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| September 8, 2006 Republicans Should Come Clean About Veco Scandal Alaska Democratic Party, press release Legislative Republicans who are trying dodge blame for the corruption that led to the FBI's influence-peddling investigation should come clean with the public, Democratic Party Chair Jake Metcalfe said today. "Republican legislators are at fault for this ethical mess, and they need to come clean with Alaskans about what is going on. Why aren't they holding hearings into why the legislative offices were raided by the FBI? Why aren't they doing their own investigation of it and disciplining their members? Some of them know, or had a role in it. Yet, we have heard mostly silence or 'no comment' from the Republican leadership. Those who are commenting say they shouldn't all be painted with the same brush. Well, there's a reason that they are. It's apparent that our Legislature has been corrupted by special interests, and Republican legislators are responsible," Metcalfe said. In response to comments made Wednesday by Republican House Speaker John Harris, Metcalfe said asking the FBI to clear certain legislators who are the subject of speculation is no fix to the problem. Harris, R-Valdez, told KTUU Channel 2: “I'd like the FBI to come forward with some information. You know, clear as many people as you can, narrow it down, say, 'All right, this one, this one and this one are the ones we're really looking at,' or whatever, rather than say everyone's painted with them." The FBI's investigation raises doubt about the integrity of those leading our government and embarrasses our state, whether or not any indictments are ever returned, Metcalfe said. "We need reform now. Legislative Democrats have been trying to clean up government, to fix this broken, corrupt system, but the Republicans in charge have blocked reform at every turn," Metcalfe said. FBI agents last week conducted an unprecedented search of the offices of Senate President Ben Stevens, Senate Rules Committee chairman John Cowdery, former House Speaker Pete Kott, House Oil and Gas Committee chairman Vic Kohring, House Ways and Means chairman Bruce Weyhrauch and Senate Finance Committee member Donny Olson. All except Olson are Republicans. Metcalfe called on Sen. Ben Stevens and Rep. Bruce Weyrauch, the two Republican members who serve on the Select Joint Committee on Legislative Ethics, to resign from that body until the FBI investigation is concluded. "The presence on there of these two legislators who are under investigation cripples that body, which is supposed to oversee legislative ethics," Metcalfe said. |
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