From Sean Cockerham in Juneau –

In the wake of the Craig controversy, a Sitka Assembly member has come forward with a charge that Albert Kookesh also used his position as state senator to pressure that city not to oppose a Congressional bill giving federal land to the Native corporation Kookesh works for. “It’s pretty much like what he did in Craig,” said Jack Ozment, the Assembly member.

Ozment is talking about a 2008 meeting in Sitka when the Assembly there was considering a resolution opposing the Sealaska lands bill. Kookesh, Sealaska’s board chair, was at the meeting representing the corporation.

“When I’m not serving (on) the Sealaska board I’m also a state senator,” the Democrat from Angoon told the Assembly. “And as a state senator I’ve done a number of things that benefit Sitka. And I just want to remind you of it because I’m an Alaska Native and I’m doing good things for Sitka.”

He pointed out every year he votes on the budget for Mt. Edgecumbe, the state-supported boarding school in Sitka for rural students. Kookesh, a Mt. Edgecumbe graduate, said he worked hard to reopen Mt. Edgecumbe when it closed, and that it would be devastating for Sitka if it closed again.

“I’m also a member of the majority in the Alaska Legislature with Senator Stedman and the discussion about the cruise ship tax is a valid one. And I sit as a member of that organization that’s going to help decide those taxes, and I think that Sitka is going to benefit and do very well with the cruise tax initiative and with the impact to this community.”

Kookesh spoke next about the declining population in Southeast Alaska, and said Sealaska was trying to stimulate the economy. He said Sealaska is working to deal with Sitka’s concerns in the lands bill.

Then Kookesh did something that he didn’t do when he made his controversial comments in Craig last month:

He said he wanted to make a “clarification point”:

“I’m a state legislator. I’m a member of the state Senate. Those comments I made about helping Sitka are the same comments I would make to any community in Southeast Alaska. I would not, no matter what you do on this resolution, do anything to hurt Sitka. I’ve got family members and a lot of cousins and relatives who live here. So my commitment of course is to Southeast Alaska.”

He finished by saying Sealaska is a good neighbor and talked about the dividend the Native Corporation it gives its shareholders.

“We would really appreciate a resolution in support of our legislation, and if you can’t see your way to do that then accept Sitka Tribe’s motion to you that you stay neutral,” Kookesh told the Assembly.

Sitka didn't end up passing its resolution opposing the Sealaska bill. The Craig City Council this week wrote a letter with a list of concerns on the bill.

Listen to all of Kookesh's comments here: