Alaska lawmakers indicted on bribery charges

Kott also voiced his desire for the warden's position at a prison VECO was constructing in Barbados, according to the indictment.

The court papers also allege Kott explicitly linked his support of the gas pipeline and PPT tax issues in exchange to benefits from the company: "You'll get your gas line, the governor gets his bill, and I'll get my job in Barbados."

Weyhrauch is charged with helping advance VECO's cause in exchange for the promise of future legal work for VECO, the federal government asserts.

FBI spokesman Eric Gonzalez said the arrests stemmed from an investigation that led federal agents to last summer raid the offices of at least six lawmakers, including Kott and Weyhrauch, in search of ties to VECO.

Kott's son, Peter Kott Jr., declined comment when reached at the family's Eagle River business, and calls left at the Kott and Weyhrauch homes were not immediately returned.

Weyhrauch did not run for re-election to his house seat in November. Kott, a former House speaker, lost a bid to retain his seat in the August primary.

A Juneau attorney, Weyhrauch served two terms in the state House after being elected in 2002.

Weyhrauch rescued after fall from boat
He was recently rescued from an island near Juneau after he fell from his boat and was stranded in the frigid waters near Auke Bay. He swam to shore and spent the night on Coghlan Island before he was found by searchers and airlifted off the island by the Coast Guard.

Weyhrauch served as chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee and was a member of the House Finance Committee.

After choosing not to seek re-election last year, his seat was won by Rep. Andrea Doll, D-Juneau.

Kott lost his bid for re-election to Rep. Anna Fairclough, R-Eagle River, in the August primary after serving in the House for seven terms, beginning in 1992.

Kott blamed his election loss on his long absences from the campaign trail during a series of special sessions called by Murkowski last summer.

Kohring has served seven terms in the House since 1994. A construction worker, he is also chairman of the House Special Committee on Oil and Gas.

Another former state representative, Anchorage Republican Tom Anderson, was indicted in December on federal bribery charges. Anderson, who did not seek re-election, is scheduled for trial June 25.

MORE FROM POLITICS

Politics Section Front

Reid cooks up health-care deal   Economy sheds fewest jobs since 2007 NATO to add 7,000 troops to Afghan effort NYT: Wider Pakistan drone use OK'd Fed chief, under assault, defends his record Insider, centerfold lead in race for Kennedy seat Medicare cuts stay in Senate's health care bill Obama sees some consensus at job summit Secret Service benches 3 over party crashing Congress worries over Obama's Pakistan plan   Politics Section Front   Add Politics headlines to your news reader: