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Allen's sentencing will bring end to bad chapter in Alaska politics

by Lori Tipton
Monday, October 26, 2009

ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- He helped put several high profile Alaska politicians behind bars and will soon likely land there himself.

Former VECO President Bill Allen is set to be sentenced on Wednesday.

Allen's involvement in the corruption probe has had a big impact on Alaska politics.

It was more than two years ago when Allen pleaded guilty to charges of extortion, bribery and fraud.

Allen struck a deal with federal prosecutors to catch legislators in the act.

"Bill Allen polluted the political system with money, with dirty money," said Rep. Les Gara.

He offered dirty money to legislators like Wasilla Rep. Vic Kohring and Pete Kott.

"It revealed the fact that public officials were doing things for themselves rather than their constituents, and in some cases, at the expense of their constituents. It was a good thing," said Anchorage Rep. Mike Doogan.

That Allen was buying out certain legislators didn't surprise some.

"We all knew he wasn't trying to get better schools or help kids when he was donating money. We knew that he was donating money for pretty ugly reasons, it's good the people have finally proved that," Gara said.

Allen donated more money than anyone, and as it turned out, he was donating and asking for favors.

"Without the Bill Allen/Veco money polluting the system, there's been an even playing field for democrats and republicans in the state now," Gara said.

No matter how hard Allen tried to sway some legislators, he just didn't succeed.

"When you started having dinners or doing whatever with Bill, he wanted to control you. He wanted to control your vote. Wherever he said to go, that's what he expected you to do," said Rep. John Harris of Valdez.

But Harris says what legislators should strive to do is serve their constituents.

"Any legislator or anybody in government who allows themselves to be controlled by anybody - whether it's lobbyists, whether it's business people, whoever it may be - are not doing the will of the public,"  Harris said.

The corruption among some politicians has given a bad rap for all of them.

"You do get tired of having these discussions with people who say basically all politicians are corrupt and want to use the ones who have sort of demonstrated that as the example," Doogan said.

Some legislators say they hope the timing of Allen's sentencing doesn't short circuit any of the continuing investigations of other people who might have accepted Allen's bribes.

"It shouldn't stop until all of that kind of behavior has been exposed and punished," Doogan said.

While it is uncertain if other investigations are happening, Allen will be sentenced on Wednesday.

"It's a good ending to a bad chapter," Gara said.

Contact Lori Tipton at ltipton@ktuu.com