KTUU.com | Alaska's news and information source | Anderson guilty on all counts
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by Jill Burke and Megan Baldino
Monday, July 9, 2007
ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- Former Alaska state Rep. Tom Anderson was found guilty today of all seven felony charges brought against him. The charges were part of a corruption case federal prosecutors brought against Anderson in December.
Anderson winced and briefly nodded his head at the first guilty verdict. He kept his gaze down as one by one the other six counts came in.
He said he was disappointed and devastated. Anderson also said he felt he was a victim to what he described as the government's criminalization of work legislators perform.
In leaving the courtroom, Anderson said he had emotionally prepared for the worst, but hadn't expected it.
"I just feel a general error is guilt by association," Anderson said. "That's just how I feel."
In an interview with Channel 2 News, Anderson later said it was a dark day for his family and that he is shell-shocked and devastated.
"Well, it is utter devastation, what happened today, and what has happened to me and my family. My boys and our baby -- 16-month-old-baby -- my parents, all my family and friends," Anderson said.
Prosecutors charged Anderson with a total of seven counts on acts of extortion, bribery and money laundering.
Prosecutors argued that Anderson, along with a convicted co-conspirator, set up a sham Web site to take in and shield bribe money from a private prison firm. Prosecutors said Anderson then performed official acts that directly benefited that company's interests.
Unbeknownst to Anderson, the money the government tracked had all along been supplied by the FBI.
In a press release, Assistant FBI Director Kenneth Kaiser wrote, "The conviction of former Alaskan Representative Anderson illustrates the FBI's commitment to investigating officials that misuse their public office for personal gain. The public deserves fair and honest representation and the FBI will not relent in its pursuit of corrupt public officials."
The defense argued the government set Anderson up and offered money and bribes only after Anderson had performed official acts as a legislator. It maintains Anderson was never anything more than an honest citizen lawmaker seeking outside work in the off season.
Anderson wouldn't say much as he left today, but he did take time to offer a brief statement.
"My statement is: I'm devastated and it's not accurate what the verdict is," Anderson said.
Later, Anderson said his wife, Sen. Lesil McGuire, R-Anchorage, would also be deeply affected by the verdict.
"I think that with respect to the trial, of course your spouse, let alone a legislator, it's taken as much a toll on her and her family as it has on myself and my family. I think often, certainly the prosecution, don't take that into account," Anderson said.
In a written press release about the guilty verdicts, Assistant U.S. Attorney General Alice Fisher wrote, "Former Representative Tom Anderson corrupted his elected office when he took official actions in exchange for bribery payments. His illegal conduct impaired the integrity of the oath he took. Anderson has been held accountable for his crimes and the Department of Justice will continue its pursuit of public corruption at all levels of government."
Anderson said he and his attorney have not decided whether to appeal, but it is certainly something they are going to look into.
"Right now, I have to think about my family and what's in store for our future and I haven't been able to make a living and I've put every single resource into my defense. I think people forget that appeal is very expensive and I have legal bills and it's very difficult, very difficult. So, my central vision now is how to protect and keep my family above water financially and in every other respect," Anderson said.
His sentencing is scheduled for October. Maximum penalties on each charge vary between five and 20 years and each carries a fine of up to $250,000.
For an undisclosed reason, one juror was not present today. Deliberations continued with 11 people instead of 12.
That group had asked the judge a question about entrapment. He advised them they had to look at entrapment as an issue specific to each charge, and not the case as a whole.
They also asked to re-listen to audio recordings that were secretly made at the Whale's Tale July 28. On the tapes Anderson and his alleged co-conspirator, Bill Bobrick, were present with government informant Frank Prewitt.
A few hours later they came back with unanimous guilty verdicts on all counts.
Contact Jill Burke at jburke@ktuu.com and Megan Baldino at mbaldino@ktuu.com
