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Stevens Secured Big Federal Money For Business Partners
The federal government has been very good to two of Sen. Ted Stevens' (R-AK) business partners, Leonard Hyde and Jonathan Rubini, reports (sub. req.) John Stanton of Roll Call.
In 2004, Stevens slipped them a $3.5 million earmark for an empty plot of land in Anchorage that was to be used by the National Archives and Records Administration. The deal meant $2 million profit for Hyde and Rubini.
What's happened since the initial windfall for Stevens' business partners? Not much:
Since the land deal was finished, federal funding has slowed significantly for the project. Despite a price tag of at least $29 million in construction costs, Stevens appears to have taken only modest interest in securing funding for the project since the land transfer. Stevens set aside $3 million in 2005 for site preparation, while the archives earmark diminished to just $1.9 million last year.However, according to a May 11, 2007, Anchorage Daily News story, $290,000 tagged for the construction has been reprogrammed for a new speed-skating-rink project being planned next to the NARA land. Stevens also secured a $940,000 earmark specifically for the skating rink in 2004, according to the story.
Stevens' help to secure federal money for business contacts is atypical. Roll Call surveyed the senators seated on the 29-member committee about whether any of their business ties receive federal dollars:
Of the 19 Senate Appropriations Committee members whose offices responded to requests for comment, out of 29 on the committee, Stevens was one of only two members who disclosed a direct business relationship between themselves or their spouses and an entity that receives federal funds — and was the only member of the powerful committee who has such a relationship himself.
Stevens is already in trouble with federal investigators for allowing an oil services company to oversee the renovation of his home in Alaska. He was quoted yesterday by the Associated Press saying the probe "could cause me some trouble."
Comments (10)
Eric Ferguson wrote on July 10, 2007 12:27 PM:I don't take pleasure in the possible downfall of Ted Stevens who is in his 80's and probably did some good during his public career, but how many more shoes are there to drop? And while he's been spending time finding ways to send federal money to his cronies, what public business went wanting? And if we excuse his behavior because of his age and seniority, don't we find an excuse for almost anybody? I guess I hope junior congressmen notice how he doesn't get away with it and learn something.
Justus wrote on July 10, 2007 12:29 PM:Lot's of these cozy real estate deals being done under the radar screen. Of course CIRI, under the direction of Carl Marrs, was certainly active in liquidating real estate both in Alaska and the Lower 48. I'd like to know all the other partners in Stevens Utah real estate partnership. 2003-2004 was a very active year by which Marrs disposed of lots of CIRI's real estate. Let's see if there ever is a full forensic audit of CIRI's books.
Alaska Voter wrote on July 10, 2007 1:36 PM:You have overlooked the facts.
Stevens supported another site for the archives building--he wanted it to be near the library of the local university.
And this site was supported by the then mayor of Anchorage and was chosen for the archives after a full, open and public General Services Administration site selection process evaluated a number of sites and determined this was the best site for the facility.
Sorry these facts are so inconvenient but out of fairness they should be reported since they make it clear that Stevens did nothing wrong.
Ed*ard Teller wrote on July 10, 2007 1:43 PM:I'd been told by my best friend about this - he learned about it from fellow Shriners. I thought it was apocryphal. My question - if this has been out there so visible for so long, how long will it take the local Anchorage media to redeem their sorry asses. They look more and more hapless every hour, as outside sources come up with the dirt.
According to my Shriner buddy, who I'll listen to a little more closely now, the part uncovered by Roll Call is just part of this CONTINUING scam, and Stevens has a well hidden way to get kickbacks from rental fees paid to these parties.
Anonymous wrote on July 10, 2007 2:11 PM:
Greenpeace-failure wrote on July 10, 2007 2:49 PM:Alaska media is a wholly owned subsidiary of Good Old Boys Inc. Please lower your standards and don't try to dig to china with dirty deads in Alaska. You will not like what you find
Don't be fooled by Ted having a sideshow to distract voters from an already rigged game. He typically gets his business deals all set up, serving corporatism or cronies, then does a public show or PR piece that is a pure facade. Stevens did this to Greenpeace a decade ago and crashed their Northwest/Alaska operations. They got on a bus and left DC to tour states, thinking they had gotten a real conservative approach from Ted. Several states away, he then turned and stabbed their backs. He later took an environmental approach to new fish laws, too, just so he could privatize public fisheries for a few friends. He made them billions, and got his PR too. He probably wishes he could preselect his entire audience like Bush does, too.
Not fooled. Don't you be either.
molly wrote on July 11, 2007 12:45 AM:Did Alaska ever release voting info the democratic party wanted in '04. Last I heard they were refusing and going to destroy all records. Maybe old Ted wasn't even fairly elected.How long are we going to allow the republicans to high jack the electoral and judicial systems that equal a democratic country?
Anonymous wrote on July 11, 2007 8:47 AM:Alaska Voter, if this were the first time Stevens had handed taxpayer money to his cronies, I'd be more inclined to believe your talking points. How much longer are Alaskans going to carry water for this crook?
Code word "door," as in, it's time to show Ted the door.
Mikal wrote on July 12, 2007 7:39 PM:Good God people look at the basics.
Ted Stevens was elected to represent Alaskans in Washington D.C. where most other politicians couldn't care less about Alaska. So where do you think Alaska would stand funding wise if it didn't have influential representation? Can you spell L A S T?
If and when it’s proven he did something illegal he should be held accountable like everyone else. Until then we should give him the benefit of the doubt and consider him innocent until proven guilty. Now in this day of media coverage that’s a new concept isn’t it? That is unless you consider it illegal to do what he was elected to do, R E P R E S E N T. I can see Molly's point that Ted’s last election should have had a recount. It was too close to call that is until the polls opened.
Bob wrote on July 15, 2007 5:07 PM:Let's see now,
Ted Stevens is 83 and he's worried about reelection? What has this guy done wrong? By this age he should have squirreled away enough nuts to disappear from the radar and stop robbing Alaskans.
Maybe he can build another bridge.