Delay sought in legislator's bribery trial

In a court motion filed Friday, Anderson's attorney, Paul Stockler, wrote that he is still working his way through 20 discs "which contain hours of audio and video recordings involving the defendant taken over an extended period of time."

The trial is now scheduled for Feb. 12, and Stockler said he wants to delay it until April 23.

The three-page motion provides the first mention of video recordings in the FBI corruption investigation of Anderson and other legislators. Anderson was indicted by a federal grand jury in December on seven felony counts including money laundering, extortion and bribery.

The indictment contains a number of references to recorded conversations between Anderson and two others: a local-government lobbyist for a private corrections company and a confidential source who had worked for the same company. The indictment doesn't specify whether any of the recordings were on video.

The indictment describes a conspiracy that began in July 2004 in which the lobbyist set up a shell company that existed to launder money to Anderson. The FBI gave money to the informant, who passed it on to Anderson and the lobbyist in exchange for Anderson pushing the interests of the corrections company. Anderson received less than $13,000, according to the indictment.

Anderson has pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

No one else has been charged in the multi-pronged investigation into corruption involving Alaska legislators, and federal officials will say only that the probe continues.

Federal agents executed search warrants in August for numerous sites around Alaska, including the offices of six legislators. According to two of the warrants, the FBI was seeking information on Veco, the oil services and construction company, including "anything of value" provided by Veco and two top executives to any public official. The FBI also has issued subpoenas to commercial fishing interests, including some based in Seattle, for records related to retiring Senate President Ben Stevens, son of U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens. Ben Stevens has been paid to work as a fishing industry consultant.

Stockler said he's listening to or watching the Anderson recordings himself because it's important to hear the speaker's tone. The government didn't provide a transcript and every hour of a recording takes two to eight hours "to decipher exactly what was said," Stockler's motion said.

He wouldn't describe the recordings or what is depicted on the videos.

Stockler also estimated the trial would take two weeks, if he puts on a defense. The government had estimated a week, his motion said.

Assistant federal prosecutor Joe Bottini didn't return a call on Monday but earlier said the government didn't oppose delaying the trial though wanted an earlier date in April than Stockler.

Anderson was elected to the state House in 2002 from East Anchorage but last year decided not to run again. He remains in office until Jan. 16 when new legislators are sworn in. He is married to Sen.-elect Lesil McGuire, who served three terms as a state representative.

Anderson worked as a consultant when he was a legislator, and one of his biggest clients was Veco. After last year's regular legislative session, he registered as a municipal lobbyist in Anchorage. He hasn't registered for 2007.

Anderson also was hired last year as executive director of the new Midtown Improvement District. But after Anderson was indicted, the organization's board and Anderson agreed he should step down, said Tom McGrath, interim board chairman and owner of electronic parts store Frigid North.

Daily News reporter Lisa Demer can be reached at ldemer@adn.com and 257-4390.