Governor Urges Stevens to Break His Silence

[Blue_In_AK]

http://www.adn.com/news/politics/fbi/stevens/story/9323277p-9237360c.html

INVESTIGATION: State's senior senator owes Alaskans an explanation, she says.

By ERIKA BOLSTAD
[e-mail]

Published: September 22, 2007
Last Modified: September 22, 2007 at 01:33 AM

WASHINGTON -- Gov. Sarah Palin said Friday that she and Alaskans are owed a more thorough explanation from U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens about why he is under federal investigation.

"Right now, Alaskans aren't hearing anything," Palin said, adding that she and many of the state's residents are willing to give Stevens more leeway than most people because of the Republican senator's long service to Alaska.

"But not hearing anything in terms of information that can be shared regarding the senator's innocence is kind of frustrating for Alaskans," Palin said in a telephone interview from Anchorage. "Alaskans are getting more anxious to hear any information that he can provide regarding his innocence."

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Palin's remarks took on greater significance when The Associated Press reported later Thursday that Allen agreed to secretly tape telephone calls with Stevens after authorities confronted the Veco executive with evidence that he had bribed Alaska lawmakers. The Washington Post on Friday confirmed the existence of the taped phone calls between Stevens and Allen. It's not clear what was said during the calls, or how many were recorded.

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Palin said her biggest concern about the ongoing corruption investigation, being run by the FBI and Justice Department's Public Integrity Section, is that it continues to make Alaska look as though it's a place where lawmakers can be bought. That's an impediment to developing the state's resources, Palin said, including the development of a natural gas pipeline.

"I think people are just kind of asking about the commitment that Alaskans have to change the political climate up here to a climate where (residents) can trust that the decisions the state government is making are based on the best interest of Alaskans, not due to undue influence," she said.

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