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RSVP: Don Young's Pig Roast Still On
Last night The Wall Street Journal reported that Rep. Don Young's (R-AK) annual pig roast fundraiser has snagged him in the widening probe into political corruption in Alaska.
The yearly event for Young has been hosted for the last decade by Bill Allen, former CEO of oil services company Veco. Former Gov. Bill Sheffield (D-AK) is taking over the event this year, probably because Allen just pleaded guilty to federal bribery and conspiracy charges.
The invitation (available here) is less theme-appropriate than years past. It notes that special guests Sens. Ted Stevens (R-AK) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) will attend, though it doesn't mention the suggested donations of $250 to $1,000 for individuals and $500 to $5,000 for PACs, which is posted on the Alaska Republican Party's site.
I called the RSVP number, which took me to the Alaskans for Don Young office, to make sure the event is still on for next month. The receptionist there said as far as she knows it is still on.
Comments (7)
Muktuk Telegraph wrote on July 25, 2007 3:52 PM:Beware of Porky's Revenge
Gary wrote on July 25, 2007 3:58 PM:Former Gov. Bill Sheffield (D-AK) is taking over the event? Did he change his party affiliation?
johnnydoughey wrote on July 25, 2007 5:02 PM:Apparently, the important goal is that at least one of the mobster gangs get the money... one, I guess, is better than none....
Ed*ard Teller wrote on July 26, 2007 2:49 AM:Of the long list of corrupt or inept politicians in Alaska history from both sides of the aisle, Biil Sheffield probably held the record for being on both the "inept" and "corrupt" lists the most times until Frank Murkowski came along. I've been told by KAL pilots that his minions ran the sea otter pelt smuggling ring out of the bar atop his Anchorage hotel from the mid-70s through mid-80s. But the pilots weren't exactly sober when they told me that. A Korean sushi cutter, to whom a friend sold octopus during the same time told us the same thing. (the octopus sales were legal, btw) He was sober.
security code - snake...
aklady wrote on July 26, 2007 11:45 AM:"that his minions ran the sea otter pelt smuggling ring out of the bar atop his Anchorage hotel from the mid-70s through mid-80s. But the pilots weren't exactly sober when they told me that."
Sooooo true and when a complaint was lodged with the FWS enforcement, they scoffed and stated they were looking into how to challenge the legal native take. Back in the 80's the FWS was trying to stop the customary handicraft take of sea otter and that anything else was "not an issue". Then theres the David Green Furs situation - Mr. Green was a bit mad for having to stop using the finest fur in the world - the sea otter - and that he didn't think it should only be used for customary and traditional handicraft - i.e. the Alaska Natives...
For all of you that don't know - the First People of Alaska subsist off of marine mammals and have for a long long time - so long that the First People are the true biologists when it comes to marine mammals... The sea otter is not eaten as much as the other marine mammals, its the hide that is taken for handicraft... mostly because there is not much fat or meat on a sea otter.
kobuk mike wrote on July 26, 2007 3:12 PM:I love this site! You guys are super sleuths and NOW otter biologists!
Let me add a story since we are conjuring them up. One night at the Hub in Anchorage, I drank myself blind, but I recall a visiting pilot from Elmendorf telling me they had some little green men frozen in NM.
Get serious guys and ladies.
Prometheus wrote on July 27, 2007 12:46 PM:The entire U.S. is littered with opportunistic, corrupt politicians like Stevens and the Murkowski's. Why pick on isolated crooks like poor dumb Don Young? He's just trying to make a buck.