Under indictment for bribery, state Rep. Vic Kohring announced his resignation on Tuesday, and Valley Republicans began work to replace him.
"I expect there will be at least 10 people who apply," said Alaska Republican Party head Randy Ruedrich.
Kohring told a ballroom packed with constituents that he'll resign from office in 30 days.
"The media and the population in general does not know I'm innocent. This has left a cloud of doubt over me and my votes," he said at a Wasilla Chamber of Commerce luncheon.
An hour after the luncheon, Steve Colligan, Republican party chairman for his Wasilla district, circulated a packet outlining how to apply for Kohring's job. But on possible replacements, both Ruedrich and Colligan were mum. Potential candidates can nominate themselves. Applications are due July 11.
Kohring, who was first elected in 1994, was indicted last month on federal bribery and extortion charges. He's accused of selling his vote on oil taxes last year to executives with the Anchorage oil field services and construction company Veco Corp. The executives pleaded guilty last month to paying the bribes.
Kohring has pleaded not guilty and said he hopes to return to office someday. He said his character has been unfairly maligned in the media.
"I have been charged by the federal government with serious crimes, for which I am totally innocent and plan to fully demonstrate at trial in October," he said. "Resigning by no means suggests guilt; it simply means I take the federal charges very seriously."
Kohring appealed to the public to tell him whether to step down over recent weeks, and about 60 percent of the responses he received favored his staying in office, he said. His lawyer told him to focus on his court battle. Trial is scheduled for Oct. 22.
"I very much want to shout the details proving my innocence, but I have been advised not to by the court and my lawyer," he said, reading from a statement. "Thus, the drama will have to be concluded in a courtroom."
CRITICS AND FRIENDS
After Kohring made his announcement, some people -- maybe a third of the room -- stood and clapped. Others sat and watched as the legislator took his seat.
The split between Kohring's friends and critics was even clearer outside the hotel, where roughly 30 people waving "Recall Vic" and "Do the right thing" signs greeted Kohring as he arrived.
Wasilla City Councilman Mark Ewing, who led a recall effort, stood next to a pickup full of signs and shouted, "Do the right thing, buddy!" as Kohring's car rolled past.
Ewing said he and his girlfriend started circulating petitions to recall Kohring on Memorial Day weekend and gathered as many as 300 signatures a day. His stack of names is now at least 160 pages long, he said.
A few Kohring supporters appeared as well. Wasilla resident Debbie Wright said she's lived in the Valley for about 11 years. She held a "We like Vic" sign, though she's not the sign-waving type.
"I've never stood up for anything in my life," she said. It's up to a jury to judge Kohring, not the media, she said. Nearby, another sign read, "Vic-tim" and "Vic-torious."
After his announcement, reporters mobbed Kohring, who told them this period had been one of the most trying of his life. Though he'd heard a lot of support from people in his district, he'd also gotten some threats.
"Frankly there have been some times when I've been concerned for my safety," he said.
LOOKING FORWARD
House Speaker Rep. John Harris, R-Valdez, showed up at the luncheon to stand by Kohring and said the resignation will preserve the reputation of the House of Representatives.
"It helps to clarify the issue," he said.
Gov. Sarah Palin sent out a statement in the late afternoon in support of Kohring's decision.
"He has a lot on his plate in terms of a defense that he has to mount, and Kohring's constituents expect full-time representation," she said.
Jim Chesbro, chairman of the Mat-Su Democrats, expected Kohring to step down. He had sympathy for the legislator and was apprehensive about what might come next. The new selection could be worse, he said.
"It's kind of a mixed blessing that he'll be stepping down," he said. "We'll all have to wait and see what the outcome is."
Find Kyle Hopkins' political blog online at adn.com/alaskapolitics or call him at 257-4334. Find Julia O'Malley online at adn.com/contact/jomalley or call 257-4591.
Replacing Kohring
When Rep. Vic Kohring, R-Wasilla, leaves his House seat on July 19, Gov. Sarah Palin will have 30 days to appoint an eligible Republican from Kohring's district. Here's how it will work:
1 Republicans from his Wasilla district will take applications through July 11. E-mail them to stevecolligan@gmail.com. Applicants will be interviewed; the top three will be chosen July 13, and their names will be forwarded to the governor. Palin can, however, choose someone else.
2 The appointee Palin selects must be confirmed by a majority vote of the Republicans in the House.
3 House Republicans must vote in special or regular session. A special session on oil taxes has been suggested for this fall. The next regular session begins Jan. 15.
4 If the appointee is confirmed, he or she will be sworn in and serve out the rest of Kohring's term, which ends in January 2009.
5 If the House Republicans reject the appointee, Palin has 10 more days to repeat the selection process and submit a new name.
Timeline of federal investigation of Rep. Vic Kohring, R-Wasilla
• FEB. 21, 2006: Then-Gov. Frank Murkowski unveils a bill to start taxing crude oil based on oil company profits rather than production levels. The governor says the tax reform was part of a deal with Exxon Mobil, BP and Conoco Phillips on a gas pipeline contract.
• FEB. 23, 2006: Wasilla Rep. Vic Kohring, who offered to help Veco Corp., allegedly accepts $1,000 in cash from Bill Allen, then chief executive of Anchorage-based Veco.
• FEB. 28, 2006: Exxon and BP executives warn lawmakers that imposing a higher tax rate than the 20 percent of profits the governor proposes might undo the gas pipeline deal. (Veco also lobbies for no changes.)
• MARCH 30, 2006: Kohring tells Veco executives he owes $17,000 on a credit card, charging documents say. They discuss how to structure a loan without raising "red flags." Smith allegedly hands Kohring at least $100 in cash.
• APRIL 24, 2006: Senate passes an oil-tax bill that would tax oil at a rate of 22.5 percent. Veco is pressing for a 20 percent rate.
• MAY 9, 2006: Regular session ends with no new oil tax -- Senate fails to concur with a House-approved 21.5 percent rate.
• AUG. 10, 2006: In special session, legislators approve new oil tax, setting rate at 22.5 percent tax of profits.
• MAY 4, 2007: Kohring indicted for conspiracy to commit extortion and bribery. So are former Reps. Pete Kott, R-Eagle River, and Bruce Weyhrauch, R-Juneau.
• MAY 7, 2007: Allen and another Veco executive plead guilty to bribing Kohring, Kott and Weyhrauch on the oil-tax legislation.
• OCT. 22, 2007: Kohring's trial is scheduled
By JULIA O'MALLEY and KYLE HOPKINS
Daily News reporters