Alaska Attorney General Kevin Clarkson has resigned after a series of texts he sent to a younger female state worker became public.
Gov. Mike Dunleavy announced the resignation in a statement, saying Clarkson “admitted to conduct in the workplace that did not live up to our high expectations, and this is deeply disappointing.”
The Anchorage Daily News and ProPublica reported that Clarkson sent 558 text messages to a junior state employee on her personal phone in the month of March. In the texts, Clarkson asked the woman to come to his house at least 18 times, often using a kiss emoji and commenting on the woman’s beauty.
Dunleavy’s statement said nothing is more important than protecting state employees, “and that includes feeling safe when an employee is at work.”
The ADN and ProPublica reported that Clarkson texted the woman at all hours of the day and evening, including from his state office. The texts stopped after the woman sent him a message in early April asking Clarkson to respect professional boundaries and saying that she doesn’t accept late-night calls on her personal phone.
Clarkson’s resignation letter was dated Monday. The ADN and ProPublica story, which was published before the resignation was made public, reported that Clarkson was taking a month-long leave of absence.
In his resignation letter, Clarkson apologized for what he described as his “lapse of judgment.” He said he believed the texts were “mutual,” and that “there is nothing remotely salacious” about them. He also said that on several occasions, “this person initiated a friendly hug when I came to her work place, and I reflexively gave her a tiny peck of a kiss on the top of her head.”
According to the ADN and ProPublica, the woman doesn’t work for the Department of Law, but her job required her to interact with Clarkson occasionally.
Deputy Attorney General Ed Sniffen will serve as the acting attorney general until the governor appoints a replacement, according to the Department of Law.
The governor’s appointee to fill the vacancy will be subject to confirmation by the Legislature.
This story has been updated.
