KTUU.com | Alaska's news and information source | Anderson traded votes for money; could face up to 95 years jail time

Anderson traded votes for money; could face up to 95 years jail time

Anchorage, Alaska - State Rep. Tom Anderson, R-Anchorage, is accused of being a politician for hire and going to great lengths to hide it. He was arraigned on seven federal charges today, including bribery, extortion and money laundering.

The FBI arrested Anderson at his home late yesterday afternoon and he was indicted on what are essentially public corruption charges. He's accused of hatching a scheme to hide secret payments and then using his vote and influence as an elected official to return the favor.

Anderson, wearing ankle chains and yellow prison garb, entered seven not guilty pleas in federal court today.

The strain on his family was evident in the voice of his wife and fellow state lawmaker, Lesil McGuire.

"It's a devastating turn of events in the last couple of days."

Indicted by a federal grand jury Wednesday and arraigned in federal court today, Anderson is accused of being a lawmaker for hire. According to the federal officials, Anderson conspired with an unnamed lobbyist to create a shell company named Pacific Publishing. Then he used it to funnel and shield bribe money in exchange for votes and influence in legislative matters.

An online search of business records lists the sole owner of that so-called shell company as William Bobrick, a local lobbyist.

Who or what was of all the scheming for?

According to the federal officials, an unnamed but known corrections company in Texas was responsible for the kickbacks and seeking legislative help from Anderson and Bobrick.

Sources say the corrections company is Texas-based Cornell Companies, which Bobrick has worked for in the past.

Pacific Publishing was supposed to host a Web site featuring articles on Alaska politics and banner ads sold to clients. A conversation recorded between Anderson and the FBI's confidential source seems to illustrate the ruse.

Anderson: That's why when you say, when you kinda giggle and say, "Hey Tom, we're doing this to help you," it's not really for your Web thing.

Confidential source: Right.

Anderson: But we have to have something. I mean, unless you want me to [quit the Legislature] and, you know, work for you. But no, you don't want that. You want votes in the Legislature, I would assume.

Confidential source: Of course.

In a written statement, Anderson's wife, Rep. and Sen.-elect McGuire, said her family is "devastated by the events" and went on to state she believes in his innocence: "He feels there have been grave misunderstandings [with the FBI] in all of this, and is anxious to tell his side of the story."

Still, she distanced herself from the investigation, saying they were married after the time period in question and reinforcing that she is not nor has been a target of the investigation.

From the floor of the state House of Representatives and a bid for re-election to the defendant's chair in federal court, Anderson is now in the fight of his life, battling serious charges for alleged bad acts that could buy him a future in jail.

There are seven charges in total, netting a maximum combined sentence of 115 years and a maximum combined fine of more than $2.5 million.

Anderson was expected to make bail this afternoon or evening.

The FBI says no one else in connection with this influence-peddling probe is under arrest.

According to the indictment, Anderson and his co-conspirator lobbyist sought the bribes and initiated contact with the FBI's confidential source. That contact was reportedly for the purpose of seeking out and ultimately obtaining bribery payments.

At one point, federal agents say they recorded the lobbyist reassuring that confidential source about the scheme by saying something to the effect of "if [the lobbyist] were a Soviet spy and looking for a legislator to recruit, he'd choose Anderson because he needs the money."