The House Subcommittee of the Select Committee on Legislative Ethics dismissed a complaint (H-2501) against Representative Chuck Copp on July 25 after a closed executive-session review, Chair Connor Thomas announced in public session.

The complaint, filed with a waiver of confidentiality, alleged that Copp and his consulting firm had a substantial financial interest tied to the Alaska AFL-CIO and that Copp authored and voted for legislative measures that benefited that interest. The complaint also alleged failure to disclose conflicts, appearance of impropriety, misuse of leadership authority and a threat to a fellow legislator; the subcommittee determined those allegations did not warrant a formal ethics investigation and dismissed the matter.

Scott Kendall, attorney for Representative Copp, told the subcommittee the complaint was “utterly lacking merit” and argued it relied on Copp’s public financial and campaign disclosures. “Representative Copp’s conduct in this matter is actually a model of compliance,” Kendall said, and he asked the panel to dismiss the complaint. Kendall also told the committee the complainant may have committed a separate criminal offense by filing a knowingly false accusation and urged the subcommittee to consider referring that matter to law enforcement.

Representative Chuck Copp, reached by phone, said the allegations “are entirely unfounded” and disputed the complaint’s claim that he was the prime sponsor of House Bill 78. “This was a House Finance Committee bill,” Copp said, adding that he helped explain and facilitate the measure but was not the bill’s sponsor.

The complaint (as set out by the chair during the public meeting) cited a series of statutory provisions and described alleged facts including: that Copp’s firm, WinFluence Strategies, received consulting income from the AFL-CIO in 2024; that Copp authored and voted for HB 78, described in the complaint as enhancing public-employee collective bargaining and retirement benefits; and that campaign receipts from union-affiliated political action committees appeared on filings cited by the complainant. The complaint was filed under the legislative ethics provisions referenced in the filing.

Committee staff told members the complaint met the procedural criteria to be considered: it was notarized, filed within the allowable time period, not filed within a campaign-window restriction, named an official covered by the ethics law, and cited applicable statutes. Members then heard a public summary of the allegations and received a short statement from Copp’s attorney and from Copp before moving to executive session.

Several subcommittee members disclosed personal ties before the executive session. Representative Deb Fancher said she has a long-standing personal relationship with Copp and offered to recuse herself if the committee deemed it appropriate. Representative Elise Galvin also disclosed that she had supported Copp’s campaign.

After deliberations in executive session, Chair Connor Thomas announced at 11:00 a.m. that the subcommittee had dismissed complaint H-2501 in its entirety and that a dismissal letter would be made public and provided to the parties next week. No formal vote tally was announced in public. The subcommittee then adjourned.