Russell Stigall

For the Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman, February, 2008

Victor Kohring has beat back his day of sentencing with an appeal to disqualify the judge who found him guilty.

Like a man pursued in an action movie, Kohring has scattered before U.S. District Court Chief Judge John Sedwick a path of obstacles in the form of appeals.

Before Kohring’s October trial, Sedick denied appeals by the ex-legislator and his wily attorney, John Henry Browne to move the trial to Seattle, Wash. and to disregard certain evidence.

Now Kohring has accused Sedwick of being biased as a result of a previous political struggle between Kohring and Sedwick’s wife.

Judge Sedwick referred Kohring’s appeal to Honorable H. Russell Holland. Holland reinterpreted Kohring’s appeal and placed the decision back with Sedwick.

Sedwick has until February 25 to recuse himself or not and Kohring has until March 10 react.

Kohring, a seven-term Republican representative from Wasilla, was convicted of three counts of conspiracy, attempted extortion and bribery in a Federal political corruption case late last year.

Kohring benefited from and contributed to the cash and influence former Veco oil services company executives Bill Allen and Rick Smith meted out to at least a dozen state legislators for over a decade. Kohring was found guilty of selling his influence and vote for multiple cash payments equaling an estimated $2,600.

Allen and Smith held council dispensed take-out food and bribes with Kohring and other legislators in room 604 of the Baranof Hotel in Juneau. The Federal Bureau of Investigation bugged the room in 2005 and recorded thousands of hours of audio and video from inside the room. Kohring, and former House Speaker Pete Kott were convicted of bribery, conspiracy largely due the damning evidence on these recordings.

Federal prosecutors Joseph Bottini and Edward Sullivan have asked Judge Sedwick for a sentence of 60 months.

Kohring said before his trial last fall that he could face up to 50 years in prison. While this turned out to be quite high, he did originally face a sentence longer than the 60 months sought by the feds. His jury found him not guilty of the feds’ extortion charge, but upheld a lesser charge of attempted extortion.

The Federal Government is also asking for a fine of $24,244.

Bottini and Sullivan wrote in their Sentencing Memorandum that Judge Sedwick should take into account Kohring’s repeat offenses - the legislator accepted multiple bribes from Allen and Smith and conspired with the executives on multiple occasions.

Kohring was unable to answer questions at the time of this writing.

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