« previous | MUCK HOME | next »
Veco Loves Don Young Best
It looks like Veco plays favorites. Since 1993 the oil services company tangled in several of the Alaska corruption investigations has given Rep. Don Young (R-AK) more than two and a half times what it's donated to Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK), the AP reports.
Young's raked in $180,630, while Stevens has only pocketed $70,500 (but that presumably doesn't include other perks like Veco employees remodeling his house or parking cars at his fundraisers.) Young and Stevens are both under federal investigation for their ties to the corporation. The FBI is particularly interested in the annual pig roast former Veco CEO Bill Allen would host for Young.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski has only pulled in a pittance ($41,250), but she's only been in Congress since late 2002, when her father bequeathed his seat to her to become governor of Alaska.
Josh
Zachary
Uh. Year for year, I'd say Ted is the favorite.
Yon Dung has to run every two years, Ted every six... On a per-cycle basis, Ted actually comes out on top.
October 4, 2007 7:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yet another reason to support Jake Metcalfe:
www.jake2008.com
October 4, 2007 9:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
Murkkowski's income doesn't include her little real estate deal...
October 5, 2007 1:05 AM | Reply | Permalink
When Mr. Metcalfe was chairman of the Alaska Democratic Party, during the winter of 2005-2006, he was unable, perhaps even unwilling, to enlist a candidate from the front ranks of Alaska Democrats to run against Young in the 2006 election. Yet, at that time, with the ongoing Abramoff investigation disclosures and other published reports, much of the information so visible now on Young was already available to an intrepid party chairman. When Diane Benson won the '06 Democratic Party primary, Metcalfe offered little substantive support to the campaign. Although he claimed two weeks ago that the Party gave Benson $25,000 for the 2006 general election, the accuracy of that figure is under question. Metcalfe has stated recently he felt compelled to support Benson little beyond a level recommended by Rahm Emanuel at DCCC. Over the winter of 06-07, Metcalfe used materials donated to the Alaska Democrats from members of the 06' Benson crew to help create the dropdon.com site. Soon after the site went up, Metcalfe resigned his post and announced his candidacy from out-of-state.
Since filing for the '08 primary, Metcalfe has blogged hard, but Benson has formally called for an investigation of Young's 2005 transportation bill earmark changes. Since filing, Metcalfe has blogged a little about our veterans, Benson has set up a stringent schedule of contacts, fact-finding visits, queries and meetings with Vets, disabled Vets and military families, not just in Alaska, but in other parts of the country. One could go on - the list of comparisons between Metcalfe and Benson on actually getting to grips with Young's inadequacies is long, and not favorable to Metcalfe.
Alaska is fortunate, though, to have two progressive contestants from the Democrats for this seat. There will probably be at least one more entry. Metcalfe appears to have told CQPolitics.com's Rachel Kapochunas in an interview on September 19, that former Alaska Representative Ethan Berkowitz will be entering the race soon.
October 5, 2007 2:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
And this is why I can't support either Diane or Jake (unless they're the only chance to get Don out).
Ethan should step up. He's the only one I saw on the floor questioning Veco's BS, and he's *smart* and a good administrator.
Diane has been a potential candidate for years and years, but she never does anything with government. Her community efforts are legendary, but that doesn't mean she'd be a good congresswoman.
Someone needs to poke Ethan with a cattle prod and get him into the game.
October 5, 2007 3:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
Anyone check if Verne Martell, Lisa Murkwoski's husband has a prior federal conviction?
October 6, 2007 4:11 PM | Reply | Permalink