Republican Corruption Scandal Engulfs Alaska

FBI agents took 12 boxes of documents labeled “Evidence” from Ben Stevens’ legislative offices during raids that rocked Alaska in August 2006. Specific items named in the FBI search for seizure included garments bearing the logos or phrases: ‘CBC,’ ‘Corrupt Bastards Club,’ ‘Corrupt Bastards Caucus,’ ‘VECO.’” [FBI Raids Offices of 6 Alaska Legislators, Washington Post, 9/2/2006]

The inquiry, under way in secret at least since 2004, surfaced on Aug. 31, 2006, when scores of federal agents served search warrants at more than 20 locations around Alaska, including the offices of six state legislators. At the center of the investigation are the chief executive and a vice president of the Alaska-based oil field services company Veco, now defunct. Both men have pleaded guilty and are cooperating with investigators.

Of the eleven targets of the Department of Justice investigation, four have been found guilty, former Rep. Vic Kohring, former Rep. Pete Kott, former Rep. Tom Anderson and former lobbyist Bill Bobrick; three away sentencing, Veco executives Bill Allen, Rick Smith and former Gov. Murkowski’s chief of staff, Jim Clark; and four await trial, Ben Stevens’ father, US Sen. Ted Stevens, former Rep. Bruce Weyhrauch, State Senator John Cowdery and private prison advocate Bill Weimar. [The political corruption investigation at a glance, Anchorage Daily News, 8/12/2008; Stevens indicted; 'I am innocent', Anchorage Daily News, 8/30/2008]

In his plea agreement, Veco executive Bill Allen admitted making improper payments of $243,250 to “State Senator B” — an unmistakable reference to Ben Stevens, the former state Senate president. Ben Stevens’ office was searched in the August 2006 raids and was later visited again by FBI agents seeking information about his fishery interests and benefits he may have received from legislation written by his father. He was paid hundreds of thousands of dollars as a consultant for various commercial fishing companies and groups, and chaired a federally funded panel, created in an earmark by his father, that awarded grants to some of those entities. [The Alaska political corruption investigations, Anchorage Daily News, 8/5/2007]

Stevens Loses Clout With Republican Leaders

Rep. Mike Kelly, R-Fairbanks, asked Sen. Ted Stevens to stop down and not seek reelection. [Fairbanks Republican lobs bomb at GOP leadership, KTUU. 8/20/2007]

Governor Palin says change in Alaska’s Congressional leaders is inevitable. [Palin foresees positive changes in politics, Anchorage Daily News, 9/2/2007]

Alaska GOP Gov. Sarah Palin was quoted as the corruption investigations are “a wake-up call for Alaska to demand better from its elected and appointed officials.” She continues to say, “My concerns…are that any culture of corruption that exists, what does this do to our kids? I’m worried about what it’s doing to our next generation of leaders who will be voting soon.” [Associated Press, 8/1/2007]

Vic Fischer, one of the original authors of the Alaska State constitution concluded that “the state is reaping what it sowed from years of lax oversight and a cozy relationship with the oil industry.” He continued saying, “Greed is rampant. The character of the politicians has changed a lot. I’m very disgusted. It’s not so much a matter of betrayal. It’s more a matter of sadness and concern, but most of all disgust.” [Associated Press, 8/1/2007]

A Roll Call article reported Stevens received a “cool” reception from fellow GOP senators when he returned to the hill in the wake of the investigation. “GOP Senators acknowledged the allegations surrounding the Stevens scandal are unwelcome after what’s become an endless string of public relations headaches for the party.” [Support for Stevens Tepid, Roll Call, 8/1/2007]

Sen. Jim DeMint was quoted by Roll Call stating that Stevens’ investigation “are part of a broader problem with the culture in Washington, D.C., and linked the controversy to the ongoing fight over earmarking. ‘It has been with Duke Cunningham who basically had a ‘here’s how much you have to give me for a certain level of earmarks’ and that’s just what we discovered. I think for years on some level it’s been going on with staff. As long as we can throw around millions of dollars, that’s where the corruption comes from.’ ” [Support for Stevens Tepid, Roll Call, 8/1/2007]

See also: Self-Named Corrupt Bastards Under Investigation » Senator Stevens: Under Investigation, Losing Clout » The hypocrite mill in the US Senate » A Last Stand on the Last Frontier » Sen. Stevens Admits on Tape: “Might Serve Time in Jail” »