Oil All Over The Place

I had no idea how big the bribery scandal was in the state of Alaska. I'd read some articles, even posted one or two clips here about the involvement of US Senator Ted Stevens, but the Christian Science Monitor has published a fascinating account of how deeply ingrained the corruption was in Alaska. Here's just a taste of the article...

In grainy, secretly recorded hotel-room videotapes, executives with Alaska's biggest oil-services company plot ways to craft an industry-friendly version of a pending oil-tax rewrite, brag about how they "own" key politicians and hand out wads of cash to lawmakers, who swear their fealty.

"Never forget who takes you to the dance," says former House Speaker Pete Kott, pointing to VECO Corp. Chairman and heavyweight Republican patron Bill Allen, in one of the tapes. "I had to cheat, steal, beg, borrow, and lie."
"Well, that will stay in this room," one lobbyist responds. Bursts of laughter ensue.

"I sold my soul to the devil, though," Representative Kott jokes later, to which Mr. Allen tells him: "Now I own [you]."