More on federal indictments of Alaska Repub state legislators

[Blue_In_AK]

http://www.adn.com/news/politics/fbi/

Federal authorities charge three legislators
REACTION: Rumor mill runs wild as three legislators stand handcuffed in federal court.

By SABRE AYRES
Anchorage Daily News

Published: May 5, 2007
Last Modified: May 5, 2007 at 09:12 AM

JUNEAU -- By 8:30 Friday morning, the Capitol rumor mill was flaming hotter than it had in months. Whispers swirled that indictments were on the way. Everyone was checking sources. Legislative aides compared notes in hallways. Normally media-shy lawmakers asked reporters "What are you hearing?"

Security guards at the front desk joked that they were keeping an eye out for tinted-window vans full of FBI agents.

By the end of the day, three state legislators-- one of them still in office -- were standing handcuffed in a federal courtroom on charges of extortion and bribery. Lawmakers, less than two weeks from adjourning, questioned what events would mean for work still undone on Gov. Sarah Palin's gas line legislation, an ethics bill and the state budget.

<snip>

By 5 p.m., federal prosecutors handling the case signaled their work was done.

Done for Friday.

No one thought it was over.

and

http://www.adn.com/news/politics/story/8853688p-8754302c.html

Kohring also charged with bribery, extortion
Wasilla legislator joins 2 former lawmakers under federal indictment

By LISA DEMER, DON HUNTER and SABRA AYRES
Anchorage Daily News

Published: May 4, 2007
Last Modified: May 5, 2007 at 04:35 AM

State Rep. Vic Kohring and former state legislators Pete Kott and Bruce Weyhrauch were charged in federal court today with extortion and bribery in connection with the Legislature’s consideration of an oil tax bill and then-Gov. Frank Murkowski’s natural gas pipeline proposal last year.

Kohring, R-Wasilla, turned himself in to federal authorities this afternoon at the Juneau federal building, according to Eric Gonzalez, an FBI spokesman. He is charged with four counts of extortion and bribery.

Kohring’s arrest occurred just hours after Kott and Weyhrauch were arrested as a result of a federal indictment on several counts of extortion, bribery, wire fraud and mail fraud.

<snip>

According to the Justice Department press release, Kohring, Kott and Weyhrauch, if convicted, would face a maximum 20 years in prison and $250,000 fines on the extortion counts, a maximum 10 years and $250,000 fines on the bribery count, and five years and $250,000 fines on a conspiracy count. Kott and Weyhrauch also could could face 20 years and $250,000 fines on the mail and wire fraud counts.

[stevedeshazer]

1. K & R

I keep hoping that this story will catch on -- it's really important.

Republican legislators are being frog-marched into a federal courtroom.

[Blue_In_AK]

2. Thanks for the kick, Steve...

This IS a really important story with national implications, I think, in that it involves Big Oil and sleazy Republican lawmakers, not to mention that Ted Stevens' son Ben is intimately involved and should be quaking in his boots about now. Where Ben's involved, I'm sure dad is, too. Plus, former governor and U.S. Senator Frank Murkowski whose fingerprints are also all over this.

It's about time somebody started cleaning up Alaska politics. We've been owned by the Big Three oil companies for far too long.

[in_cog_ni_to]

14. I wonder about Lisa Murkowski. You know the Nepotism in politics. I wonder if her slimy little

fingers have touched this too?

[Blue_In_AK]

15. If she's involved, she's staying quiet about it...

...but I wouldn't be too surprised. I haven't heard her talk much about the oil tax (which all this arm-twisting revolved around) or the proposed gas line project, but I'm sure she keeps up with it. I guess time will tell.

[aquart]

3. Three legislators? Or three Republican legislators?

[Blue_In_AK]

5. REPUBLICAN, of course. :-)

Could we expect otherwise?

ed. I changed my subject line to reflect that.

[maddezmom]

4. Kick

:kick:

[Vincardog]

6. Does anyone else get the feeling they are slowly awakening from a long nightmare?

[mcg]

13. Yes, and it's taking too damn long. nt

[Robbien]

7. Did you see the satire article from the UK? It is great.

Juneau, Alaska, 5/4/07: "The fat's in the fire, the shit's in the fan and the chickens are a-coming home to roost now, by God! Whoo Hoo!" so said one irreverent observer in Juneau, Alaska as three former Republican Alaska state legislators were led into the Federal courthouse in handcuffs. Following FBI investigations, the three were arrested late Friday afternoon and arraigned in Federal Court. All are members of Alaska's infamous 'Corrupt Bastards Club'.

According to FBI spokesman Eric Gonzalez, the three were arrested as a result of a federal indictment on several counts of extortion, bribery, wire fraud and mail fraud. More arrests are expected to follow, possibly including former Alaska Senate president Ben Stevens, son of octogenarian Alaska US Senator Ted Stevens.

When contacted by reporters, the senior Stevens made only one short, but lengthy statement:

"Well, ah, ah, what's what's, eh? I mean, those ah, ah boys are innocent ah, ah, by God! Especially, ah, ah my boy! Er, uh, ah, ah, alls they gonna ah, ah, er, uh find is some ah little, ah, bit of stuff. You, you, you know. Like maybe, maybe they ah, ah, did take a little bit, bit on the side ah, you know, but that's, that's just the er, uh Re, Re, basic Republican in them coming out you see. It's not against the ah, ah, the law to be a, ah, a Republican ya know."

"Indeed! Well after this, maybe it Goddamned well ought to be!" commented one wag.

more
http://www.thespoof.com/news/spoof.cfm?headline=s2i18322

The UK site has been following the antics of the Alaskan Corrupt Bastards Club, links to the articles in this post
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=2835126&mesg_id=2835474

[Blue_In_AK]

8. Oh, that's funny.

Thanks. :rofl:

[uppityperson]

9. That's funny, thanks. And thanks Blue for the update.

Good article and thanks for the update. AK may be a country apart, but decency still prevails.

[formercia]

10. All those teutonic names

makes my head spin. Shades of Haldeman and Ehrlichman.

[Blue_In_AK]

11. I never thought of that, but you're right.

Aryan Brotherhood. :rofl:

[formercia]

12. Closer than you think

The Arian Brotherhood in a pin-striped suit.