Comments (21)

SeeDee wrote on August 20, 2007 10:23 AM:

Only in the fetid atmosphere of 'money politics' which has permeated D.C. for many years (and especially over the past seven or eight years), is it possible that the entire Alaskan Congressional delegation is able to remain out of jail.

Those scumbags cast an aura of crookedness and slime over the entire state of Alaska and the many, many decent and hard-working folks who inhabit our 49th State.

The Anchorage Daily News deserves journalistic plaudits for their efforts to un-cover thechicanery and thefts of Stevenses, the Youngs and the Murkowskis.

donviti wrote on August 20, 2007 10:31 AM:

it's sad but when I hear Justice Department now, I can't stop but to think if because he is GOP he will get off or not investigated to the extent a Dem would be.

kazoonheight wrote on August 20, 2007 10:48 AM:

that's you and everyone else don ... mostly because it's true ... Alberto Gonzales is a criminal member of a syndicate of racketeers and needs to be not only removed immediately from office but prosecuted for treason and racketeering.

SeeDee wrote on August 20, 2007 11:16 AM:

Surely, donvin, you do not have to wonder about the comparative diligence applied by the Gonzalez D of J when the subject of an 'investigation' is a GOP'er.

Look at the Carol Lam biz in San Diego and the other fired US attorneys in Santa Fe, NM and elsewhere for some guidance in making up your mind.

From Bush II right on down to the local dog-catcher, the Repugnican Party is synonomous with sleaze, slime and sickos....to a degree never experienced previously in American politics.

BluestateRedhead wrote on August 20, 2007 11:17 AM:

SeeDee:

The Anchorage Daily News deserves journalistic plaudits for their efforts to un-cover thechicanery and thefts of Stevenses, the Youngs and the Murkowskis.

Is this a change of heart, e.g. ethics? I you JUMP (security code, m'gosh!) back to the June posting on Rep. Young of FL, you'll find someone complaining about the Anchorage papers' moldy stenographers.

If so, hurray for TPM!!

fastfeat wrote on August 20, 2007 11:26 AM:

Looks like the Alaska boy's looking for a winter home deal. Just what we need here--another friggin' wannabee mobster from the north country...

Ed*ard Teller wrote on August 20, 2007 12:18 PM:

"The Anchorage Daily News deserves journalistic plaudits for their efforts to un-cover thechicanery and thefts of Stevenses, the Youngs and the Murkowskis."

The Anchorage Daily News is a McClatchy newspaper. Much of the material the ADN has been running on both Young and Stevens has been written by McClatchy reporters not normally assigned directly to the ADN. The McClatchy-created article used above was published by the Seattle Times yesterday, but has yet to run in the ADN, IIRC. On Sunday, the only fresh item to appear on Young in the ADN was this tasty tidbit:

"EVEN Rep. Don Young: What federal investigation? Hey, c'mon, let's eat! There's plenty for everybody at my picnic. Don't see me worryin', do ya? I pay my lawyers to worry. Try the salmon."

Since I observed on the paucity of ADN-originated _investigative_ reporting on our Alaskan Washington DC delegation, I've been trying to keep track of how the ADN stacks up against other, mostly out-of-state media. Although they are doing better, as BlueState Redhead observes, they are being left in the dust by out-of-state MSM and by in-state alternative media.

jak1 wrote on August 20, 2007 12:19 PM:

Look, it was all explained for you. We should just take their word for it. To them it's NOT about the how and why. For them it was 'just becasue they could.' "There's nothing nefarious here."

If the community doesn't want it, Young thinks they're free to give the money back, said the congressman's chief of staff, Mike Anderson.

"There's nothing nefarious here," Anderson said. "If they want to return the money back to [the Department of Transportation], they can do that."

>>it's sad but when I hear Justice Department now, I can't stop but to think if because he is GOP he will get off or not investigated to the extent a Dem would be.

Posted by: donviti
Date: August 20, 2007 10:31 AM <<

Kuparuk wrote on August 20, 2007 12:20 PM:

"The Anchorage Daily News deserves journalistic plaudits for their efforts to un-cover thechicanery and thefts of Stevenses, the Youngs and the Murkowskis."

No, they do not.

Over the many years this was building, they practically ignored following up on any of the component stories that led to this. They would publish the questions raised by others, but that was about it.

TPM broke more news on this issue in the last few months than the ADN did over the last 10-12 years that we were telling them about it.

kyrocky wrote on August 20, 2007 12:24 PM:

Code: nail, as in nail this S.O.B.

If the Democrats have any true commitment to the constitution the should immediately convene an ethics investigation. Do not wait for FBI or others. If, as stated, it is factually correct the earmark was added clandestinely, after House and Senate votes, then Rep. Young should be immediately expelled from congress. So should any staff who knowingly participated.

The constitution is explicit how the process. It is supposed to have been taught to every school child by 5th grade for God's sake. There is no defensible reason for congress to fail to take action. None. And if the Dem. leadership doesn't see that then they need to go.

Ed*ard Teller wrote on August 20, 2007 12:27 PM:

Kuparuk,

I've bet Pat Dougherty, the ADN's editor, a Weebie's burger that the ADN will never catch up to other news sources on this issue. Wanna share my burger with me when he pays up?

Anonymous wrote on August 20, 2007 12:48 PM:

ADN could run a story why Barbara Flanders makes $152,000 doing Stevens checks? No follow up

ADN could run a story why Elmendorf housing is not paying property taxes even though it was privatized in no bid contract to JL? Nope

ADN could run a story on the average price the city pays to rent parking spaces in town and why some people get more -a lot more- than others? Nope

ADN could run a story on why Gov. Sheffield's dirty past -a sleazy operator who was almost impeached but went on to run the AK Railroad and Port for what $150,000 a year? Nope

ADN could run a story on a Mayor Mark Begich Rubini real estate deals with details? Nope

Print Media failed completely. TV media is laughable at best. Remember Ray Metcalfe was a "gadfly" to ADN & KTUU. Anyone get fired at ADN or KTUU? Nope all the smart young people quit...Same tired old baggage stayed...Alaska criminals & incompetents get promoted in politics, media and gov because of the vacuum they live in

Kuparuk wrote on August 20, 2007 1:18 PM:

One slight allowance for the ADN staff:

Sheila Toomey is a goddess.

/loves Ear!

aklocal wrote on August 20, 2007 3:38 PM:

Hello Matt Zencey...

Where is your editorial demanding that Don Young explain to us just exactly how the language got altered after the bill was passed? Thanks in advance.

Please put the screws to him AK media. Yes, you too Fairbanks. Juneau Empire, hello? Kodiak Daily Mirror? Peninsula Clarion? Nome Nugget? Lets not all be back benchers here people. If this happened in Juneau at Bill Allen's request what would you be doing? Lets get some answers. This kind of cr#p really degrades our government if we let it slide.

Veritas78 wrote on August 20, 2007 5:09 PM:

Somebody (anybody? Mueller)? at the FBI has noticed that there's an "after 2008." This was so blatant a case of bribery that it's now impossible to ignore.

Can the RICO statutes be applied to an entire state? And is Don Young going to run for re-election? Sure, he's got the Florida vote sewed up, but isn't anyone in Alaska embarrassed by him yet?

Aaaargh wrote on August 20, 2007 6:02 PM:

"If the Democrats have any true commitment to the constitution the should immediately convene an ethics investigation"

The Demoncrats? Committed to the Constitution they've demonstrated they hate by giving Emperor Bush everything his peanut heart desires? It is to laugh.

SeeDee wrote on August 20, 2007 8:05 PM:

My comment, "plaudits for the ADN," refer ONLY to their sorta exposure of the Stevens' skull-duggery..

Maybe they will be encouraged to 'do the right thing' in other matters RE the Alaska political scene.

Maybe the FBI will DO THE RIGHT THING in confronting Young for his brazen usurpation of Congress' law-making powers. He oughta be in jail!

bjobotts wrote on August 20, 2007 8:17 PM:

I don't understand how sabotaging legislation after it has left both houses complete with signatures and votes is not a major crime. Why isn't Young in Jail already and barred from congress? If a Democrat had done that we'd never hear the end of it. The only thing missing is that he didn't have to break into an office or a safe to do it, but he definitely did it in complete secrecy meaning prior knowledge that he knew it wasn't right. If it isn't ilegal it's as unethical as one can get without breaking the law and as such should be enough to bar Young from the House. So why is this not being done?

Anonymous wrote on August 20, 2007 8:21 PM:

Hey aklocal

Check out: http://www.kodiakdailymirror.com/?pid=19&id=1459
"Ben Stevens is the Paris Hilton of Alaska."

No other paper in AK besides Kodiak would publish this so you ought to give the Kodiak Daily Mirror some credit.

The author is a local fisherman. He later wrote an apology to Paris as she has actually done some stuff, soft porn, on her own unlike Benito.

HarpboyAK wrote on August 21, 2007 2:16 AM:

The Daily Snooze hasn't investigated anything since Howard Weaver moved to McClatchy HQ in Sacramento.

Editor Pat Dougherty, once a muckraking alternative press editor, now is such a wimp that he canned Mike Doogan for being to sarcastic about Murkowski and his corrupt crow (it worked out OK, Mike has had 2 detective novels published and been elected to the State House since).

As long as Daugherty's at the helm, don't count on anyone at the Snooze going out of the way to dig up anything independently. Of course, the wingnuts constantly write letters to the editor accusing the Snooze of "smearing innocent defendants" just for reporting the facts.

Code word linen, as in the dirty stuff that's being aired in public.

Rick Blaine wrote on August 21, 2007 5:09 AM:

Yes the Anchorage Daily News seems to do some reporting on Alaskas corrupt Congressional delegation, but it certainly seems like they do the minimum requirements and that is all. The other papers in the state with the exception of the one in Kodiak seem to turn a blind eye. It is probably because most of the state firmly believes that these ethically/morally challenge politicians were getting all that money for the state and convincing people that everyone benefits from it. The reality is only a wealthy few reap the rewards and these chosen ones pretty much control local politics in the state. Thats the way I see it.