Alaska House spokesman charged with assault; now unemployed

An Alaska legislative official says the Alaska House majority spokesman facing assault charges is no longer employed by the state.

Listen now

The sign outside the Anchorage Legislative Information Office, March 4, 2016. (Photo by Megan Ahleman)
The sign outside the Anchorage Legislative Information Office, March 4, 2016. (Photo by Megan Ahleman)

Will Vandergriff’s last day was Friday. That’s according to Jeremiah Campbell, who has replaced Vandergriff as press secretary.

Vandergriff is charged with two counts of misdemeanor assault in the June 12 incident at an apartment in Anchorage’s Government Hill neighborhood.

Police say the charges are in connection with an altercation that police say involved striking a woman and holding her down by the throat. The charging document says the woman told police that since February, “‘something like this had happened 3-4 times previously but this time was the worst.”‘

Vandergriff had been on administrative leave because of the incident.

He did not immediately respond to a call for comment. No attorney is listed in court documents for Vandergriff, who is scheduled for an arraignment on July 22.

Previous articleCoast Guard to reconsider “common-sense” guide regs for Western Alaska
Next articleSullivan on Trump VP vetting: ‘I was probably as surprised as you were’