Recall petition to target Kohring

By ANDREW WELLNER
Anchorage Daily News

Published: May 13th, 2007 05:02 AM
Last Modified: December 21st, 2007 07:47 AM

WASILLA — A Wasilla city councilman said he plans to try to recall Rep. Vic Kohring, a Wasilla Republican who has been indicted in the legislative bribery scandal.

Bribery charges prompt action on ethics package 1198255666425751

JUNEAU — A broad-ranging ethics reform package is ready for Gov. Sarah Palin’s signature.

The Alaska House on Saturday approved the changes made to the measure in the Senate.

The bill had been languishing in committee in a stand-off between the House and Senate but took off in a hurry after the recent arrests of current and former lawmakers and officials of Veco, an Alaska based oil services company, on federal charges of corruption and bribery.

Palin said she plans to sign the omnibus package next week.

“It is truly unfortunate that recent events further demonstrated the need for these statutory changes,” said Palin in a prepared statement.

“However, it is gratifying that the legislative and executive branches were able to work together to take these steps to reassure Alaskans that their public servants still put Alaskans interests first.”

The measure tightens the laws governing the behavior of lobbyists, lawmakers and public officials.

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Kohring, 48, pleaded not guilty May 4 to four federal charges of bribery and extortion linked to the Legislature’s negotiations last year over an oil profits tax and a natural gas pipeline.

Councilman Mark Ewing said Saturday he’s writing a recall petition and expects to send it with a list of 100 or more signatures to Juneau in a week.

If that petition is accepted, he will have to gather more than 700 signatures on another petition to get the recall put to a vote.

Though he didn’t vote for Kohring in the last election and has not supported him for some time, “this is not what the petition is about,” Ewing said. “The petition is about the corruption scandal and the effectiveness of Mr. Kohring.”

Two former executives of the oil field service company Veco Corp. have pleaded guilty to federal charges that they bribed at least four Alaska legislators, including Kohring.

Kohring has maintained his innocence and said previously that he intends to fight the case.

The Republican, who has represented House District 14 since 1995 and most recently won re-election in 2006, has said he plans to serve out the remainder of his two-year term.

Efforts to reach Kohring or his representatives Saturday were unsuccessful.

Ewing said Kohring has lost the support of his constituents and can no longer be effective as a legislator.

Ewing said he doesn’t expect it will be difficult to get the requisite number of signatures. The hard part will be making sure the petitions are properly filed, he said.

“I’ve got people chomping at the bit,” he said. “It’s a matter of making sure that when we put it together, what we have on there is correct.”

Ewing joins Gov. Sarah Palin in calling for Kohring to resign. Palin resides in Kohring’s district. Were he to be recalled, she would, as governor, appoint his successor.

“I have faith in her ability to choose someone that is qualified,” Ewing said.

Ewing said he’s not looking to take Kohring’s seat and likely wouldn’t be in the running. Ewing is not a Republican; he’s undeclared.

Ewing said he hopes Kohring will agree to resign if he’s able to gather enough signatures to put the recall on the ballot. That would avoid a potentially expensive election.

“If he doesn’t, we will take it to the ballot and we will show him we don’t want him back,” Ewing said.

Contact Daily News reporter Andrew Wellner at awellner@adn.com or 352-6710.