VECO Man Says He Worked on Stevens, Young Fundraisers

[Blue_In_AK]

Source: Anchorage Daily News - Associated Press

WASHINGTON - A construction worker who oversaw renovation of Sen. Ted Stevens’ home said his company also paid him to help run fundraisers for the Alaska Republican, a practice that appears to violate federal campaign finance laws.


Contractor Robert Williams is a key witness in a bribery investigation that stretches from Alaska to Capitol Hill and threatens legal and political headaches for the Senate’s longest-serving Republican. The FBI is investigating whether Stevens received illegal gifts from Veco Corp., the once-powerful Alaska oil contractor.

Williams said he was in charge of “special projects” for Veco founder Bill Allen, and the renovation of Stevens’ home was one such project. Others included working three or four fundraisers for Stevens while on the clock with Veco. Federal elections laws prohibit candidates from accepting donations or free services from corporations.

Unlike other Veco employees, Williams did not itemize his time sheets with job codes so customers could be billed. When working on one of Allen’s pet projects, Williams just logged his hours and Veco made sure he was paid.

<snip>

Fundraising and favors are at the heart of the corruption investigation, which has ensnared several Alaska legislators. Allen has pleaded guilty to bribing lawmakers and is cooperating with the FBI. He admitted in court last week that his employees provided “some labor” on Stevens’ house in 2000, but Williams recalled the job in greater detail.

<snip>

Read more: http://www.adn.com/news/politics/fbi/story/9315079p-9230022c.html

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And the good news from the VECO trials keeps on coming. :)

[Mabus]

1. Thanks for the update!

I'm becoming addicted to Alaskan political scandals. Thanks for today's fix.

Too bad more people aren't paying attention.

[Blue_In_AK]

2. You're very welcome...

[gratuitous]

3. Sworn testimony about bribing a Senator

You might think this was just a smidgen newsworthy. I mean, at least as newsworthy as a former Heisman Award winner involved in a sales slip snafu over some worthless memorabilia.

[acmavm]

4. No kidding. Don't you ever wonder why some threads get two hundred

responses, some really important ones get zip.

The Ted and Ben Show should be being broadcast from some federal prison somewhere. Ted Stevens has been a money grubbing pain in the American citizen's ass for way too long. And his son is just like him.

Why can politicians be so damn crooked, hurt so many people, and then just end up resigning? Not a lot of them go to prison like Cunningham. Most just go into another line of work, bilking someone else.