Ex-Alaska lawmaker sentenced to 5 years By DAN JOLING, Associated Press Writer
Mon Oct 15, 8:47 PM ET
A former Alaska lawmaker who was convicted of taking a nearly $24,000 bribe during an FBI sting was sentenced Monday to five years in prison.
Former state Rep. Tom Anderson, a two-term Republican from Anchorage who chose not to run for re-election in 2006, was convicted July 9 of seven federal counts of conspiracy and bribery.
Anderson was convicted of taking nearly $24,000 that he thought was coming from a Houston-based company, Cornell Industries Inc., which hoped to build a private prison in Alaska. The money was supplied by the FBI through an informant under contract to Cornell who secretly recorded his conversations with Anderson in 2004 and 2005.
After being confronted by federal agents, Anderson initially cooperated with the FBI, wearing a wire and recording conversations with half a dozen or so others under investigation, witnesses testified Monday.
That stopped after he told his future wife, state Sen. Lesil McGuire, R-Anchorage, about the situation and that authorities expected him to continue to wear a wire in the 2006 legislative session, said his former lawyer, Craig Howard. Anderson then fired Howard and stopped cooperating with authorities.
Anderson, 40, didn't comment after the sentence was announced. He remains free and spent much time hugging family and friends — many in tears — who lined the gallery.
U.S. District Court Judge John Sedwick said he took into account Anderson's long record of community and legislative service and his eagerness to help constituents.
But, ultimately, Anderson did not take a bribe to help someone else, he said.
"He took the money because he wanted the money," Sedwick said.
Prosecutors sought a sentence of eight years and one month. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joe Bottini said Anderson solicited the bribe, betrayed his public trust and actively took part in concealing the money.
"The public's faith in the integrity of our legislative system is eroded," Bottini said.
Jeffrey Feldman, another of Anderson's former attorneys, testified that Anderson's willingness to save himself bumped up against what he felt was duplicitous to his legislative colleagues.
Anderson knew the consequences of ending his cooperation, Feldman said, and it happened.
"There was no ambiguity about what would unfold," Feldman said.
Anderson was the first of four former Republican Alaska lawmakers arrested on federal corruption charges. Former House Speaker Pete Kott was convicted last month of conspiracy to solicit financial benefits, extortion and bribery.
Former Rep. Vic Kohring is scheduled to go on trial on corruption charges next week. The corruption trial of former state Rep. Bruce Weyhrauch has been delayed. |
