Bribery pleas prompt look at donations

[maddezmom]

Source: AP

JUNEAU, Alaska — Guilty pleas from two oil field services executives who admit bribing legislators have Alaska officials examining whether they should give up campaign contributions connected to their company, for years a major player in state politics.

Campaign donation records also show that VECO Corp. sent tens of thousands of dollars to candidates outside Alaska, including President Bush. One of the executives, VECO founder and CEO Bill Allen, served as state financial co-chairman in Bush's 2000 campaign.

~snip~

"They controlled everything; they were drunk on power, and I don't think they thought they would get caught," said Jake Metcalfe, chairman for the Alaska Democratic Party. "Basically you had one party that controlled the delegation, the state House and the Senate, and a large reason for that was VECO's money."

The charges against Allen and Smith relate only to five Alaska state lawmakers, but the 70-year-old Allen hasn't limited donations to those only with Alaska ties. He has sent thousands to Republican candidates in states including Washington, Illinois, South Carolina, California and Missouri.

~snip~


Read more: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/nation/4790345.html

[TacticalPeek]

1. Big Oil: it's the new Enron.

:kick:

[formercia]

2. Standard Oil Cartel

The Bush family goes way back to them.

[Toots]

3. And what is really cool is both Smith and Allen are singing like canaries

They bribed more than just a few Alaska Legislaters and that is being told to FBI. They have both cut deals to get shorter sentencing and an agreement their families will be left alone..This might be as big or bigger than Abramoff.