Governor appoints new Alaska attorney general

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - Gov. Mike Dunleavy appointed Treg Taylor to be Alaska’s attorney general on Friday afternoon.

Dunleavy appointed Clyde “Ed” Sniffen to the position 11 days ago. Sniffen had been serving as acting attorney general since August when Kevin Clarkson resigned in disgrace.

Sniffen removed himself from consideration for the position, a press release from the state said, and will be leaving state service.

Jeff Turner, a spokesperson for the Dunleavy administration, said Sniffen resigned for “personal reasons.” Turner said he didn’t have any more information why Sniffen was stepping down.

“Alaska is facing some unprecedented challenges and some remarkable opportunities. Treg Taylor brings to the office of Attorney General a wealth of legal experience and a deep commitment to Alaska that will be invaluable to navigating these challenges and opportunities,” Dunleavy said in a prepared statement.

Taylor has been with the Department of Law since 2018, serving as deputy attorney general of the civil division. He ran as a conservative for the Anchorage Assembly in 2016, losing to John Weddleton.

Dunleavy will now submit Taylor’s name to the Alaska Legislature. The House of Representatives and the Senate will need to confirm him during a joint session.

“I also want to thank Ed Sniffen for his decades of service to the department and the people of Alaska. I wish him well in his future endeavors,” the governor said.

Sen. Bill Wielechowski, an Anchorage Democrat and an attorney, didn’t know why Sniffen resigned but said he is nonpartisan. “I worked with him mainly when he was at the civil division consumer protection section and I always liked him,” he added.