Republican Party starts damage control (In Alaska)

[mwb970]

by Megan Baldino (KTUU News, Anchorage, May 10, 2007)

The corruption probe fallout continues and the state Republican Party says it is appalling and embarrassing to know that Republican lawmakers were for sale. Party officials say it will now return money it received from VECO Corporation after two company executives pled guilty Monday to bribing those lawmakers.

For the last few years Republicans have been the party in control, but party leaders have been plagued with a rash of ethics violations, including GOP Chairman Randy Ruedrich, who admitted in 2004 to conducting party business while working as a commissioner with the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission for the Murkowski administration. Ruedrich later was forced to pay a $12,000 for violating state ethics laws.

And now the largest political scandal in state history has identified several corrupt Republican lawmakers who sold their votes on oil tax legislation to VECO chairman Bill Allen and Rick Smith, the company's vice president, both of who have been long-time Republican Party supporters and campaign contributors.

More at....
http://www.ktuu.com/Global/story.asp?S=6497936

This reminds me of Ohio, where 10+ years of Republican control left the state a basket case of incompetence and corruption. How many other states have been laid low by worthless Republican non-leadership? And why do so many Republicans become criminals the moment they get near the levers of power?

[AndyA]

1. The Republicans have historically been the party of corruption and unethical behavior.

I can't imagine why anyone in the right mind would vote for a Republican.

Consider Waterdate, Iran Contra, and now Bushgate.

I guess that's why they started stealing elections. They wouldn't win anything if they didn't. Without election theft, the Republican Party would be 10% of what it is.

And now the GOP can add the Bush/GOP/Iraq war to it's Hall of Shame list. Once the facts come out on this war, it will be yet another dirty deed hung around the GOP's neck.

As they say, you can't veto the truth, or change history.

[tanyev]

2. Why do so many Republicans become criminals the moment they get near the levers of power?

That's the whole purpose for wanting to get near the levers of power.

[Demeter]

3. My Dear, They Were Criminals BEFORE They Touched the Levers of Power!

That's what got them into the GOP candidacies to begin with. Do you really think the GOP recruits upstanding, intelligent, ethical, educated, forward-thinking leaders for office? Hell, the Democrats only do that when they have no chance of winning, the GOP NEVER does.