Tyler Vose: Alaska’s Office of Special Audits – the time is now

By TYLER VOSE 

My experience blowing the whistle on serious misconduct and retaliation at the FBI Anchorage Field Office taught me the true cost of silence—as well as the price of speaking up. Since coming forward, several Alaska state employees have contacted me about retaliation and abuses they faced.

Many were targeted by unscrupulous managers or executives for their courage in reporting waste, fraud, abuse, gross misconduct, discrimination, or outright criminal behavior. Their trust in the state’s internal processes was shattered, and for good reason: Too often, those entrusted to protect whistleblowers are the very individuals orchestrating retaliation from behind closed doors in coordination with those tasked with investigating the acts of retaliation! 

We cannot rely on the current FBI Anchorage leadership or the federal government as a whole to clean up Alaska’s internal messes. Oversight must start here at home. A properly structured Alaska Office of Special Audits is our best near-term solution, operating in a complementary role alongside Legislative Audit, never crossing into their constitutionally protected domain or duplicating their financial, compliance, or performance review functions.   

Why the Alaska Office of Special Audits matters now 

A constitutionally structured OSA will embed independent, professional investigators (selected from outside the state’s own law enforcement circles) in every executive branch department and the Alaska Public Offices Commission. The OSA’s subpoena authority must be explicit: granting the power to compel records and witness testimony from both inside government and any private entity that’s part of the problem or has information to offer. For the first time, whistleblowers will have confidential, expert allies who understand and can address their risks. 

Crucially, all investigations into whistleblower claims and any allegations of retaliation must be transferred from a human resources role to the OSA, and for good reason. Keeping retaliation investigations as they currently are, is a recipe for conflict of interest and further abuse, as too many state employees have discovered when they reached out to me for help. 

Consider just a few of the real cases state employees have shared with me: 

In one department, a manager openly used anti-Native slurs, yet executive management closed ranks and protected the offender, leaving staff and the complainant demoralized and fearing retaliation for speaking up. 

In another case, a department manager blatantly ran a private side business out of state offices, using state equipment and resources. The employee who reported this theft and self-dealing was summarily fired. It bears repeating that a waiver for outside employment does not—cannot—excuse violations of state criminal statutes. Those who break the law must be held accountable. 

I heard from another employee about a classic “hog and jog”: a state official failed to pay for a meal, and when confronted, tried to use their position to shirk responsibility. Instead of correcting the behavior, the employee’s chain of command backed the official, demonstrating that abuses of power are tolerated far too often in Alaska’s public sector. 

Perhaps most troubling are accounts like those from the employee who revealed serious safety issues at a state facility. For their honesty and commitment to public welfare, they were mercilessly smeared and driven out of state service by a campaign orchestrated by superiors who cared more about reputation than safety. 

Multiple allegations have surfaced about law enforcement officers knowingly inserting false statements in affidavits—conduct that, if true, is not just a breach of ethics but a violation of federal criminal statutes (18 U.S.C. § 241 and 18 U.S.C. § 242) designed to punish the deprivation of rights under color of law.

In one particular case last summer, I hand walked such allegations into the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of the Deputy Attorney General.  At the time, I was invited to the DOJ to share my experiences with the Weaponization Working Group concerning the alleged illegal behavior carried out by certain FBI Anchorage executives.   

These examples are not unusual. They are simply the tip of the iceberg. Imagine how many more stories would come to light if Alaska created a truly reputable and effective OSA—one with embedded investigators in each department, explicit subpoena power to compel documents and testimony from agencies and private entities alike, and a clear mandate to expose and terminate bad actors who abuse public trust. With real authority, the OSA could ensure administrative removal or criminal prosecution of officials who enrich themselves, their friends, or preserve their own positions at the expense of honest colleagues and whistleblowers. 

Direct line to the lieutenant governor—and its limits 

To increase independence, my proposal is that the OSA Director be appointed with a sole reporting line to the Lieutenant Governor, not the Governor or agency heads. This creates a buffer against political interference and shields tough investigations from those wielding direct executive authority. However, let’s be blunt: even this model has inherent weaknesses. If future investigations implicate the Governor or those close to the Governor, reporting solely to the Lieutenant Governor may still expose the agency’s work to indirect pressure, delay, or obstruction. 

It’s an improvement, yes—but not the endgame. 

Why this must only be a first step 

Let’s be clear. The OSA, appointed by and reporting to the Lieutenant Governor, is a necessary stop-gap—a bridge, not a destination. True, lasting public trust demands more. The future for Alaska’s oversight must be an Office of Special Audits codified in state law as a fully independent agency, with its chief elected directly by the people. Only then will we guarantee that no single politician or bureaucrat, no matter how powerful, can stifle investigations or bury scandals. At that time Alaska can join the front ranks of states holding power truly accountable—no exceptions, no protected elites. 

With a voter-elected head, the public would send a message: integrity matters more than politics or personal loyalty. Our state’s most vulnerable, hardest cases—and our best, bravest whistleblowers—deserve nothing less. 

Why OSA is worth the investment—now 

Alaska’s government can no longer afford leaks of dollars or trust. Stopping fraud and stopping retaliation doesn’t just pay for itself—the resulting savings, improved morale, and restored public confidence are what make a legitimate, effective state possible. The OSA—properly staffed, properly empowered, correctly insulated from executive and bureaucratic interference—will not only catch bad actors and return stolen or wasted funds; it will signal to every state employee and every voter: “Alaska is watching out for you.” 

The call for public integrity transcends politics. In my work, across Alaska and the nation, I have seen that concern over unchecked government power and personal enrichment is as close to universal as it gets. No matter party affiliation or policy preference, Alaskans are repulsed by the spectacle of public officials abusing their position for personal gain, enriching friends and allies, or retaliating against whistleblowers simply to keep their own jobs safe. This is not a partisan issue; this is about commonsense decency, public trust, and justice. The anger and disgust are bipartisan, they are justified, and they are real.  

That’s why, as someone who has lived the cost of truth-telling and seen the devastating impact of unchecked retaliation, I urge Governor Dunleavy and every candidate for Governor – Democrat and Republican alike – take advantage of this 99% issue: Create the OSA. Let it report only to the Lieutenant Governor for the interim, but commit, publicly and in statute, to taking the next step: an independent, people-powered watchdog that answers to Alaskans, not insiders. 

The alternative is more decay, more silence, and more lost faith in public power. We can—and must—choose better. 

Tyler Vose is a veteran investigator and public accountability advocate. After blowing the whistle on FBI Anchorage, he has continued to help Alaskans navigate the dangers of government retaliation and corruption, and calls for immediate, meaningful state reform.  Tyler owns and operates Denali Defense Solutions and Veridian Strategies.