I'll be interviewing plaintiffs in the class action lawsuit against Exxon on KUDO, this Monday, from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. KUDO has devoted a couple of segments to this phase of the long-standing court case. I'm hoping that by highlighting some of the people who are claimants, Anchorage and web listeners will be able to get a better handle on the issue from the viewpoints of those hurt most by Exxon's negligence 18 and a half years ago. Holland and Knight, one of the law firms filing an amicus brief on behalf of Exxon, has posted most of the pertinent briefs filed thus far at their web site.
Thanks to Bill Black and Ross Mullins for providing the links.
There was often a gulf between the visionary ideas of Wally Hickel and his actions, especially during his second term as Alaska's Governor, from 1990 to 1994. But his selection of the Prudhoe Bay area as land to be conveyed from the Federal Government to the State of Alaska during his first term as governor had a greater impact on the future of Alaska than any other single action by any of our governors. His role in the groundwork for the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act had a positive and enduring impact on economic development of Alaska Native communities and corporations.
I've been thinking of Wally lately, as I watched Governor Sarah Palin show former governors Frank Murkowski and Tony Knowles why governors are supposed to have balls. Or, at least guts. Knowles and Murkowski were both doormats for big oil. So were Bill Sheffield - host for the 2007 Don Young pig roast BBQ, when Bill Allen was engaged elsewhere - and Steve Cowper.
Wally Hickel and Sarah Palin are the only Alaska governors to publicly confront big oil and win. Hickel played hardball with big oil as he squeezed one concession after another out of the companies through his able attorney general, Charlie Cole.
Hickel, who built a fortune through contracting, and with his hotel, Anchorage's Captain Cook, was and is a dreamer. In 1972, shortly after his experience as President Nixon's Secretary of the Interior, Hickel oversaw a team researching the future potential of geothermal energy. The team didn't look specifically at Alaska. Much of the research in the paper is out of date, but the premise of the paper remains sound: Geothermal power is a rational alternative means of generating electrical energy. Had the country begun developing geothermal power in the magnitude Hickel's study group recommended in 1972, there would be about a trillion dollars in the U.S. economy that have since fled overseas to pay for oil brought here from the Middle East and Venezuela.
All three Democratic candidates vying for Don Young's sole U.S. House seat have made alternative power generation with renewable resources important issues in their campaigns. Ethan Berkowitz consults with organizations on alternative, renewable energy. Diane Benson has spoken about her hopes that Alaska develop geothermal and other renewable power sources, so that we can be "Iceland on steroids."
The quicker Alaskans dedicate some of our wealth to developing very large renewable resource power sources, the quicker we will be able to broaden and diversify our economy and unshackle our political and economic structures from the thrall of big oil. The quicker we get new representation in the U.S. Congress who are as visionary as Hickel, the better off we'll be as a state.
Small communities off the railbelt are looking for future solutions. Galena is in a long process of negotiating with Toshiba over a small nuclear power plant.
The first time I met Sarah Palin was at a City of Wasilla Planning Commission meeting, back in the early 1990s. I was there to take notes on how the commission received a tentative proposal for an Allvest halfway house inside the city limits. My observation at the time was that she seemed to be the only commission member who had read the prep materials for the meeting. I've met or talked with her several times since. None have been since she was elected governor of Alaska. We've only had one contentious dialogue. That was back in 1997, after both of us had performed duties at the commencement ceremony of about a dozen home schoolers at Wasilla's Assembly of God Church. She had given the commencement address; my band had played music at the ceremony. We met as she was leaving. I introduced myself, and asked why she had continually referred to public schools as government schools, a term of disparagement often used by wingnuts. Vic Kohring always used that term, and I was concerned that then-Mayor Palin was falling under Kohring's spell. She was somewhat reassuring.
Between 1997 and 2007, Palin has matured as a politician like few in this state ever have. Many other writers and commentators have pointed out how she took on the Randy Reuderich corruption machine and beat its efforts to cut her off at the knees. Every single step of the way. She is now the most popular governor in Alaska history. She's also the most popular political figure at state level in the USA.
Today was Sarah Palin's biggest triumph yet. I watched the big oil slime machine as it geared up for the special session on oil extraction fee reform, as they predicted Palin's Waterloo. From the Voice of the Times, to the wingnut talk radio hosts, to the barrage of slick oil company ads, there was one message, whether emphatic or subliminal - you're risking your future in the hands of this Valley trash prom queen. Sarah Palin and Wally Hickel are the only governors in our state history to publicly confront big oil and win.
The person who was supposed to lead the way for big oil through the special session is also from the Valley - my State Senator, Lyda Green. Green is the head of a coalition of Democrats and Republicans in the Alaska Senate. They tried throughout the session to cubbyhole, derail, rewrite, scuttle, amend-to-death or otherwise defeat efforts from senate and house members to get our citizens their fair share of the incredible volume of wealth leaving Alaska every minute. In her efforts, Green failed utterly. As complete as Palin's triumph is, so is Green's eclipse.
I don't know Lyda as well as I do Palin. I do know that a few years back, when I was working with people trying to save the ELP programs in Valley schools, she returned all my calls and e-mails. And, she was knowledgeable on the issue I was involved in.
From time to time, as my band played at summertime patriotic events and parades, she has come up to talk to me. I appreciate that, Senator Green. And in terms of funding for our public schools here, she has been the only local legislator since the 1994 Revolution who sometimes - as opposed to NEVER - listened.
But Green's coalition's total failure to deliver for big oil this session will hurt her credibility. I'll be surprised if there aren't some interesting meetings about to start going down on senate reorganization.
If I were a Democrat, seeking to take Lyda out in 2008, the first person I'd approach right now for campaign tips, help, address lists and so on would be the most popular governor in the country. Lyda won't have a serious primary challenge, but if the Dems get it together, Lyda is toast.
Just kidding....Thursday morning, the Anchorage Daily News ran an editorial with a column of pictures of five Alaska Senate members who have taken large campaign donations from the now-defunct oil industry service company, Veco. To the right of the pictures, the editorial ran the numbers - amounts taken in, and amounts returned or donated elsewhere once Veco's criminality was revealed. Many people have criticized the ADN for not asking more questions, deeper questions, earlier. Many wondered why the ADN, years ago,
renewed their editorial page partnership agreement with Veco to keep the Voice of the Times page alongside the proud masthead of the Daily News, after Veco's questionable political tactics were becoming more obvious, more public. I was one of them. When the Daily News kissed Veco "goodbye" last spring at the time of a double witching - the public announcement of the Allen/Smith pleas alongside the end of the ADN/VOT contract - a lot of my friends said "Way beyond about time.'" Yeah, it was.
I have long wondered how people like Paul Jenkins show up for work. Back in the late '90s, as I was writing dueling op-eds with Vic Kohring in the Valley Frontiersman about funding for 
the arts and school vouchers, after reading one of Vic's Voice of the Times op-eds, I broke out laughing. I saw an image I couldn't let loose.
I imagined a little schoolgirl, sixth or seventh grade, doing research on an Alaska project from outside the state. So, she calls some newspapers in Alaska. One of them is listed as The Anchorage Times. By the time she calls the Times, she has called several other papers. She knows that you have to go through layers of people to get to an editor.
When she calls the Times, she asks for the editor. Paul responds "Speaking."
"Uh, are you really an editor, sir?"
"Of course I am. How may I help you?"
Jenkins goes on to answer the little girl's questions courteously, professionally. But the little girl, troubled about some sort of cognitive dissonance, as she concludes her questions, asks "Uh, are you a real paper, Mister?"
"Of course we are, you little twirp!"
Slam.
Cut to the present. Paul doesn't get that kind of imaginary call anymore. Not many real ones, either. The Voice of the Times has become niche journalism with a vengeance. I list it here as a humor site. They tried to get a bit of revenge today as the almost final weekday of this special session of the Alaska Legislature played out. But, except for a couple of nutty right-wing radio hosts, nobody even bothered to play along with the VOT.
Back when the VOT was preparing their web page, I e-mailed Tom Brennan. I wished him and the "paper" luck. I asked him when he expected to get the web page structured so that readers could comment on articles. On May 31, Tom replied, "Phil, we sure will. And we'll be able to get them onto the page pretty
quickly. We're still learning with the software and haven't figured out how
to get a letters box configured, but we'll get it done. Thanks - Tom Brennan."
Still waiting. Maybe if my imaginary young friend called the imaginary paper...
My son got a message to me at UAA at mid-afternoon, from KUDO's Aaron Selbig, that my temp slot at CC's Cutting Edge program on Friday has been bumped to Monday, November 19th, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. IBEW (the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers) help - a lot - to keep KUDO on the air. They have a representative who needs the time slot to deliver an important message tomorrow. Thanks to Moose, Bill Black, Cordova District Fishermen United, the Native Village of Eyak, Oiled Fishermen vs. Exxon.com and many others for helping get this segment ready.
Thanks also to Diane Benson and Ethan Berkowitz for offering to contribute statements of support for the plaintiffs similar to that already issued by Governor Palin. I'm still waiting on statements of support from Jake Metcalfe, and from our sitting Representative in the nation's capital, Don Young.
I'll be on the phone with some of you tomorrow morning, as you help me make this a dynamite segment.
Steve Aufrecht at What Do I Know? live blogged Wednesday's Anchorage Assembly work session on Local Enforcement and Anti-Sanctuary. His blog notes are fascinating. He promises a thoughtful essay on what he learned from the experience. I'm looking forward to it.
November 15 early morning update: Steve has summed up the work session here.
Not Likely....
But the Associated Press ran a story today about Young's golf links to ex-Veco CFO Rick Smith, and benefits Smith apparently arranged for Young at the Anchorage-Fort Richardson golf course, Moose Run. It turns out the Feds recorded some of the phone conversations between Young and Smith. The papers here haven't carried the story yet, because it came out after they printed Wednesday's edition. No doubt, the ADN will tee off with it tomorrow. It has some good stuff, like:
Moose Run manager Gary Sanford said he recalls the tournament being held about three times over the past several years. About 16 to 24 people played, mostly Anchorage businessmen, at maybe $100 each, Sanford said. Smith made the arrangements, handled the money and doled out the cash prizes, Sanford recalled. Sanford said he was sometimes around when prize money was handed out and said he doesn't remember ever seeing Young receive cash he didn't win. Sanford said he doesn't know whether records were kept. VECO attorney Amy Menard said she hasn't seen any documents related to the tournaments and Smith's attorney, John Murtagh, did not return messages seeking comment. The events were normally held in August, shortly after Young's annual pig roast fundraiser, which has also attracted FBI attention. Smith organized that event, which drew up to 400 people and cost up to $15,000. The events, which Smith organized for years, were lucrative. The day after the 2006 event, Young's campaign reported nearly $45,000 in donations. After the investigation surfaced, Young amended his campaign finance reports to show he reimbursed VECO founder Bill Allen about $38,000 for event expenses.
At a recent corruption trial, defense attorneys suggested Smith laundered money by cashing golf tournament checks at a bar under what he called a "phony account."
Dang! Young's people will probably be busy in the morning, dealing with the flak from his collecting green on the greens experience. I'm going to be calling Meredith Kenny, his communications director at 0500 in the morning to see if I can get a statement of support out of Young regarding the plaintiffs in the Exxon Valdez class action lawsuit, as I prep for my coverage of it on KUDO this Friday between 1:00 and 3:00 p.m. I'm sure Don would normally comply, but now Meredith will have to tell me my congressman is too busy. Looking more and more like Don's gonna be hooking in the sand trap for a long time, unless the Feds give him a Mulligan...
I've also requested statements in support of the plaintiffs from the three Democratic Party candidates vying to run against him, Diane Benson, Ethan Berkowitz and Jake Metcalfe.
November 15 early morning Update: KTUU TV's Megan Baldino covered this story yesterday in the 10:00 p.m. news. The Anchorage Daily News, and not for the first time, seems to have missed an important story about Don Young's connections to Veco. Maybe, like last summer's Wall Street Journal story about Young, it didn't meet their standards. Check today's ADN Newsreader about 10:30 a.m. to see if the AP story gets some mention...
I called Meredith Kenny, Young's communications director early this morning, and left a message. Hopefully, she and Representative Young will come up with a strong statement in support of the tens of thousands of Alaskans still in limbo because of Exxon's negligence.
November 15 early afternoon Update: ADN Newsreader writer Terry Carr posted this statement this morning: The story is linked here, but the AP version will not run in the ADN print edition because of a policy regarding stories based on anonymous sources.
I find that consistent with the position taken by the paper in regard the the WSJ story referenced above, that they were similarly hesitant about last summer. KFQD radio, in their 9:55 a.m. local news gave the AP story their lead, before special session coverage.
Robert Dillon, who is covering the Special Session for the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, and is probably falling in love with his brand new MacBook, posted this revealing photo at his blog, an Alaskan Abroad, a little while ago. I ripped it off before I could ask his permission. Because. I. Am. Extremely. Pissed!Here's Robert's entry from his blog:
Sen. Bert Stedman, R-Sitka, and Exxon Mobil lobbyist Kevin Jardell on Wednesday morning reviewing the Finance Committee's substitute for the governor's oil tax bill.Thanks, Robert for posting the pic. Everybody in Alaska needs to see that photo. Every person who lives on or near Alaska's coasts needs to see that photo. Every legislator who sits down and speaks with Exxon's lobbyists needs to be photographed. We need to get statements from these cynical legislators about why they're even allowing Exxon's representatives into their offices.
We have a governor, who said about Jardell's employer, reacting to the Supreme Court decision to review the class-action suit against the oil giant, that it was a huge "kick in Alaska's collective gut. It seems to be a case of justice delayed being justice denied. This protracted litigation, I believe has gone on too long. It's been a generation going on without resolution."
So, now we've got Stedman holding Palin down while Jardell kicks Sarah again. And again. I want to puke!
Update Thursday afternoon: Stephen Taufen at Alaska Report has written an in-depth article about Jardell as beneficiary of the revolving-door culture that needs to be brought to a screeching halt if Alaska is going to get any progressive legislation passed.
KUDO's Shannyn Moore led her Blue State of Mind program this morning with a discussion of Taufen's article. I had to go to work, so only caught the start, but she's as pissed as I am.
