Ted Stevens has been around the Senate a long time - and has been a motivator behind Alaska legislation even longer. He is an institution in himself. Unfortunately, this sort of long affiliation and power tends to breed corruption. He has fought long and hard to open drilling in the Acctic National Wildlife Animal Refuge... the question is what does he stand to gain
personally if this happens? His past history with logging on Federal lands in the Tongass suggests that in addition to creating environmental damage, Stevens could be benefitting personally from financial deals.
A few years ago - after the Clinton administration had declined to renew contracts for tree sales from the Forest Service to a Ketchikan pulp mill, Senator Stevens intervened with a proposal to shovel more than $40 million into regional industries -- see
Eat the State. Low-cost/below cost timber sales from environmentally sensitive areas were at stake.
Aside from major political contributions from oil and gas and timber interests -- see Open Secrets-- I have seen a document that suggested more direct personal benefits to Stevens through his investments and/or links to companies that would stand to profit if the government contracts involving Ketchikan were awarded. The document is long gone, but the results of other such contracts should be evidenced from his financial holdings and interests.
The question is -- are there others out there who might have evidence or know of links between Ted Stevens and the companies that stand to profit from opeining up ANWAR?