Alaska Politics

This is the place to talk about Alaska politics -- state, local, national. Public life in the Last Frontier may never have been more interesting than right now -- the broad and still-evolving corruption investigation, a big election, a popular governor, powerful members of Congress under scrutiny, and the usual hardball Alaska politics. Come here for news, tidbits and information, and join the discussion. Keep your comments civil and on point. Avoid personal attacks. Do not use profanity. Posts that violate the Terms of Use will be deleted. Repeat offenders will be banned.


Kyle Hopkins

Kyle Hopkins writes about Anchorage city government and politics. He covered last year's campaign for governor, and has blogged extensively about Alaska politics for the past year. He grew up in Southeast Alaska and was a reporter at the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner and Anchorage Press. E-mail Kyle at khopkins@adn.com

Sean Cockerham

Sean Cockerham writes about Alaska state politics. He spent three years based in Juneau for the Daily News before joining the Tacoma News-Tribune two years ago to write about Washington state politics. He went to Iraq twice for the News Tribune, and previously wrote about Alaska government and politics for the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. Now he's back in Anchorage. E-mail Sean at scockerham@adn.com

Erika Bolstad

Erika Bolstad covers Alaska issues, including the congressional delegation, from Washington, D.C., for McClatchy Newspapers. Before joining the bureau this summer, she spent seven years as a reporter at the Miami Herald, where she covered politics, government and the state legislature. E-mail Erika at ebolstad@adn.com.

Palin spokeswoman: Kopp never told governor about reprimand (Updated with comments from lawmakers) - 7/24/2008 4:03 pm

Legislative Council to meet; Monegan on agenda? - 7/24/2008 2:40 pm

Metcalfe on the air - 7/24/2008 11:06 am

TransCanada still looking for federal help - 7/24/2008 10:52 am

Wall Street Journal on Stevens, Young - 7/24/2008 4:40 am

Rep. Meyer – TransCanada supporter? - 7/23/2008 11:57 pm

$1,200 rebate clears first committee - 7/23/2008 11:36 pm

Smile! - 7/23/2008 2:00 pm

National Dems like Begich's chances - 7/23/2008 1:33 pm

House passes TransCanada license – again - 7/23/2008 1:03 pm

What Kopp said - 7/22/2008 8:19 pm

Palin responds to "Latest round of falsehoods" - 7/22/2008 4:59 pm

Kopp: "I am not a sex harasser" - 7/22/2008 3:50 pm

Kopp to talk about Kenai years - 7/22/2008 2:53 pm

Cowdery resigns as Legislative Council chair - 7/22/2008 2:33 pm

T. Boone Pickens on ANWR - 7/22/2008 2:28 pm

How far would those $1,200 checks go in covering increased fuel prices? - 7/22/2008 11:47 am

Show and tell on ANWR - 7/22/2008 10:34 am

Poll chatter - 7/22/2008 8:48 am

Monegan speaks - 7/21/2008 6:05 pm

Palin investigator expected - 7/21/2008 1:36 pm

Pipeline issue marches on - 7/21/2008 1:23 pm

Allen admits helping Stevens with remodel

From Kyle Hopkins at the federal courthouse:

On the stand, former Veco chief Bill Allen just admitted that he helped Sen. Ted Stevens remodel his Girdwood house.

Click here for the AP story.

Reporter Rich Mauer took notes on the conversation. Here's what he heard:

James Wendt, Kott's defense attorney: “One of these allegations is that you helped Sen. Ted stevens with remodeling his house in Girdwood, isn’t that true?”

Allen: “Uh yeah.”

Wendt asked if in helping Sen. Stevens remodel his residence, Allen or Veco paid a number of bills in remodeling that residence. Isn’t that true, he said.

Allen: “You know, you say material, I, I, I, give (gave?) Ted some old furniture, I don’t think it was a lot of material. There was some labor.”

Wendt: “There wasn’t a lot of material … but you paid some labor bills that went into Sen. Stevens’ house?”

Allen: “Yes.”

Allen said it the labor was from Veco employees.

Wendt asked how many employees were involved.

Allen: “I don’t know. I didn’t see a bunch, I had to run Veco. So I don’t know, probably one to four.”

Allen said the job lasted as much as six months.


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  7     September 17, 2007 - 7:57am | jtgranger

Where did Ted Stevens go to school at?

A Republican? Is that 8th grade, that U.S. History lesson, really that confusing?

It really just goes to show, how long it takes for it to repete itself. Not very long at all, just one long lifetime.

Ted, he should have studied up on some former Senators, and that Treason in the Senate, back 1906.

Your "Uncle Teddy" knew how to run things Ted, and he was also very happy back in 1908.

And why did Teddy invent the FBI? DUH!

As published across The Nation by William Randolph Hearst, September 17, 1908, publishing the letters between Senator Foraker and Standard Oil's John D. Archbold, going back over a period of years, and that black and white proof of a senatorial purchase. Sums as large as Fifty Grand, (1905 dollars) were itimized as fees and payments for vague legal services (Ted?Ben?DUH!) with understandings, in those "secret backroom deals"

Of course Senator Foraker also couldent explain that remodel, of his Washington home, paid for by Standard Oil, $150,000.00 in Corporate Contributions, and typified the purchase of a U.S. Senator to do the will of Standard Oil.

Does Standard Oil, ring anyones bell"

Or is Exxon Mobil, to confusing for the uneducated of Alaska, and Texas.

"How the President does enjoy a fight when there is need of one." James Garfield wrote in his diary.

Teddy loved those ghost stories too;
"I want ghosts who do things. I don't care for the Henry James kind of ghosts. I want real sepulchral ghosts, the kind that knock you over and eat fire...none of your weak and shallow appointments."

Like that U.S. District Court Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis, who fined Standard Oil Co. of Indiana 29 million dollars? in the anti-rebate case. And John Rockefellor Sr. who said the Judge would be dead before he ever saw a dime of the fine."

Repete;

Standard Oil, todays Exxon Mobil also missing their history lesson, with all their jewish lawyers, in the United States District Court, Judge Holland, and Rockefellors 1907 version, in 1996 at the Alaska District Court???

Of course these drunk driving cases could only confuse a dixie democrat, like Ted Stevens. and Exxon's Attorneys.

Could it be that "square deal" or Teds "new deal" thats confusing the R's and D's.

Should have an update on those "Standard" Operating Procedures? Just put that tiger, in you tank, like F. D. Roosevelt said when the real Uncle Teddy died, "The Old Lion is dead."

And Winthrop asking Teddy about about his upcoming hunt;
"You can kill the lion, by shooting him in any part of the body, but his alertness and agility make him the most dangerous animal."

IT IS A PERFECT WORLD! UNLESS YOU MISSED YOUR HISTORY LESSON senator stevens?

I guess that fictional "Incredable Hulk" is perfect, "little more than a fiction, intended to beautify what is disagreeable to the sufferers."

  6     September 14, 2007 - 2:17pm | KatRock_AK

Focus on Ted?

I wonder how all these questions regarding the remodel of Sen. Ted's home pertain to the Pete Kott trial?

  September 16, 2007 - 9:27pm | leslie_ridle

Defense

I assume the defense is trying to discredit Allen and point out that he's the one who breaks laws not their candidate.
But, I'm not an attorney, so just guessing!

  September 14, 2007 - 10:49pm | edgefinder

Because...

We.. or US might want to seat the same jury?

How does that work to aviod redunancy?...

I guess each trail could reuse or disqualify different jurors...

  5     September 14, 2007 - 1:45pm | chilcoot

A Confident Man

Sen. Stevens must be a very confident man. He appears to be confident that Alaska voters appreciate him so much that they will overlook his willingness to let a Bill Allen's slimy operation manage his home remodel, apparently for free.

Maybe the good senator did pay for all the materials. But free management of the work? From Veco? A corporation that is about nothing other than making buckets of money? We wouldn't care about that?

Sen. Stevens sure has a lot of confidence in us.

  4     September 14, 2007 - 11:46am | undeclared

Wendt: Ask what Allen's done for Don Young!

I wouldn't want him to get left out of this mess.

  September 14, 2007 - 11:59am | niklake

Why bother?

I think maybe the prosecutors know how close other investigations are getting to Young - in Florida, Ohio, DC and who knows where else...

  September 14, 2007 - 1:46pm | undeclared

I say seize the day!

There's no better time than the present - while Allen and Smith are under oath - to drag the dirty laundry out.

Don't let Kott go down alone!

  3     September 14, 2007 - 11:16am | kwalters

turn out the lights...the party's (GOP) OVER!!!!!

Ted's ship is taking on water....he is going down...

  September 17, 2007 - 3:44am | drdrmann

Finally in court! Ted & Ben going downnnnnnn.......

Read Alaskareport.com , as I've been writing articles for over a year that the SS.Stevens was a sinking ship, but no one wanted to believe me. Articles were put up on July 31st and Sept. 11th 2006. Yes, thank God Allen and Smith had the balls to reveal the deceitful ones, but they still have time to serve for their involvement.

  2     September 14, 2007 - 11:09am | chilcoot

Must Be Nice

I wish I could have one to four good craftsmen and women come and work on my home, for many months, and that I wouldn't have to pay them, or admit any knowledge that such work was going on.

Must be nice.

  1     September 14, 2007 - 11:08am | amoeba

Oh Snap!

That's going to leave a mark.

  September 14, 2007 - 11:14am | akgen

why, why, why,

Does this all, make one want to see some more "perp walks". I say don't forget shots of the handcuffs...