Former Murkowski Aide Pleads Guilty In Alaska Corruption Scandal

Jim Clark, former chief of staff for former Alaska Governor Frank Murkowski, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to a single count of conspiracy to commit fraud. The plea was entered before US District Judge John Sedwick in Anchorage. Clark admitted conspiring with former officials of VECO Corporation, the now-defunct oilfield services company that was once the state’s largest, to secretly channel $68,550 from VECO into Murkowski’s 2006 reelection campaign, which he lost. In exchange, according to his plea agreement, he agreed to work on VECO’s behalf to secure favorable tax legislation. The money was an illegal corporate donation and was not reported. Clark has asserted that Murkowski knew nothing about the arrangement. He faces a prison sentence of up to 5 years, but sentencing has been stayed pending his ongoing cooperation in the continuing investigation. Two former state lawmakers have been convicted to date in the widening scandal. A third has been indicted and two top VECO executives and one former lobbyist have already pleaded guilty. The VECO executives, former CEO Bill Allen and VP Rick Smith, are also cooperating and have implicated US Sen. Ted Stevens, his son (former Alaska state Senate President Ben Stevens) and a current state senator; none of them has yet been charged and all have denied wrongdoing. US Rep. Don Young is also under investigation. Reuters here, Anchorage Daily News here.