State Rep. Vic Kohring (R-AK) is asking his constituents today in an Anchorage Daily News op-ed if he should resign over federal extortion, bribery and conspiracy charges.
Kohring was charged last month with selling his vote on a petroleum tax last year to a local oil servives company Veco Corp. Two top Veco executives have pled guilty to bribery and conspiracy charges in a cash-for-votes style scheme that has drawn politicians at both the local and federal levels into the investigation.
Some members of Kohring’s district have started circulating a recall petition and top Republicans in the legislature have visited Kohring’s house asking him to step down.
Kohring recently said he would make a decision about whether to leave office by June 19. Here is a piece of the call to his Wasilla constituents:
Predictably the media has virtually tried me in their front pages and TV news stories. But my friends and supporters, gosh, I really thank all of them; they have stood by me loyally, telling me they know I’m innocent….I have sought advice from family, friends and supporters on whether or not it is in the best interest of everyone involved to remain in the Legislature while these charges create a cloud over me. I ask you, my constituents, to provide me your sincere opinions on whether or not I should remain or step down….
The issue is actually very simple. Can I or can I not adequately represent you while I wait for these charges to be resolved at trial?
Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK) admitted last week that the FBI Veco probe has now touched him and his son, former State Senate president Ben Stevens (R-AK).