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.
About that PCE amendment - 8/7/2008 4:22 pm
House gives Senate something - 8/7/2008 3:36 pm
Is House about to bust a move? - 8/7/2008 3:18 pm
Tick, tick, tick - 8/7/2008 1:34 pm
The Metcalfe plan - 8/7/2008 12:29 pm
Judge establishes ground rules for Stevens' trial - 8/7/2008 10:22 am
Palin on the ethics charge (UPDATED) - 8/6/2008 10:28 pm
Ethics complaint against Palin - 8/6/2008 6:13 pm
Senate challenges House on energy bill - 8/6/2008 6:06 pm
House eats cake - 8/6/2008 4:00 pm
"That comment went over poorly in Alaska..." - 8/6/2008 10:33 am
Benson from D.C. - 8/6/2008 10:12 am
"I think she would be a brilliant pick because she's a total fresh face." - 8/6/2008 9:14 am
‘Morphine and welfare payments’ - 8/5/2008 4:59 pm
Bush in Fairbanks pics - 8/5/2008 11:08 am
Nader on the ballot? - 8/5/2008 10:15 am
Young's legal expense fund - 8/5/2008 4:48 am
Speculation on Stevens' pension - 8/5/2008 4:09 am
Capitol fashion accessory - 8/5/2008 1:49 am
The House debate - 8/5/2008 1:11 am
TransCanada CEO tries to put out Exxon fire - 8/4/2008 9:13 pm
House debate tonight - 8/4/2008 8:09 pm
Posted by Alaska_Politics
Posted: September 27, 2007 - 11:29 am
From Kyle Hopkins in Anchorage --
This week, we ran a story about political polls paid for by Veco. In the story, pollster David Dittman said that as best as he can remember, former Gov. Frank Murkowski’s chief of staff, Jim Clark, had him bill a $20,000 poll to the company.
Yesterday, the editorial staff ran an opinion piece about the poll.
Clark called this morning with a prepared statement on behalf of himself and Murkowski.
He said:
“The allegations in the editorial are unfounded. Neither Gov. Murkowski nor I instructed David Dittman to do a poll and bill it to Veco. APOC reports show that the Murkowski campaign paid Dittman $102,000 during the primary campaign.”
(Clark had declined to comment for the original story.)
After talking to Clark, I called Dittman and read him the statement.
“Wow,” he said. “Wow, wow, wow. Geez, I hate to get into this …”
I asked if the statement from Clark and Murkowski is true.
“No,” he said.
A moment later he added: “The best way to say it is, that’s not the way I remember it.”
Dittman said he and Murkowski have been friends for 30 years and that in his view, there was nothing wrong with the poll.
He said he remembers conversations with Clark about billing Veco. “There were conversations… as I remember it. That’s what I was suggested to do. And that’s what we did do.”
19 September 28, 2007 - 9:26pm | Stumpy1
The totality of the corruption
Every once in a while a writer up in Fairbanks publishes work that is so well written, and insightful, that it must be shared.
The Yates piece below is as good as the piece written by Lori Backes last year in which she first used the moniker, 'Corrupt Bastards Club', or CBC, to describe VECO's corruption of the Alaska Legislature.
VECO stench corrupts GOP
By DOUGLAS YATES
"A fetid smell circulates in the forest this time of year. Rotting vegetation and decaying mushrooms forecast the change in seasons. But there’s another odor slapping the faces of Alaskans these days. For many, it’s unthinkable, but as details emerge from the federal court house in Anchorage, it’s impossible to deny. It’s like finding a freezer full of salmon after the power’s been off for a week.
The spoiled legacy of Alaska’s Republican Party has stained the carpet and mold is climbing the walls. The entire building may need to be demolished if there’s any hope of recovery.
Here’s what we know. Until the FBI raided Juneau, the sellout of Alaska was a crime in progress. The state’s oil and fisheries resources, as well as our integrity and sovereignty, were being auctioned off by predatory capitalists and their hired stooges. The bribery conviction on Tuesday of Pete Kott, the former Speaker of the House, confirms what many have known for years.
VECO was an oil field contractor. Its former chairman, Bill Allen, and Rick Smith, his lieutenant, made more than $400,000 in payoffs to elected officials. Their testimony and FBI evidence has implicated many current and former state and federal legislators for accepting bribes and favors for official actions or access.
So far, they include: state Sen. John Cowdery, former state representatives Bruce Weyhrauch and Vic Kohring, and former state Sen. Ben Stevens.
Rep. Don Young and Sen. Ted Stevens are under similar investigations. Another former legislator, Tom Anderson, was recently found guilty of accepting bribes. Anderson’s wife, state Sen. Lesil McGuire, is being investigated for conflict of interest in another matter. Randy Ruedrich, Republican Party chair, was fined for political organizing while working for the state.
The major conspiracy appears to subvert legislation to the benefit of Alaska’s big three oil companies, ConocoPhillips, Exxon and BP. In a phone call taped by the FBI, Allen and Jim Bowles, president of ConocoPhillips Alaska, talk about working behind the scenes to keep tax rates below a certain number.
Perhaps that’s why ConocoPhillips is running diversionary TV spots headlining the chump change it throws at Creamer’s Field Migratory Waterfowl Refuge and Potter Marsh. “Environmentalists” greenwashing Big Oil’s white-collar crimes epitomize the depth of its influence.
Sen. Ted Stevens is the longest-serving Republican in the Senate, and fish rot from the head down. His careless lack of attention to the power of his office, his single-minded focus on grabbing money for Alaska while ignoring ethical standards, has attracted flies. It’s time to clean camp.
Who in their right mind would allow VECO to act as his agent on a home-construction project? It’s been an open secret for years that Allen’s money greased the skids in Juneau. Did Uncle Ted think we were all blind?
A senator with a grasp of his place in the arc of history would have used his current term to groom a replacement. But at 84, Stevens has no protégés because there is no accountability in the Republican Party.
It’s a free-for-all. Everyone is on their own; steal as much as you can carry. According to Allen, Ted’s son Ben took more than $240,000 of VECO money while serving in the Legislature. Largely unmentioned yet is the $900,000 funneled to the younger Stevens in fees for allocating federal grants to seafood companies. Father and son wallowed in a moral cesspool and thought it smelled like roses.
Not to be outdone, Sen. Lisa Murkowski showed her family colors with a sweetheart deal for prime Kenai River property. It was sold to her by Bob Penny, a wealthy developer with a stake in fisheries legislation. When it was made public, Lisa denied special advantage but was soon overcome with buyer’s remorse. She quickly dumped the property, but voters must wait until 2010 to express their regrets.
Rep. Don Young has been throwing federal transportation money around the country like a silage farmer spreading manure, apparently expecting a return on the investments. Young’s $10 million Florida highway earmark was rejected by locals, except for a nearby landowner who sent $40,000 to Don’s re-election campaign. With an investigation under way, Young is spending $250,000 for lawyers to shrink the stink.
Alaska’s Constitution is a model of open government, but that didn’t protect it from being sold down the river. Today’s Republican Party is a club of glad-handers, thieves and liars, people who appear sincere then stab Alaskans in the back. Voters and the press, however, can’t escape blame.
Malfeasance grows in a climate of apathy and weak journalism; it’s a cancer that undermines Alaska’s future. The cure is more sunlight."
Yates has made this work available for distribution. Copy/paste and email it to your friends.
This piece was also picked up and published by the News-Miner today, at the following link:
http://newsminer.com/2007/09/28/9086
login or register to post comments | flag this »
18 September 28, 2007 - 8:45am | jewar79
The Murkiski -Clark pollster claims
First of all there are sevrial reasons to open an investigation under the entire Murkey administration period.We can only hopt that he and his are not allowed to just walk away from office in a very few short hours and never to be heard of until now ! think about that statement.We have heard excessive amount of news -information to be aware that his admi9n,has a lot of un answered questioins.We are 100% positive that an full investigatioin should be administered byt under the FBI,bacause every state investigation against the state or its peole will anways be tainted and in the state favor.As a 56 year citizen of Alaska ,we demand an full federal investigation be done ASAP.This guy came in here fromWA Dc and trashed every senior as his very first adminustrative act.
login or register to post comments | flag this »
17 September 28, 2007 - 12:50am | pp05416
Why is the link to the Article "Big oil fights change in tax" currently sending this message?
"Internal Server Error
The server encountered an internal error or misconfiguration and was unable to complete your request.
Please contact the server administrator, support@nandomedia.com and inform them of the time the error occurred, and anything you might have done that may have caused the error.
More information about this error may be available in the server error log."
This really worries me.
login or register to post comments | flag this »
September 28, 2007 - 11:31am | Alaska_Politics
I don't see the link ... where did you originally see it?
Kyle
login or register to post comments | flag this »
September 28, 2007 - 3:57pm | hey_georgie_girl_98
Where did you move the article on Big Oil?
Where did you move front page articles after they get bumped?
login or register to post comments | flag this »
September 28, 2007 - 11:50am | leowassilie
it's fixed now.
probably a misaligned link.
login or register to post comments | flag this »
16 September 27, 2007 - 8:36pm | akallegro
does ADN have any ongoing attempt to get a response from Jim Clark and Governor Murkowski regarding the Jim Bowles and Bill Allen recording?
Bowles reveals in that recording that he is privy to Clarks schedule as it pertains to the Legislature and PPT. Bowles states that Clark has informed Bowles that he has scheduled a meeting with Representative Kelly.
Bowles tells Allen regarding that meeting "if thats the only contact he's made then thats OK" and its "OK because he (Clark) felt that Harris had asked him to have that meeting".
Those quotes from the conversation establish that the Governors chief of staff was revealing to Bowles who he was contacting in the Legislature regarding PPT and in addition was assuring Bowles that he would not have additional contact with other legislators.
I would ask Clark:
Why was he sharing with the president of Conoco Phillips, information about who in the Legislature he was meeting with to discuss PPT, when they are one of the very company's PPT was going to affect? Also, why did Clark feel compelled to assure Bowles that he would not have any other contact with legislators regarding PPT?
I would also ask Murkowski if he was aware that his chief of staff was sharing this type of info with Bowles and making commitments to him regarding who he would and would not have meetings with.
Has anyone at ADN submitted the same line of questioning to Bowles?
Another nugget that is revealed in that same conversation? Bill Allen states that he is aware of what Rep. Kelly said to Clark during that meeting. The meeting happened the very morning the phone conversation was recorded so somebody was updating Allen very quickly.
Is ADN pursuing Kelly as to why Bill Allen would have that information? Allen doesn't make it clear if he got the info from Kelly or Clark. Perhaps there was someone else in the meeting?
Given the Ruedrich incidents and Clarks failure to respond then, this issue certainly seems like it warrants the ADN's close scrutiny. I hope there is someone working on it.
Relentlessly.
login or register to post comments | flag this »
September 28, 2007 - 11:23am | Alaska_Politics
Editor Pat Dougherty talks about that recording on his blog ... click here.
Kyle
login or register to post comments | flag this »
15 September 27, 2007 - 7:00pm | Natalie_0
Where I sit, Palin is not the worry right now
Unless Palin does something unethical and dishonest, or criminal, she will remain Governor until her term expires. We can't change that and we have to deal with it. Personally, I think her actions so far are uncomparable to those of her predecessor, as if to say, I think she's doing a fair job. As for Murkowski, you people had voted for him in the past, not me, so you need to lay in your own bed. I have a clean conscience about that, besides, its too late to do anything about M. He should have been removed from the position long before his term expired. But right now, we have to get this corruption mess cleaned up first before we can move forward, with our without Palin. What bothers me more than Palin is the fact that we have an unethical and corrupt DC Senator and the same for a DC Congressman, of which both have not been charged with anything even though testimony has come out in the trials that would dictate that some form of legal action is required and needs to be taken. To me, this is more troubling than anything going on with Palin.
login or register to post comments | flag this »
14 September 27, 2007 - 6:39pm | BravoSierra
Now get rid of this guy-quick
http://www.adn.com/front/story/5572779p-5504444c.html
login or register to post comments | flag this »
13 September 27, 2007 - 6:36pm | leowassilie
wow.
wOw.
woW.
Wow.
wOW.
WoW.
WOw.
WOW!
A man of many words.
login or register to post comments | flag this »
12 September 27, 2007 - 3:57pm | windham
Jim Clark and Frank Murkowski are professional, pathological liars, always have been, always will be. Putting them under oath will make no difference. Dittman is obviously the truth-teller in this matter.
login or register to post comments | flag this »
September 27, 2007 - 11:07pm | seewhy
he should have just had jim say
that he paid every bill for polling he was presented with.
login or register to post comments | flag this »
September 28, 2007 - 9:44am | realist
Was going to say this earlier, but today's ADN editorial beat me to the punch -- legally, I'm not sure if it matters too much whether Murky himself asked for the poll. If he accepted it, then that's some kind of violation right there. Seems like Clark is already doing the lawyerly word-parsing thing.
And it makes me wonder -- how come nobody's lining up to give ME $20,000 gifts????? How do we regular people get in on this gig?
login or register to post comments | flag this »
September 28, 2007 - 10:47am | HD
We're not Bill Allen's "friend." Murky, Kott, Kohring, Don, Ted and Ben, etc. WERE his friends. Isn't it sad to see a friendship end?
login or register to post comments | flag this »
September 29, 2007 - 8:00pm | pp05416
The only time I can remember Murky getting
off his a** in the Senate, he sponsored one bill that is the reason direct deposits to my credit union account now don't get posted until Friday rather than Wednesday. (Unfair competition to his banking lobby who make extra $$$ on the money market!) The other is when Daschle wrote a bill to open NPR and Murkowski, seeing that he might get flack for neglecting his duty, started whining that he should be a co-sponsor. Murky is part of the Big Oil conspiracy to lock up our petroleum resources, so they can control the prices in America and greatly increase profits. All the while blaming "greenies". Prison is only too good for him. After that he became governor and bent over backwards every time multinationals came a callin'.
login or register to post comments | flag this »
11 September 27, 2007 - 2:45pm | Stags_Leap
the prom queen needs to start governing the state -and actually do something other than issuing press releases and blaming Frank for everything.
That's the downside to this entire scandal. Everyone is focused on the CBC and other investigations, and no one is paying attention to what the hell is happening in the Gov's mansion -or should I say in the Valley. The PPT is a fiasco, MatMaid is a joke, and AGIA is doomed to fail....
login or register to post comments | flag this »
September 27, 2007 - 6:18pm | BravoSierra
I am amazed you haven't yet blamed the "Prom Queen" for global warming.
How about cleaning out all the dirt/crooks and then starting to get our house in order?
You are sinking to the same level of credibility as bobbyt. Not yet, but you are getting closer.
login or register to post comments | flag this »
September 27, 2007 - 7:12pm | Stags_Leap
the point my little Palin-bots
is that others' mistakes in the past are giving your queen a free pass to do nothing. Sure -they should all burn in hell.
But I am more concerned with today -and the decisions she is making now -or lack of decisions -on running the state. PPT, MatMaid, and AGIA are just the tip. What about domestic violence rates in this state? What about affordable health care for children in this state? What about doing something to improve the standards of living for all Alaskans -instead of empty rhetoric through press releases that piggyback on to the demise of the CBC boys?
login or register to post comments | flag this »
September 29, 2007 - 8:45pm | pp05416
BP-bots, Conoco/Phillips-bots, and Exxon-bots. Icicle-bots, Princess Cruise-bots, etc.. You put the ads up - I do as you say masters or I'm destined to suffer your wrath! By the way Stags, when have any of your concerns been addressed in the past. Thee's no money in the offing for the CBC boys.
login or register to post comments | flag this »
September 29, 2007 - 9:54pm | gilld
Oil-Can-Dan Fagan-bots. :-)
login or register to post comments | flag this »
September 27, 2007 - 9:18pm | barracos_pizza
Is this some kind of spam bot?
login or register to post comments | flag this »
September 27, 2007 - 7:41pm | rfn
Being governor is a man's job!
login or register to post comments | flag this »
September 27, 2007 - 10:42pm | sewinds
Being governor is a FULL-TIME job. It's blatantly obvious Palin's not focused as she chases one crises after another instead of being in front of them.
login or register to post comments | flag this »
September 28, 2007 - 10:14am | rfn
Being Mayor of Anchorage is also supposed to be a FULL-TIME job but the occupant moonlights as a radio talk show host. Perhaps you'd feel better about the governor if she'd take up talk show hosting, too?
Oh, but wait! I forgot....the boy mayor is male and therefore possessed of super powers so can handle multiple jobs.....but the governor refuses to shed her shoes or get pregnant.
login or register to post comments | flag this »
October 1, 2007 - 10:29am | AK_Lady
I'd pay to hear Palin host talk radio!
Can you imagine?
login or register to post comments | flag this »
October 1, 2007 - 10:50am | rfn
Ambiguous but fun to guess.....
Whether one might imagine Palin hosting talk radio?
Whether one might imagine you paying for something instead of relying on government to provide it free?
One is more believable than the other....question is, "which"?
login or register to post comments | flag this »
October 1, 2007 - 11:58am | AK_Lady
What is it you think I reply on government to pay for? Talk radio?
login or register to post comments | flag this »
October 1, 2007 - 12:48pm | rfn
that government might be willing to pay for.
But that was choice #2.....
I really had expected you to choose #1.
login or register to post comments | flag this »
September 28, 2007 - 9:01pm | F_Firkle
One day, rfn, should we ever meet, I shall make an effort to buy you a beer, or whatever fits the bill at that moment.
I've appreciated your clarity, dry sense of humor, and thoughts.
Cheers. And keep up the good work. ;^>)
login or register to post comments | flag this »
September 28, 2007 - 10:23am | akgen
"chained to the stove".... I really don't understand how you of all people could forget this detail !! just joking. I did post a owl soup receipe a while back ... did you get it?
login or register to post comments | flag this »
September 28, 2007 - 12:20pm | Stags_Leap
I have to quote Bacon -which seems rather appropriate for the two of you -stoking your own jokes.
"Imagination was given to man to compensate him for what he is not; a sense of humor to console him for what he is."
login or register to post comments | flag this »
September 28, 2007 - 12:33pm | akgen
lets hope it doesn't ruin the rest of your day.
login or register to post comments | flag this »
September 28, 2007 - 3:43pm | rfn
that such deep concern over nonsense built upon the original nonsense kept one person from jaywalking.....it was a massive success!
login or register to post comments | flag this »
September 28, 2007 - 3:52pm | akgen
I hate to counterpoint or disagree with some of your fine words, but don't you mean, jayleaping? lol.
Anyhow, I guess Palin and Galvin will be on the radio this pm - 4 oclock hour on kudo1080. They're going to talk ACES and why not "go for the gross".
login or register to post comments | flag this »
September 28, 2007 - 3:56pm | rfn
so long as the leaps are of sufficient breadth to go from one side of the street to t'other without touching down in the middle or bouncing off the roof of a passing police car.
I guess I'll have to read about the Palin/Galvin stuff; just tried again to tune KUDO, even in the truck which has a pretty decent radio. Just not enough signal. Now if they had some union technicians maybe things might be better?
But, alas, a union-owned station whose staff is not unionized.
login or register to post comments | flag this »
September 28, 2007 - 4:06pm | akgen
and listen online. kudo1080.com. Thats what I got to do. I've not the antanna strength to receive it. Oh well. However I do want to know why she was dragged away from the gross kicking and screaming.
login or register to post comments | flag this »
September 28, 2007 - 4:28pm | rfn
I wish it worked....but it didn't. I did manage to get to the station's website and, after a little stumbling, found a "Listen Live" "button".
It caused the browser to churn and churn and churn and then to crash. Not only the browser, the entire cable modem! Had to restart the browser, the computer, and finally the modem just get back here. Then I tried it again....which is why I was away so long. This time it just timed out.
I'm no fan of this "ACES" thing. Anything much more complex than basing a tax on the gross is just inviting chicanery. The rate doesn't bother me....make it whatever great minds agree upon....but make damn sure the determination of what's owed is simple and as near to possible as being diddle-proof!
login or register to post comments | flag this »
September 28, 2007 - 1:38pm | Stags_Leap
instead of "imagination" in that quote I should use "the ADN Blog" -as you Palin-bots obviously got some serious issues.
Let me know when Palin does something other than screw up MatMaid, the PPT, or AGIA. Her press releases are meaningless.
login or register to post comments | flag this »
September 28, 2007 - 9:29pm | barracos_pizza
Okay Stags, you're right. PPT is fowled up.We need to get to the bottom of this Palin PPT connection now. Let's send in a team of investigators.
Let me see, was Governor Palin the governor when PPT was enacted? I think I would first check the last number in the year PPT was passed, and the year when she was inagurated which is 7.
Let call up some of my "deep throat " connections in the Gov't and see if I can get any information.
login or register to post comments | flag this »
September 28, 2007 - 10:29am | rfn
Can't keep 'em chained to the stove! A chain long enough to let 'em get to the backyard to split the firewood would damage the vinyl on the kitchen floor! Worse, it would wake the master of the house from his nap.
Thanks for the recipe....though it turned out I didn't need it. My son found the box of "Spotted Owl Helper" I gave him way back when.
Any takers for the recipe for the special sauce as made on The Seward Penninsula?
login or register to post comments | flag this »
September 28, 2007 - 10:42am | akgen
must be nice... but plywood holds the heat in better, but I suppose vinyl helps avoid wood splinters in the tootsies. lol
That whole conversation about 'special sauses' started a entirely new set of recordings from grams on good foods, from "way back in the day".
login or register to post comments | flag this »
September 28, 2007 - 10:48am | rfn
Ya gets it both ways....no splinters and it does allow the use of somewhat longer chains as it mildly controls some of the noise. Now if somebody would just invent a light-weight vinyl covered chain the concept of "chained to the stove" might work whilst still allowing enough length for the wench to reach the woodpile!
Besides, wood floors imply hiring a flooring contractor who deals in hardwoods! Any reader of this blog KNOWS that all hardwood floor installers are corrupt.
login or register to post comments | flag this »
September 28, 2007 - 11:20am | prey
both these chicks got them. And a pair of chain cutters and link crimpers. I wouldn't put it beyond them to cut those chains off and recrimp them to another unsuspecting ankle.
login or register to post comments | flag this »
Important warning about e-mails purporting to be from the adn.com staff.
© Copyright 2008, The Anchorage Daily News, a subsidiary of The McClatchy Company 
Contact Us | Newsroom Contacts | Communication Forms | Subscriptions | Advertising | Terms of Use
Daily News Jobs | RSS Feeds | ADN Store | Newspapers in Education | Privacy Agreement
20 March 3, 2008 - 8:04pm | just_a_note
Please, PLEASE, PULEEZE
Oh PLEASE, let the next charges be filed against Frank! Please, please, please!
login or register to post comments | flag this »