Anchorage--
A reader of this blog has passed the word to me that he considers to be incorrect my characterization of the activities associated with the convictions of former State Rep. Tom Anderson (R.-Anchorage). I stated that Anderson was convicted of "crimes associated with corruption regarding private prisons." The reader has stated that the case dealt instead with a narrower entity: a proposed residential psychiatric treatment center for youths that a corrections company wanted to operate.
The Anderson trial was the only one of the four trials arising out of the federal investigation that I did not attend. I followed media coverage of the trial, however, and I have again reviewed some of that media coverage as well as court pleadings filed regarding the trial. In the indictment, the grand jury charged Anderson with crimes relating to the state legislator providing legislative assistance to a corrections company regarding a proposed residential psychiatric youth treatment center, halfway houses, and a potential private prison. The trial jury convicted Anderson on all seven counts charged.
The lawmaker's work regarding the residential psychiatric treatment center for youths might be seen as the most significant, as he participated in a hearing regarding a permit for that facilty. The evidence presented at trial showed, however, that Anderson also wrote a letter to and met with the Commissioner of Corrections regarding halfway houses operated by Cornell, the corrections company the lawmaker thought was getting paid by (although the money was actually coming from the FBI). Additionally, the indictment alleged that Anderson told Frank Prewitt, a lobbyist for the corrections company, that he would prod the Corrections Commissioner about a feasibility study for a potential private prison.
I have revised the graphic to show that Anderson was convicted of "crimes associated with corruption regarding private corrections facilities."
Here's the revised graphic showing the current status of the cases:
Individual / Role / Crimes charged / Sentence of custody after resolution of case / Legal status as of 23 March 2011
Ted Stevens / U.S. Sen. / Deliberate failure to report on Senate disclosure forms gifts and/or liabilities, primarily associated with VECO and/or its long-time CEO Bill Allen / Never sentenced after jury verdicts of guilty set aside following revelations of prosecutorial misconduct / Free until death in August of 2010
Pete Kott / State Rep. / Crimes associated with corruption regarding Petroleum Profits Tax (PPT) oil tax legislation in 2006 / Six years after jury verdicts of guilty / Free while courts sort out allegations of prosecutorial misconduct (case currently in Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals)
Vic Kohring / State Rep. / Crimes associated with corruption regarding Petroleum Profits Tax (PPT) oil tax legislation in 2006 / 3.5 years after jury verdicts of guilty / Convictions overturned by Ninth Circuit based on prosecutors' failures to turn over evidence to the defense; no decision announced by Department of Justice on re-trial
Tom Anderson / State Rep. / Crimes associated with corruption regarding private corrections facilities / Five years after jury verdicts of guilty / Released from prison to halfway house in February of 2011
Beverly Masek / State Rep. / Conspiracy to take bribes from Bill Allen and a relative regarding oil tax legislation / Six months in prison after guilty plea / Out of prison
Bruce Weyhrauch / State Rep. / Crimes associated with corruption regarding Petroleum Profits Tax (PPT) oil tax legislation in 2006 / Three-month suspended sentence following guilty plea to state misdemeanor of knowingly dealing with unregistered lobbyists in return for dismissal of felony charges / Free on probation
John Cowdery / State Sen. / Conspiracy with Bill Allen to bribe another legislator regarding PPT oil tax legislation / Six months of home confinement pursuant to guilty plea / Free after end of sentence
Jim Clark / Chief of Staff to Governor Frank Murkowski / Conspiracy to commit honest services fraud by taking illegal campaign contribution from VECO for Frank Murkowski’s gubernatorial re-election campaign / Allowed to withdraw guilty plea to charge after U.S. Supreme Court cut back on scope of statute making honest services fraud a crime / Free
Bill Allen / Chairman (former CEO) of VECO and Power Broker / Crimes associated with corruption regarding Petroleum Profits Tax (PPT) oil tax legislation in 2006 as well as tax violations / Three years after guilty pleas / In prison
Rick Smith / Vice President of VECO and Political Lieutenant of Bill Allen / Crimes associated with corruption regarding Petroleum Profits Tax (PPT) oil tax legislation in 2006 as well as tax violations / 21 months after guilty pleas / In prison
Bill Weimar / Power Broker and Private Corrections Magnate / Conspiracy to commit honest services fraud and structuring transactions regarding campaign contribution to legislative candidate whom Weimar believed would support Weimar's efforts regarding private prisons / Six months in prison and six months of home confinement after guilty pleas / Discharged from this sentence, but now charged with felony child sexual abuse in Florida
Bill Bobrick / Lobbyist / Conspiracy to commit extortion, bribery, and money laundering in conjunction with efforts regarding private corrections facilities / Five months in prison and five months in home confinement after guilty pleas / Free after serving sentence
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