READ RAMRAS' LETTER:  Ramras-Sedwick letter |
Less than a day from the much-awaited sentencing of Bill Allen, state Rep. Jay Ramras, R-Fairbanks, has sent a letter to U.S. District Judge John Sedwick urging him to 'throw the proverbial book' at the former oilman.
Ramras, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, wrote that Allen and Rick Smith, a former VECO executive, damaged the integrity of the legislative process and broke the trust between Alaskans and their representatives.
Allen and Smith are expected to be sentenced Wednesday morning on charges that they bribed state lawmakers. Their cases are among a handful in a chaotic, far-reaching corruption probe by the FBI that also took down former U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens. But the Stevens verdict was thrown out following allegations of misconduct by federal prosecutors, a matter now also under investigation.
He said his letter is intended to represent Alaskans. But he also took an apparent dig at former Gov. Sarah Palin, whose memoir, "Going Rogue," is due out Nov. 17.
"Please demonstrate that these truly rogue characters, using the proper definition of the word, are sentenced to the maximum prison term allowed and are mandated unto custody immediately."
The letter was sent on committee letterhead with a list of members -- Reps. Nancy Dahlstrom, Bob Lynn, Carl Gatto, Max Gruenberg and Lindsey Holmes, and former Rep. John Coghill, who was sworn in as a senator Tuesday.
Ramras announced recently he is running for lieutenant governor in 2010.
