By TODD LINDLEY
Protecting the interests of constituents has always been a platitude of political campaigns, with candidates weaving messaging in a way to portray themselves as courageous and heroic for the honor of being elevated to a public office. However, votes matter more than rhetoric. Actions determine whether those platitudes have any substance behind them.
The new administration is restoring peace and liberty to the American people that the old regime had denied. Heroes of all types have answered the call to public service. But what about those who helped pave the way for the change the country is now experiencing? Unsung heroes like Former Sen. Lora Reinbold (R-Eagle River).
Just before the Covid-19 pandemic struck, the district she previously represented was home to more than 50% of the military personnel in the state of Alaska. As chair of the Judiciary Committee, she scrutinized Covid policies and mandates to prevent the infringement of violations of civil rights under the guise of public health. Unfortunately, the hearings she arranged and her position on the mandates made her the target of an ethics complaint and ire from Gov. Mike Dunleavy.
Reinbold has been put upon by the very legal system that is supposed to ensure every American gets a fair shake. She has endured stunning and shameful persecution. It is time to make it right and time for her story to be told.
At a Judiciary Committee hearing on Jan. 27, 2021, then-chair Reinbold invited testimony from Alaska Health and Human Services Commissioner Adam Crum and Dr. Martin Kulldorff, who co-authored the Great Barrington Declaration alongside Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, who is now the National Institute of Health Director. Commissioner Crum outlined the effort that HHS and the Dunleavy administration put forward in the form of mandates, health orders, and actions, including the extension of the emergency declaration. Dr. Kulldorff expressed an opposing argument to lockdowns and health mandate policies and was critical of the public health measures, which did not consider the long-term negative effects of the mandates.
Things came to a head on Feb. 18, 2021, when Dunleavy issued a blistering letter to Reinbold to stop spreading misinformation to the public about the COVID-19 mandates as Judiciary chair. In a controversial move, the governor blocked all executive branch state resources to her office and refused to respond to the Senate Judiciary Committee:
“This letter serves as notice that all officials and staff, employed and serving the State of Alaska’s Executive Branch of government, will not be responding, or participating, in any matter that pertains to yourself, your office, or, currently, in your capacity as the chair of a committee.
“I will not continue to subject the public resources of the State of Alaska to the mockery of a charade, disguised as public purpose.”
This letter came at a time when the governor’s disaster declarations were being extended, and the Legislature continued the debate on programs and the necessity of response to the pandemic. HB76 became the conduit by which the state of the emergency would move from a disaster to a public health emergency and maintain the flow of federal funding to support response efforts, mainly mass vaccination of the population.
Then, on April 19, 2021, the Senate voted 17-1 to remove her from the chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee.
To make matters worse, Reinbold was banned from Alaska Airlines that same month for allegedly not complying with its mask policy, just three days before the bill was to be voted on in the Senate chambers. Reinbold later sued the airlines, and the case is now before the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
On April 30, 2021, Dunleavy signed a proclamation ending the Disaster Declaration and signed HB76 into law. Following that, Commissioner Crum issued a Public Health Emergency, allowing for the procurement and continuation of services with federal funds. That same day, Reinbold was sued for blocking an internet troll for two and half weeks from commenting on her Facebook page. That case is now before the Alaska Supreme Court.
The damage has already been done.
Reinbold did not seek re-election and instead defended herself in court in McDow v. Reinbold. She sued Dunleavy for malice and defamation and took the airline head-on. Reinbold wants to clear her name and seek due process for the actions taken against her. But it’s bigger than her. Businesses and doctors around the country have been put in a similar position. Far too many people faced punitive actions for challenging the previous administration and, by extension, the state government agencies’ pandemic mandates and vaccination programs.
On Feb. 18, now former Sen. Reinbold stood before the Alaska Supreme Court to defend herself against the executive branch and those of the Select Committee on Legislative Ethics related to the malicious letter and illegitimate ethics complaint. The counsel for the Ethics Committee and the State of Alaska had previously been granted a motion to be dismissed by Judge Thomas Matthews. Reinbold challenged the ruling. She testified to the high court that the Ethics Committee circumvented protections provided in the ethics laws and denied her statutory due process.
While Reinbold has spent four years defending her actions in Alaskan courts, on April 23, 2025, a pivotal and long overdue apology by the Department of Defense was issued to the service members who were kicked out of the military for refusing to take the COVID vaccines. Moreover, the White House has publicized facts surrounding the pandemic after a long investigation by the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic. Most notable of the attestations are those related to COVID-19 misinformation, the subject of action against Reinbold:
“[T]he Biden Administration resorted to ‘outright censorship — coercing and colluding with the world’s largest social media companies to censor all COVID-19-related dissent.'”
On May 5, President Donald Trump, alongside NIH Director Dr. Jayanta Bhattacharya and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. , signed an executive order banning “gain-of-function” research. This method of research studied the spillover potential of the virus and led to the development of the COVID-19 vaccines.
Reinbold was on the front lines against the coercive power that the tech and pharma companies had over public institutions and media. It cost her dearly. But there is hope of victory on the horizon. One thing is clear: The citizens of Alaska know that someone was in their corner when it mattered — when the hardest thing to do was the right thing.
Todd Lindley is on the board of Alaska Gold Communications, the parent company of Must Read Alaska.
Sorry but there will be no hope of her winning with that liberal loon of a judge. Guy should be impeached immediatly. His misinterpretations of the constitutnion are legendary.
I personally think Dr. Zink belongs in prison.
You’re not the ONLy one, infact I’d say about many many more felt that way but due to sacrficing their job, they preferred to be silent.
We need Reinbold for Governor. We need serious people like her who stand up to tyranny.
THANK YOU FOR BRING LIGHT TO THIS ISSUE!!!!!!!! I PRAY LORA GETS THE CREDIT SHE DESERVES for standing up against ALL ODDS to do what was and is right!!!!
It’s amazing how many people who were excoriated for pushing back on Covid have been proven right.
What next? Will the press suddenly discover Biden is a sick, senile old man?
Dunleavy has been one of the best Democrat governors we’ve had in years.
Pity he was supposed to be a Republican.
And, the cheap shots from the anonymous Masked Dude keep on coming.
Thank you for your completely worthless yet arrogant comment, “Joe”.
(And how does anyone here know if you are the REAL Joe Geldhof? And what difference would it make if you were, or if you were not?)
Jefferson, I have not yet had the pleasure of meeting you, but I believe you do in fact exist.
As far as Joe Geldhof, I have known Joe for some 40 years, he exists and isn’t afraid to make pointed and seemingly hurtful comments, not unlike you Jefferson!
The simple truth is… i like you both.
It is good to be reminded of how our spineless Governor Stands Small willfully not just surrendered to, but actively promoted, the Covidian hysteria and mass authoritarianism surrounding that episode of mass psychosis.
And don’t forget the weekly lottery to reward fools for taking it! Looking at recent pictures of him makes me think he actually believed the lies and took it himself.
Excellent article about our Senator! She was truly a lone voice in the legislature, fighting tirelessly to protect our trampled rights during the entire debacle known as the COVID pandemic response.”
I attended the “listening sessions” that she held. Anyone from the public could stand up and talk about their situation and problems, and make any comments that they wanted to state. Unlike our Princess national senator, state Senator Reinbold never made any effort to restrict questions to written ones on a card passed to an aide.
We lost a great state representative to needless local “lawfare” ethics complaints and court case. I hope she triumphs, when all the dust settles.
Please Lora—-Move to the Valley and run against Yundt. You will be restored to the Greatness You Deserve. All the Past B S will melt away as the Republican Mat Valley Women’s Voters and Conservative Voters would Embrace and Support you. After what we have been through—–YOUR THE ONLY ONE WE CAN TRUST.
The winds of change are in the air and even tho Alaska has mostly establishment people running amok, their numbers are soon up. It took a few years for those brainwashed by covid to realize that, yea, you were lied to and demonized for not towing the line. In my humble opinion this was a test for compliance and many failed. Thankfully some are coming around and apologetic.
I applaud Lora for standing on her principles and not giving up. Hat’s off!! Recompense is here and I think more proverbial poo is about to fly.
Isn’t judge Matthews that one dismissing the case against former judge Murphy “in interest of justice” and sealing the Grand Jury report about matters related to it? And deleting any record of the case from court docket?
Like it never even happened?
Because they have nothing to hide right?
Yeah, give it another 4 years before they come to some conclusions.
Perhaps Lora could help Robert Kennedy Jr. get the measles outbreak under control?
OH MY GOD, THE MEASLES!!
RUN, RUN, RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!!!!!!!!!
Does the regime media fearmongering propaganda EVER fail to be mindlessly accepted, and parroted, by quislings and spineless conformists like you?
Our President is handling the measles outbreak the same way it became an outbreak.
It is called “Deportation”.
The measles outbreak was simply a byproduct of the importation of “votes” as well as the nasty fentanyl.
Maybe she could help with the grocery prices.
The blistering letter, a public reprimand by a Republican governor of her own party. Wow! Why didn’t Senate President Peter Micciche write the blistering letter?
Within the letter Governor Dunleavy also referred to the Alaska Legislature Professional Workplace Conduct Policy. Governor Dunleavy wrote in the blistering letter “As public officials, we both swear an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Alaska…that those empowered by the citizens of a land can be trusted to act in good faith on their behalf…That relationship, like the oath of office all public officials swear, is predicated on individuals conducting themselves in good faith and in the public interest…”
Governor Dunleavy’s attorney general Treg Taylor’s first allegiance is to the public interest.
It is in the public interest, safety and well-being that every citizen can make a presentment before a grand jury to investigate and make recommendations concerning the public welfare or safety and that our constitutional right to go before a grand jury shall never be suspended. Read Alaska Constitution Article I Section 8.
In the public interest and in good faith SCO 1993 needs to be changed or deleted by two-thirds vote of the Legislature.
Alaska needs judicial reform. We the people need amendments to the Alaska Constitution. Article IV Sections 8 and 10 need to be amended. An attorney general needs to be elected and not appointed. A sheriff needs to elected too.
Alaskans need to know beyond a doubt that every judge within the State of Alaska shall faithfully follow the laws, rules, etc., and protect our constitutional rights. See Canon 3.
Governor Dunleavy is spot when he wrote, “The laws and budget passed by the Legislature are enacted by the Governor…” Article III Section 16 “The governor shall be responsible for the faithful execution of the laws…”
I think Gov Dunleavy was “forced” to many decisions by Zink..she was the one controlling everyone and everything..during that particular time..She was the Medical hierarchy of the state.
Zink formed the Governors position on COVID. She was wrong he was wrong. Neither ever made it right. My respect and trust are zero for either. Both have major integrity issues.
Spot on, Geroge!
Matthews was the judge that’s hiding the Report on systemic Judicial corruption. Of which, he too may have been a target.
Lora Reinbold for Governor!!
Let’s take our govt back!
Is there a place to donate to her legal bills?
Sen. Reinbold showed exemplary character to follow the constitution and courage to stand in the face of unjust attacks. I can’t think of anyone I’d rather see become governor of our great state.
Lora Reinbold was among the least effective, least respected, legislators in the Capitol. But the voters who elected her deserve her.
“Least effective, least respected legislators in the capital. “
Maybe that’s because the capitol and the legislature is nothing more than a pit of vipers! Honest folks are not welcome there. If u haven’t figured out how this works wlmleitch, u are part of the problem.
How do you spell “rong”? How do spell “U Serp”? How do you spell “Uh Lag Sa”?
What difference does it make now?
Git it rong; it’s Saul Rite.
Please run for Governor!
The facts are that the former Senator asked one simple question that started this crap shoot “Where’s the money” during (Covid scam)as the chair of the finance committee she had the right to ask. That was the 1st mistake. 2nd her arrogance is off the charts because she had one of the finest private investigators and advisors in the country and his arguments not hers had the liberal judge tied in knots but Lora knows best so she decided to do things her way and change the argument and that was her downfall. You only have part of the picture and it’s fractured because you don’t know the entire story so before you paint her as a saint you should do your due diligence and get the entire picture. And what is very sad if she would have listened to the advice of the one who wrote the original argument Lora would have brought the entire house of cards down!
Senator Reinbold is just another one of the long list of people who were targeted and victimized by the same communist regime who funded and engineered the virus in the first place.
“mad scientist Fauci” was their spokesman.
Dr Robert Malone was another seriously victimized individual with credibility that was silenced for speaking out against Fauci’s orders.
Reinbold was driven out for being an honest conservative, and actually believing in the Republican party platform, just like Eastman.
All of the fallout from CV-19 in Alaska is the result of a lack of leadership, integrity and a set of b@lls. Hopefully Mediocre Mike is never elected to another government position.
The Alaskan people for the most part do not have a clue as to how deep the corruption is in Alaska and how high it goes. Had Lora done exactly as she was advised when she was told she would be sitting in the governors seat even in Murkowski’s seat. What took place with the cares act money in Alaska and the fact that people lost their lives due to the medical tyranny under Zinks direction with the COVID shots to this day is unbelievable.
One last input about Lora, she still holds a certain document that can unravel this entire mess but because she is who she is the recognition of that document is beyond her comprehension. This is the reason the one who wrote the original argument that tied the courts hands walked away from her. Alaska could be the tip of the spear in FULL Accountability for the entire country in these proceedings but Reinbolt is not capable of keeping her mouth shut and doing what she is told by any council. This case still has the potential of proving medical tyranny and fraud within the state government and will carry clear to the Supreme Court in Washington. It doesn’t matter to me whether anyone on this thread believes this or not it doesn’t change the facts of the case that are being mislead by a corrupt court because Lora couldn’t due what she was instructed to do.