Influence of oil industry on legislators questioned

[Blue_In_AK]

Anchorage, Alaska - In the absence of hard information about the FBI searches in Alaska, talk radio and political junkies have been testing their own hypotheses involving oil and gas issues and the push to build private prisons. The influence of the oil industry has been a matter of hot debate all year.


As legislators took numerous twists and turns on their way to a new oil production tax -- through a four-month regular session and two 30-day special sessions -- a central point of contention was whether the industry was wielding too much influence. Three members of the House of Representatives who were heavily involved in the crafting of the oil tax bill repeatedly declared their conflicts of interest in order to put to rest any suggestion that they were hiding their industry connections.


But what had been a political question about big oil's influence, many speculate, is now a potential criminal issue for other legislators.

One complaint about the process came on the final day of the regular session, on May 9, as the House debated the production tax.


“This is our floor. Our floor. No telephone call's supposed to change what we're doing. No lobbyist is supposed to peer over the railing and tell us to change our mind. Never should happen,” said Rep. Ethan Berkowitz (right), D-Anchorage.

...more...

http://www.ktuu.com/cms/anmviewer.asp?a=6224&z=1