We seem to spend a lot of time writing about Alaska on this blog.  The state's elected official provide plenty of fodder.  Again this year, Rep. Don Young, the state's sole member of the U.S. House, was named one of the most corrupt members of Congress.  There are ample reasons:

Rep. Don Young is an 18th-term member of the House of Representatives, representing Alaska at-large.  Rep. Young served as Chairman of the House Resources Committee from 1994 to 2000 and as the Chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee from 2000-2006.  Currently, Rep. Young serves as the ranking member of the House Resources Committee.

Rep. Young’s ethics violations stem from the misuse of his position to benefit family and friends and from steering millions of dollars in earmarks to corporations in exchange for contributions to his campaign committee and political action committee, Midnight Sun PAC (MSPAC).  Rep. Young is currently under four separate federal investigations including an investigation into his role in securing a $10 million earmark for a road in Florida, assistance he offered to recently convicted VECO executive Bill Allen, his ties to convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff, and his financial relationship with recently indicted businessman Dennis Troha.  Rep. Young was included in CREW’s 2007 congressional corruption report.

Earmarking Transportation Funds for a Campaign Donor
                                   
The Department of Justice is currently investigating whether Rep. Young earmarked $10 million dollars for a construction project in exchange for campaign donations.  In 2005, while in Florida to discuss upcoming transportation projects, Rep. Young attended a fundraiser held by Daniel Aronoff, a land developer who stood to gain financially from the passage of an Interstate 75 expansion.  The fundraiser brought in $40,000 for Rep. Young and Mr. Aranoff personally donated a total of $3,000 to Rep. Young’s campaign committee and PAC.  Shortly after his Florida trip, Rep. Young earmarked $10 million in the Fiscal Year 2006 transportation bill for I-75 improvements.

After the Lee County Metropolitan Planning Organization voted to block the interchange because it could threaten nearby wetlands, Rep. Young threatened to revoke the money entirely.

 In 2008, both the House and Senate voted to direct the DOJ to launch an investigation into the 2005 earmark that was inserted for the Coconut Road interchange.  After the calls for the inquiry, Rep. Young admitted that he sponsored the earmark and that his staff “corrected” the earmark before the bill went to the White House to be signed by the president.

Earmarking Transportation Funds for Bridges

In the 109th Congress, Rep. Young earmarked over $400 million dollars to Alaska for two bridges serving tiny populations of constituents.  Rep. Young’s daughter, Joni Young, and his son-in-law, Art Nelson, own land near one of the proposed bridges and stand to profit if the project is completed.

After negative press coverage and pressure from colleagues, Rep. Young agreed to release the obligation that the earmarked money be used for the specific bridges.  The funds were still given to Alaska, however, as part of the state’s general federal highway allotment fund from which legislators can still fund the bridge projects.

Association with VECO Corporation

Rep. Young is the subject of a criminal inquiry into whether he accepted bribes, illegal gratuities or unreported gifs from VECO corporation.  VECO President Peter Leathard has been quoted  saying his company works to elect politicians that back mineral exploration.  To that end, since 2002, VECO executives have donated $89,500 to the Rep. Young’s campaign committee and PAC. The corruption probe of VECO is ongoing and has led to the indictments of other Alaskan politicians including Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK) who was indicted on seven counts of failing to disclose gifts from VECO and its CEO Bill Allen. 
               
Association with PBS&J

Rep. Young has received campaign contributions from employees of Florida based construction firm PBS&J.  The firm’s chairman pleaded guilty to violating federal campaign laws in July of 2007 after a federal investigation revealed that he was reimbursing PBS&J employees for making donations to favored candidates.  PBS&J had previously received a federal grant to conduct a study of the Rep. Young’s proposed bridges and in June 2006, prepared a cost estimate review study analyzing the construction planning.

Three PBS&J executives have been convicted for their part in a long-running scheme to circumvent campaign election laws.  In October 2007, the Federal Election Commission launched it’s own investigation into the illegal campaign contributions and use of political action committees by PBS&J.

Ties to Jack Abramoff

Rep. Young’s ties to convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff are the subject of a grand jury investigation.  In September 2002, Rep. Young and Ohio Rep. Steve LaTourette sent a letter to the General Service Administration (GSA) urging it to “give preferential treatment to organizations such as Indian tribes” during the development of the Old Post Office Pavilion in Washington, D.C.  Mr. Abramoff was representing the tribes hoping to secure lease space in the building.  Just weeks after sending the letter to the GSA, Rep. Young’s PAC received $7,000 from Mr. Abramoff’s tribal clients and another $5,000 before the end of 2002.

Members of Rep. Young’s staff have also been linked to Mr. Abramoff. When Duane Gibson left his position as Rep. Young’s chief of staff to join Mr. Abramoff, he recommended that Mark Zachares be given a job with the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, which Rep. Young chaired.  In April of 2007, Mr. Zachares pleaded guilty to bribery charges.  In his plea agreement, Mr. Zachares admitted that his intent was to use his position in the House Transportation Infrastructure Committee to steer clients toward Mr. Abramoff’s firm with the promise that eventually Mr. Abramoff would hire him.

After claiming that he had neither a personal nor a professional relationship with Mr. Abramoff,  it was discovered that in 2000, Rep. Young had used Mr. Abramoff’s MCI skybox tickets for two events, but failed to report them to the FEC until after the Abramoff scandal broke.

Records exposed in 2008 from two of Mr. Abramoff’s law firms show over 120 contacts with Rep. Young and his staff – including ten with Rep. Young himself – over a 25 month period.

Ties to Dennis Troha

In April of 2007, the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Wisconsin opened an investigation into an alleged deal between Rep. Young and convicted Wisconsin businessman Dennis Troha.  In the 2005 transportation bill, Rep. Young inserted a controversial item that benefitted Mr. Troha’s trucking company.  Months before the legislation became law, Rep. Young received $22,000 from Mr. Troha, his family members, JHT executives and their spouses.

In March of 2008, Mr. Troha was sentenced to probation for making illegal political donations.

Legal Fees

Rep. Young continues to pay legal fees in connection with several ongoing investigations.  Since July of 2007, Rep. Young’s campaign committee has paid $993,655.28 in legal fees.  In January of 2008, Rep. Young opened a legal defense fund.  By July 2008, his defense fund had paid $49,415.25 in legal fees.