Former Assembly Chairman Chris Constant steps back into City Hall fight over George Martinez travel investigation

Constant, who left the Assembly in April after serving the maximum three consecutive terms, has reserved time at the beginning of the meeting to address Item 12.A. He is expected to argue that Martinez’s municipal travel was authorized.

That may preview the defense Martinez’s allies will make later in the evening: Someone approved the trips, and therefore Martinez should not be singled out for investigation.

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But authorization is one of the questions at the heart of the controversy, not necessarily the answer to it. The proposed investigation would examine whether approving officials received all the relevant information about Martinez’s travel, whether the trips complied with municipal ethics rules and whether any public expense overlapped with his private business activities.

Constant and Martinez are both firmly aligned with the Assembly’s Democratic-progressive bloc. Constant was one of its most influential members during his nine years in office and served as chairman before being term-limited out this spring. Martinez, who represents East Anchorage, won reelection to a second term in April.

Tuesday’s regular Assembly meeting begins at 5 pm in the Assembly Chambers at the Z.J. Loussac Library, 3600 Denali Street.

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Every regular Assembly meeting begins with a period for public participation. People who reserve a place in advance through the Municipal Clerk receive three minutes to address the body. That is where Constant is scheduled to speak.

The matter itself appears under Item 12 of the agenda, labeled “Reserved.” Items in that category are not public hearings. The category is commonly used for such things as liquor and marijuana licenses, land-use matters for which hearings have already closed, election certifications and other administrative business.

This time, it is being used for something considerably more consequential: Whether an elected Assembly member should be independently investigated for a possible breach of the public trust involving public money.

Resolution AR 2026-192 originally called for submitting a formal accusation document to the Municipal Clerk, beginning the process that could lead to Martinez’s removal under Anchorage Municipal Code 2.70.030. It also directed the municipal attorney to retain outside counsel to investigate and represent the municipality.

Several substitute versions have since emerged. The version currently before the Assembly, AR 2026-192(S-2), is narrower. Sponsored by Assemblywoman Yarrow Silvers, it directs the municipal attorney to arrange an independent investigation into the allegations described in AIM 96-2026 and report factual findings and any recommendations to the Assembly.

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A motion to approve the S-2 version was on the floor when the July 21 meeting reached its midnight deadline. The matter was carried over to Tuesday, with Silvers making the motion and Vice Chairman Daniel Volland seconding it. The complete Aug. 4 agenda is posted here.

The proposed investigation grew out of scrutiny of Martinez’s extensive travel at public expense. Assembly members Jared Goecker and Donald Handeland have questioned whether some trips were connected to legitimate municipal business, whether Martinez collected per diem for days when he was not performing Assembly duties and whether taxpayer-funded travel overlapped with work connected to his private consulting business.

The allegations also raise questions about whether the travel helped Martinez obtain or retain elite airline status and other personal travel benefits, whether outside employment and his ownership interest in Consoach LLC were properly disclosed, and whether travel documentation was changed or supplemented after questions arose.

Martinez has maintained that his travel was authorized and undertaken for legitimate legislative purposes. He has said he followed the municipality’s established approval process and believes he complied with applicable disclosure requirements.

The Assembly’s internal audit office is separately reviewing Assembly travel from January 2025 through April 2026.

Anchorage Assembly to consider investigation that could lead to removal of George Martinez

The latest controversy followed a June ruling by the Alaska Public Offices Commission concerning a separate trip. APOC determined Martinez illegally used campaign funds to pay for a December 2025 flight to Florida that personally benefited him. Commissioners described his sworn testimony as “formulaic and evasive,” found portions of it not credible and imposed the maximum available civil penalty.

On July 21, the Assembly voted 8-3 to censure Martinez over the APOC findings. Members Kameron Perez-Verdia, Anna Brawley and Daniel Volland opposed the censure. The more difficult question—whether to investigate Martinez’s use of municipal funds—was left unresolved when the meeting ran out of time. The Alaska Story previously detailed the competing censure and investigation proposals.

Martinez arrived in Alaska after a political and activist career in New York City. He participated in the Occupy Wall Street movement, promoted a campaign called “Bum Rush the Vote” and ran for Congress as what New York media called Occupy’s rapping congressional candidate. He was first elected to the Anchorage Assembly in 2023.

Constant’s appearance Tuesday adds another political layer to the proceedings. He no longer has a seat or a vote, but the former chairman will use the same three-minute public-comment opportunity available to any Anchorage resident to make the case that Martinez’s travel had official approval.

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The Assembly must decide whether that assertion resolves the matter or makes an independent examination of who approved what, and on the basis of which information, even more necessary.

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