Dana7360
Diamond Member
- Aug 6, 2014
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For the record she is in a very committed relationship, keep in mind they are planning to get married.
Also:
Was a thumb to nose at Ben Stevens' - "In August 2001, Stevens was appointed by Democratic Governor Tony Knowles to the Alaska State Senate, after being nominated by the Republican Party of Alaska.[1] He was the Majority Leader for the 2003-2004 term, and the President for the 2005-2006 term.[2]
In July 2004, Stevens responded to a critical e-mail from a constituent with the comment, "Your [sic] just more valley trash," setting off a minor controversy among residents of the Matanuska-Susitna Valley, including former Wasilla mayor (and future Alaska Governor) Sarah Palin.[3] "Proud to Be Valley Trash" became a slogan among Mat-Su Valley residents, and Palin was photographed wearing a t-shirt with the slogan during her successful 2006 campaign for Governor of Alaska."
There's a bit of a long standing rivalry between Anchorage and Wasilla, this was part of it. And for the record, Ben Stevens was a jackass.
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On August 31, 2006 officers with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service raided the offices of several prominent members of the Alaska Legislature. Raided were the offices of Sen. John Cowdery (R-Anchorage), Senate President Ben Stevens (R-Anchorage), Rep. Vic Kohring (R-Wasilla), Rep. Bev Masek (R-Willow), Rep. Bruce Weyhrauch (R-Juneau), Sen. Don Olson (D-Nome), and Rep. Pete Kott (R-Eagle River). The investigation involved allegations of illegal gifts to law makers from VECO.[3] Senator Olson was never charged but it was found he had turned down illegal campaign assistance.[4]
Sarah Palin is another Alaskan politician that received campaign support from VECO. The International Herald Tribune reported on September 3, 2008, "As Palin campaigned unsuccessfully in 2002 to become lieutenant governor, she received contributions from executives at VECO Corp., a powerful Alaska oil field services company." [1] The questionable donations totaled $4,500, over 10% of all her funding that year. Allen admitted that he had given executives money to be contributed in his "bonus" program though he denied knowing that the laundering was illegal.[5]
Also named in the search warrants were VECO officers Bill J. Allen, Rick Smith and Pete Leathard.
On May 7, 2007, VECO CEO Bill Allen and Vice President for Community & Government Affairs Rick Smith pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Anchorage to charges of extortion, bribery, and conspiracy to impede the Internal Revenue Service.[6]
In addition to the three politicians arraigned on May 4, the new court filings mention illegal payments made to a former state senator, named as "Senator B" in court documents, who received over $200,000 from VECO Corp. over several years, income which Senator B reported as "consulting fees." In the May 7 guilty pleas by Allen and Smith, they admit that the only work done by Senator B in exchange for the funds was advancing VECO's agenda in the state legislature.[6] The only former state senator who matches the information contained in court documents about Senator B is former Senator Ben Stevens (R-Anchorage), son of U.S. Senator Ted Stevens (R-Alaska). To date, Ben Stevens has not been indicted.[7] Another state senator discussed in the court documents who later pled guilty, was identified as "Senator A." He was John Cowdery.[8] On 3/12/09 ex-state representative Beverly Masek pled guilty to taking $4,000 in bribes from Allen. [9]
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Turns out Ben didn't fall far from the tree, nor VECO who apparently owned our fucking government:
On July 24, 2007, The Wall Street Journal reported that Representative Don Young was under federal investigation for possibly taking bribes, illegal gratuities or unreported gifts from VECO.[10] Between 1996 and 2006, Young received $157,000 from VECO employees and its political action committee. In the first half of 2007, Young spent more than $250,000 of campaign contributions for legal fees.[11]
Alaska State House representatives Pete Kott, Bruce Weyhrauch and Vic Kohring were all charged with federal crimes as part of the investigation into VECO.
On May 29, 2007, the Anchorage Daily News reported that the FBI and a federal grand jury were investigating an "extensive" remodeling project at Senator Ted Stevens' home in Girdwood, Alaska. The remodeling work, organized by VECO, more than doubled the size of the home (public records show that the home is now 2,471 square feet (229.6 m2) and valued at about $441,000)[citation needed].[12] The repairs could have cost anywhere between $130,000 and 250,000, and the payments Ted Stevens paid were about $160,000. Stevens' Alaska home was raided by the FBI and IRS on July 30, 2007.[13] Stevens was indicted by a federal grand jury on July 29, 2008 on seven counts alleging that Stevens received hundreds of thousands of dollars in gifts that he did not declare on his US Senate financial disclosure forms. Stevens was convicted on all seven of these charges on October 27, 2008. All the convictions were vacated on April 7, 2009 due to gross prosecutorial misconduct.
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Sooo if you ever wonder why Alaskan's give Palin a little slack, it's because she's the only one who stood up to these guys, and wouldn't throw us under the VECO oil tanker...
Actually no she's not.
She WAS in a committed relationship and going to get married.
It was called off and they broke up.
