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Today's Must Read
Until now, real estate developer Bob Penney looked like maybe he just enjoys helping out Alaska politicians. (Like giving Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) half off on a prime piece of land.) But in today's edition of The Hill, it's starting to look more likely that at least his relationship with Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK) fetched him more in return than he's admitted. And Stevens' help neatly coincided with his involvement in a highly profitable land deal orchestrated by Penney.
Reporter Manu Raju trolled through public documents and spoke with Alaska officials to confirm that Stevens quietly slipped Penney's group, the Kenai River Sportfishing Association, $4.5 million in earmarks between fiscal 2004 and 2006 to research salmon populations in the famed river and a connected stream.
The spending laws do not specifically say the money was targeted for the group, but the funds were given to it after Stevens’s office instructed the Alaska Department of Fish and Game to do so, according to officials there.Penney has long fought for sport fishermen to get increased access to the Kenai, much to the chagrin of commercial fishing industry groups, which are fierce competitors with sport fishermen over salmon allocations. Officials from the commercial fishing industry say that the group shut them out of determining how to spend the earmarked dollars, alleging the sporting group is using the funding to lay the groundwork to help them at the commercial sector’s expense.
All of the fish-money funneling took place right around the time Penney brought Stevens in on a Utah land deal that turned a $15,000 investment into $125,000 in just one year. Penney told the Anchorage Daily News at the time (2004) that he and his fellow investors invited Stevens in "appreciation for all he's done for Alaska and the country. We respect him very, very much."
Stevens has strong ties to the Kenai River Sportsfishing Association. Every year he co-hosts a $1 million fundraiser with Penney called the Kenai River Classic. The Fourth of July event brings pols and CEOs together for a weekend of fishing, eating cigar smoking, and influence swapping. The Anchorage Daily News heard Stevens describe the event in 2002:
''We invite people we think can afford to put a contribution into the till,'' [Stevens] said, ''and people they want to meet.''
The Hill noticed a few other perks Stevens received the same years as he earmarked the money: a $1,400 rifle in 2003; a pistol worth $1,800 in 2004; an $800 revolver in 2005; and an $850 Marlin Guide gun in 2002.
Comments (16)
Ed*ard Teller wrote on September 6, 2007 9:56 AM:Maybe if we name another couple of buildings, a bridge, a cruise ship, and three or four out-of-state tourist traps after St. Ted, he'll go away...
Anonymous wrote on September 6, 2007 10:48 AM:At the end of The Hill article McKie Campbell and Sue Asplund are quoted. The reporter might as well have asked Stevens aides their opinion.
Both were in the Frank Murkowski administration and closely allied with Uncle Ted. Campbell was a former mining industry lobbyist.
Both were involved in attempts to establish forced monopolies in various Alaska fisheries. Campbell was sent packing when Palin was elected but Asplund has managed to burrow in and retains a job. with the new admin.
Jeff C wrote on September 6, 2007 10:51 AM:Off Topic: I missed last night's 'Larry King Live' with Pres. Clinton. Does anyone have a source for a
Jmo wrote on September 6, 2007 11:23 AM:rerun? Preferably free? Thanks
Old Ted has been having his belly rubbed by corporations and rich people for many years. He knows how to play the game. Anybody want to predict he won't slither out of this one too?
714Day wrote on September 6, 2007 11:36 AM:Before somebody pops in wondering how it would be possible for sport fishing to put a dent on commercial enterprise, do please check out the numbers for the Classic. The River is indeed huge, but it looks like an L.A. freeway during rush hour during the Classic and several other tourneys. It's unbelievable. And that is before one considers the allocation of funds which stand against the pros...and before one considers the finite period and numbers in a salmon run...
OSISBS wrote on September 6, 2007 12:11 PM:And, of course, Uncle Ted is prepared to allow any drilling anywhere in his BIG state. He is one of the many who grace that pristine place with cluelessness; he just has the clout to throw his cluelessness around.
With the number of gay Republicans coming out these days, I'd be amazed if the only thing being smoked is a cigar on these fishing trips.
sportFisher wrote on September 6, 2007 12:42 PM:The image of Penny's group as representative of sport fishing interests doesn't quite get it right. Penny's group, Kenai River Sportfishing Association (KRSA), represents "commercial" sport fishing interests. They've displaced local sport fishermen like me by promoting severe overcrowding. Hidden agenda: they also promote riverside land development with overblown hype about the river; national advertising.
In the name of environmental protection they actively ignore science to promote their own short-term agenda -- even to the extent of actively and successfully (thanks to Uncle Ted) suppressing research that illuminates habitat destruction occurring by their commercial sport guiding: 1) bank erosion caused by big guide boats, large loads, and big motors, and 2) large amounts of hydrocarbon pollution caused by outboard motor emissions.
This year, they (KRSA) raised outboard horsepower limits from 35hp to 50hp.
KRSA leadership lies and cheats like national Republicans. They're bad news coming and going.
Anonymous wrote on September 6, 2007 1:03 PM:
anoregonreader wrote on September 6, 2007 1:14 PM:JL Properties? Bueller? Bueller?
An invitation to take part in a "can't-lose" investment which brings returns virtually impossible in the open (i.e., non-corrupt) market. Does this remind anyone of the (false) accusation against the Clintons?
aklocal wrote on September 6, 2007 2:48 PM:Elsewhere, at least one of the Alaska legislators facing federal charges made a big hole in the government's case.
Judge Sedwick's ruling could be the end of the line for the FBI's case against Bruce Weyrauch.
From the Juneau Empire:
"Prosecutors who brought charges against Weyhrauch and Kott said the two had a "duty to disclose" the conflicts of interest created by seeking jobs with VECO.
Prosecutor Joe Bottini argued that the two had violated federal "honest services" law by depriving the public of unbiased representation.
Bottini wanted to tell a jury about the conflicts "to prove that Kott and Weyhrauch each violated their respective duties of honest services by knowingly concealing their respective conflicts of interest from the Alaska State Legislature and from the citizens of the State of Alaska, and by voting on legislation that impacted the company with whom they were negotiating for employment."
Sedwick did not buy that argument, however, and said the prosecution would not be able to make that argument to the jury."
aklocal wrote on September 6, 2007 3:02 PM:"Friends of Bruce" legal defence fund started by Alaska Democrat Gordon Evans to help former Alaska legislator Bruce Weyrauch charged in FBI corruption investigation.
The case against Weyrauch has always been weak. With Judge Sedwick's ruling that Alaska's disclosure laws did not require Weyrauch to disclose his letter soliciting legal work from VECO, the fed's case is pretty much wrecked.
Transcripts of Bill Allen released during the indictment by the feds showed a lot of caution by Allen in trying to triangulate Weyrauch - same kind of stuff one would see in any lobbying situation where the guy is not considered 'in the pocket'
Prediction: Weyrauch clears his name
aklocal wrote on September 6, 2007 3:09 PM:Prosecutors appeal Sedwick ruling in Alaska legislator Bruce Weyrauch's trial. From alaskareport.com:
"Prosecutors are appealing Sedwick's decision to suppress evidence that Weyhrauch and Kott were duty-bound to report they were seeking employment with Veco Corp., an oil field services company, when they were voting on oil-tax legislation."
Weyrauch attorney Doug Pope calls fed conduct "outrageous".
thomas wrote on September 6, 2007 4:32 PM:look out New Jersey, Alaska is back on track.
Louisanna, Maryland and Illinois: you're slipping behind. Waddaya gonna do?
Anonymous wrote on September 6, 2007 9:42 PM:Weyrauch is not guilty? Why did he try to kill himself by jumping off his boat after he dropped off his son at home? Did he find Jesus in that cold water and swam to shore shivered overnight and then was picked up by the Coast Guard THEN arrested...
He tried to kill himself the weekend before he was arrested
Sounds guilty
HarpboyAK wrote on September 7, 2007 3:36 AM:Weyrauch is whining that he has to "live under a cloud for years" while the Feds appeal the judge's ruling. He can always end his "torture" by pleading out.
Juneau is a small town, and it's hard for an attorney who's under indictment for accepting bribes to get much work. I feel sorry for his wife and kids, but not him --- anyone who solicits work from a lobbyist has such a poor sense of ethics that he doesn't deserve to be in the legislature.
Weyrauch's last minute decision to not run for re-election made it possible for Democrat Andrea Doll to win his seat, though.
daserter wrote on November 27, 2007 11:05 PM:Hi!