Defiant Don Young (R-AK) refuses to talk about legal bills...

[Blue_In_AK]

http://www.adn.com/front/story/321417.html

Alaska Congressman Don Young said Wednesday he's cooperating with the Justice Department but refused to give details or answer questions about his huge legal bills. "I have a right to spend my money as I wish to spend it, and we are going to continue to do what I think we have to do to get this issue behind us," he said. Young's re-election campaign spent $854,035 on legal fees over the course of 2007.

<snip>

The news conference got testy as reporters pressed Young for details on his "legal expense fund."

"It's not my prerogative to answer to people who have nothing to do with it. That's you. That's you," he said.

Jake Metcalfe, a Democrat running for Young's seat, said this week Young has a responsibility to say what legal matters he spent the $854,035 in campaign contributions on.

Young disagreed.

"I'm not going to answer Jake the snake. I'm not going to answer anybody," Young said. "We'll let the public, they'll make the decisions, not you and not my opponents." Young said his constituents have not asked him about the legal fees. It's just the media, he said. A television reporter objected that, as an Alaskan and a voter, he was a constituent.

"Did you vote for me last time?" Young asked him.

"No sir," the reporter replied.

Young said he might answer a constituent.

<snip>

Young charged there is an effort by "a group" to remove him from office. He said it includes The McClatchy Co., the owner of the Daily News, and the Defenders of Wildlife.

A reporter asked if Young was suggesting such a group was influencing the Justice Department investigation.

"I'm just saying that they are out there purveying dishonest thoughts and ideas," he said.

<snip>

[L. Coyote]

1. He's "cooperating with the Justice Department" ROFLMAO

:rofl: at what that means given the Junta Justice Department today.

Not to mention, it WAS the "Department of Justice"

[Blue_In_AK]

3. L., I know you're a big fan of Don.

If you want to watch the whole news conference, the link is here. It's pretty amusing. I've never seen anyone in my life so full of himself.

http://www.ktuu.com/global/story.asp?s=7902754

Click on the video link "Don Young Speaks." It's a crack-up. I promise you'll be rolling on the floor laughing.

[L. Coyote]

13. AMAZING video: He actually said, "I'm cooperating with the Administration,

the Justice Department and I am not going to say anything. It's no different than anybody else. You know this and I know it and you keep this up. ..."

And he goes on to say he is "precluded" from answering questions.

"Noone else has been required by the media to answer these questions. I'm precluded from doing so." ... "Legally I cannot comment."

And, not the least bit hilarious, he goes paranoid on us about a "group" acting ... "trying to remove a seated member" .. and .. "conveying dishonest thoughts"

so look out folks, it has to be a conspiracy. Round them up! :rofl:

MUST SEE T-V to understand the Corrupt Bastards Club.

[L. Coyote]

14. VIDEO: PBS NOW: Alaskan Oil, Politics & the Corrupt Bastards Club

I tried to find the video on YouTube, and found this instead.
I used it to link the Young presser video too.

VIDEO: ***** PBS NOW: Alaskan Oil, Politics & the Corrupt Bastards Club
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x96025

[Beausoleil]

2. How many terms has that asshat been elected to

thinking that he didn't represent all Alaskans as the ONLY Representative, but just those who voted for him? Who represents the smart Alaskans, Don?

I had the (let's just say) opportunity to meet the creep once and believe it or not, Ted Stevens, too. I didn't feel like I was meeting someone who represented me in Congress, so maybe the creep has a point.

When I met Tony Knowles (while he was Governor), it was a very different experience, a genuine nice guy.

[Blue_In_AK]

4. He was first elected in 1973.

He owes his entire career to the mysterious death of Nick Begich in a plane crash in 1972. From Wikipedia...

Alaska's at-large congressman, Democrat Nick Begich, disappeared in a plane crash on October 16, 1972. He was reelected to the House that November, but was declared dead on December 29. Young, who had been the Republican candidate against Begich in November, ran in the special election in March 1973 and won, just barely defeating Democrat Emil Notti. He won a full term in 1974 in another close election, which he credits to his leadership of the fight for the Trans-Alaskan Pipeline System and did not face another serious opponent until 1990. That year, John Devens, the mayor of Valdez, nearly defeated him. Devens ran another close race against Young in 1992, but Young was reelected in 1994 with 57 percent of the vote. He didn't face another serious contest again until 2006, when he defeated Diane Benson 56%-42%. Though he was never expected to lose the election, his margin of victory came as a surprise. Two years earlier, he'd been reelected with 72% of the vote, the largest margin ever for a single candidate in a statewide election in Alaska.


I personally believe Don's days are numbered. We have three good Dems competing for his seat, Diane Benson, Ethan Berkowitz and Jake Metcalfe, plus he finally has a Republican challenger, Gabrielle LeDoux, a state representative from Kodiak.

[Beausoleil]

5. Plane crash

The same one that Hale Boggs (Warren Commission) was in, I believe.

Let's hope it's Buh-Bye, Don!

[Blue_In_AK]

6. Yes, the same.

Hale Boggs has a mountain named for him here, alongside one named for Begich, and the visitor's center at Portage Glacier is named the Begich-Boggs Visitor Center. Nick Begich's son Mark is Anchorage's mayor and is rumored to be considering a run for Ted Stevens' seat.

[AzDar]

7. Hale Boggs, IIRC, is/was the father of Cokie Roberts.

:puke:

[Beausoleil]

10. That is a fact. n/t

[roguevalley]

11. They rig elections up here. some districts voted 200% for Lisa

last time.

[dysfunctional press]

8. so...congresspeople are expected to be beholden ONLY to those who actually voted for them?

and not everybody in their district..?

yep...he's got the repug-think down pat.

[Blue_In_AK]

9. Even more disgusting

is that his "district" is the entire State of Alaska.

[gratuitous]

12. Vote for Don Young, or else

Apparently Rep. Young is a little confused about who his constituents are. I surely do wish Alaskans would get tired of this tiresome man, but the people I know from the 49th State are a patient, long-suffering bunch.

[Blue_In_AK]

15. That is true...

We are patient and long-suffering, but everyone I know is fed up with Don, even the Republicans.