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Alaska Lawmakers to Get Ethics Refresher
Sharpen those number 2 pencils, Alaska lawmakers. In a move to combat the corruption scandals that launched the FBI's probe into the state's politics, a new state law requires legislators to undergo ethics training.
Gov. Sarah Palin signed the law earlier this week, right after former state Rep. Tom Anderson (R) was found guilty of seven counts of extortion, bribery, conspiracy and money laundering. Anderson was accused of taking bribes from the private prison industry in exchange for pushing for facilities across the state.
The legislature hopes the new law will help clean up its image.
House Bill 109 tightens up the definition of bribery, requires legislators to make financial disclosures when leaving office, puts new disclosure requirements on consulting fees and meals purchased by lobbyists for lawmakers and makes numerous other clarifications in laws applying to both the executive and legislative branches.
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Comments (7)
rubberpants wrote on July 13, 2007 11:55 AM:"If only I would have had more ethics training I wouldn't have accepted those bribes and laundered that money." -Tom Anderson
Ed*ard Teller wrote on July 13, 2007 12:16 PM:Why is this filed under "Ted Stevens"? TPM Muckraker is doing the best job in the country - including all of Alaska's media - at covering the criminality of Ted/Ben Stevens, but this story has NOTHING to do with the U.S. Senator. Please fix the reference.
Holy Cow! wrote on July 13, 2007 3:05 PM:Holy Cow! Haven't they heard of the "Ten Commandments" in Alaska? Or is that just when your running for election?
ryan wrote on July 13, 2007 10:55 PM:A few small points to correct. if you're going to identify Anderson as a republican, make sure you identify Sarah Palin as one too. Also, Ed I think this is filed under ted stevens because Anderson is involved, not necessarily in a scandal with Stevens, but in the web of corrupton in the state as a whole. I'm pretty sure that Anderson is a CBC guy. A "alaska corruption scandal" file would probally fit everyone in it. Finally, there needs to be some props given to Ray Metcalf who was the original Muckraker in all of this.
ryan wrote on July 13, 2007 10:56 PM:A few small points to correct. if you're going to identify Anderson as a republican, make sure you identify Sarah Palin as one too. Also, Ed I think this is filed under ted stevens because Anderson is involved, not necessarily in a scandal with Stevens, but in the web of corrupton in the state as a whole. I'm pretty sure that Anderson is a CBC guy. A "alaska corruption scandal" file would probally fit everyone in it. Finally, there needs to be some props given to Ray Metcalf who was the original Muckraker in all of this.
ryan wrote on July 13, 2007 10:56 PM:A few small points to correct. if you're going to identify Anderson as a republican, make sure you identify Sarah Palin as one too. Also, Ed I think this is filed under ted stevens because Anderson is involved, not necessarily in a scandal with Stevens, but in the web of corrupton in the state as a whole. I'm pretty sure that Anderson is a CBC guy. A "alaska corruption scandal" file would probally fit everyone in it. Finally, there needs to be some props given to Ray Metcalf who was the original Muckraker in all of this.
ryan wrote on July 14, 2007 6:24 AM:sorry I reposted. it was an accident