow subjects of investigations to explain their conduct.

In an email statement to the Homer Independent Press, Vance confirmed she has waived confidentiality provisions associated with the proceedings.

“I have waived confidentiality on the complaints,” Vance said in email. “Please know there are limitations in what I can discuss, and want to remain respectful of the process and protect the complainants.”  

“I believe I was acting within the bounds of my legislative duties by writing a letter to Sound Publishing regarding an article written by Homer News, and I have submitted a motion to dismiss the unprecedented number of ethics complaints filed against me,” Vance said in an email on Jan. 28.

“There are other ethics committee advisory opinions that have addressed the issue of using state letterhead for a legislative purpose, including many examples of similar instances,” she continued. “In fact, the ethics advisory opinions have even considered whether someone can endorse a candidate using their letterhead, which I found surprising.”

The applicable section of the ethics code is “Prohibited conduct and conflict of interest” (AS 24.60.030(a)(2)) – “A legislator . . . may not use public funds, facilities, equipment, services or other government asset or resource for a nonlegislative purpose, for involvement in or support of or opposition to partisan political activity . . . .” 

The issue that Vance references is her use of official state letterhead, official state social media and official title to complain to the owners of the Homer News about an article first published online on Sept. 23, 2025, about  a vigil for Charlie Kirk that Vance helped organize.

Widely reported at the time, Vance took exception to the story’s identifying Kirk as “far-right” and a “Christian nationalist icon” and some of his views as “racist and controversial.” Vance urged the owners to take “corrective action.”

The owners, Sound Publishing’s parent, Carpenter Media Group, replaced the story on the web with an unattributed rewrite without consulting the reporter or her editor. Four journalists, including the reporter and her editor, from three state newspapers – Homer News, Peninsula Clarion and Juneau Empire – resigned, citing the owners’ bow to political pressure and unethical tactics.

Jake Dye, former reporter for the Peninsula Clarion, is one of those journalists. 

“I was aware that some folks were planning to file complaints against the representative,” he said in a phone interview, “but I never followed that closely because my issue in that situation was always in the way Carpenter responded to her letter, less with her writing the letter. But I’ll be interested to see what happens.” 

According to the ethics code, if, after investigation, the committee determines there is not probable cause to believe that Vance is in violation, the committee will dismiss the complaints and explain their dismissal. If the committee determines that a probable violation exists, it may recommend corrective action or sanctions or both.

Note: Before the Homer Independent Press was started and before Michael Armstrong became editor, he made comments on Vance’s Facebook post criticizing her letter to Carpenter Media Group. Because of this conflict, he did not edit this story. Editing was done by Homer Independent Press Editorial Advisory Board member Lori Evans, a former editor of the Homer News and Peninsula Clarion.