In documents filed this week in Alaska's long-running political corruption investigation, the government's lead witness said he had given thousands of dollars in gifts to "United States Representative A" -- who could only be Republican Rep. Don Young.Bill Allen, a former oil services company executive, said he paid $10,000 to $15,000 a year from 1993 to 2006 out of VECO Corp.'s funds for the representative's annual fundraiser in Alaska. The lawmaker, who has not been charged with any wrongdoing, did not list any such payments on financial disclosure forms.
In a statement of stipulated facts that included a "confession of additional criminal activity," Allen said his co-defendant in the case, former VECO Vice President Rick Smith, had purchased a $1,000 set of golf clubs with Allen's credit card and given them to the congressman.
Testimony and evidence provided by Allen, who is scheduled to be sentenced Wednesday on his 2007 guilty pleas to conspiracy, bribery and tax charges, has helped convict several Alaska state legislators and former Gov. Frank Murkowski's chief of staff on corruption charges stemming from influence VECO wielded over pending legislation on oil taxes and other matters affecting the industry.
His testimony also helped lead to the conviction of powerful Republican Sen. Ted Stevens on unreported gift-giving charges. Stevens' conviction was voided in April after the Justice Department admitted serious prosecutorial misconduct. By that time the veteran senator already had lost his bid for reelection.
Young, 76, has never been directly identified by federal officials as a target of the probe, and he consistently has refused to publicly answer questions about it. His spokeswoman, Meredith Kenny, on Friday declined to comment, and Young's lawyer did not return a phone call.