What's Ted's connection?

Lisa Sutherland

Lisa Sutherland, long-time aide to Sen. Ted Stevens, is one of several aides and family members connected to the Alaska Congressional delegation who purchased land that would jump in value by development by Don Young’s Way, also known as the proposed Knik Arm Crossing. Sutherland and her husband, also a lobbyist, purchased almost four acres in October 2002. The purchase was made just a few months before then-Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman Don Young began substantive work on a massive highway bill in early 2003, which included money for the bridge. [Alaska’s Friends and Family Plan, Roll Call, 5/14/2007]

For over 26 years, Lisa Sutherland worked as an aide to Ted. She earned $189,599 in her last year. Roll Call newspaper called her one of the 50 most powerful staff members on Capitol Hill. She held various positions with Stevens, including chief of staff, legislative director, deputy staff director on the Senate Appropriations, senior advisor to the office of the president pro tempore when Stevens held the position, and, most recently, staff director on the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee. She was Stevens’ aide for Alaska projects while Stevens chaired the Appropriations Committee. [Alaska’s Friends and Family Plan, Roll Call, 5/14/2007; The Government’s Loose Leash, Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, 3/8/2007; Lisa J. Sutherland: Salary Data, Legistorm.com, Retrieved 9/10/2008]

Sutherland left Ted’s office in March 2007 to work as a lobbyist and to work on his campaign. In an interview with Multichannel News, she said she would continue to “work with Senator Stevens as a kind of political adviser.” [Stevens Aide Sutherland to Leave Senate, Multichannel News, 1/19/2007]

Now a lobbyist, Sutherland is a member of the private-interest network that lobbies her former boss and colleagues, in her case on issues she worked on as a public official. [Lisa Sutherland, U.S. Senate Lobbying Disclosure Act Database, Retrieved 9/10/2008]