Some recurring themes on the tapes:
- Thanks for everything you've done for me.
- RV: I pace myself, at comfortable pace, sip my Tea and water, aspirins and vitamins. Some days tense with all the committee meetings
Bill happen to get my card? I sent a thank you card?
RS:
RV: Isn’t he amazing to send a sick man soup? Got a heart the size of a watermelon, (Exhibit 2 or 3?) - Uncle Bill, I want you to know how much I appreciate you. You’ve helped you my nephew. If I were there I’d, no I wouldn’t hug you, but give you a handshake. This is going to open up his life. I really thank you. (16)
- Thanks for the kind remarks the Voice of the Times attribute to me
Thanks again for my nephew. Finished third week, and really appreciates it. He said, I wish I could work longer, this money is great. $24/hour. Great for 17 year old. Friends making $7/hour and he’s getting $16. People at Veco treating him very nicely (22) - Hey Rick this is VK
Couple things briefly, thanks for that event, very successful. $4000, expect it will be more when people send more who couldn’t attend. And thanks for Vof the Times printing my column. Thanks for them putting my stuff in. - Anything you need from me, just let me know.
- Keep in touch with my friends at Veco, willing to help if there are any issues that come along. (Ex.1)
- if any need to contact me don’t hesitate to call me (Ex. 1)
- RV: Anything i can do to help, points to make in committees, radio, columns, I find myself in small minority of people who think like I do. Elephant herd coming at me, gonna be beat up.(2)
- Doing what I can to help you out. Doing the best I can to lobby for the Gov’s bill. Met with Kevin Meyer, good friend of mine, we get along great. Just hope that final bill is close to what the gov proposed.(13?)
- My nephew needs a job.
- want to call about a number of things, follow up of dinner in Douglas, possibility my nephew can do an internship with Veco
RS: Resume? I need that as soon as possible, they’re probably already making decisions on kids. School record, gpa, work experience, etc. (5?) - Left envelope with your name, contains my nephew’s resume you asked for and the Dittman poll on the oil industry and tax, you may already have it. Thanks for the nice dinner last night and in regards to my nephew, thank you very much. (7)
- My 17 year-old nephew will be here, want to introduce him to you. Got a bunch of lobbyists lined up to take him to dinner. (13?)
- Aaron’s [the nephew] basketball team’s award ceremony yesterday, presented them with a leg. certificate. Nephew got most valuable player award
RS: They sent a note, saying they are planning to hire Aaron. Qualifies by turning 18 in July. One of our recruiters will be in touch with him. They have him scheduled to work with one of our engineers with the BP contract. (15)
- Here's what good things I did at the office today.
- good start for me, relationship with my constits going just fine
Got to do the little things too, returning tel calls, responding to emals and letters, pain in the rear end, but got to do it to stay in office. (1) - Also those extra tax credits were the direct result of my office, we worked on it for the last three months. Tax credits not only for production, but real estate, (8)
- Hey, listen, I have this situation and maybe you could help or give advice.
- ONe final thing about something importance for me, you going to be there tomorrow? Time best for you and Bill, (10)
- situation, that could hurt me politically. when I had my surgery a couple of years ago I put it on credit cards, ask you guys for your recommendations for how I can deal with this. I want to suggest, tell you guys cause your friends. Do some project where I can do some work for you or recommend me to someone. Collections company, Can’t sell my Wasilla house. They are demanding full payment for $17.000. I was paying a month. I don’t have the wherewithal to pay this. I’m living paycheck to paycheck. Not trying to come to the well, just asking if you guys would consider helping me or give me some options. (11?)
- Hi Rick this is VKohring in Wasilla. did you get to check into the pick up situation and if you didn’t no big deal. I can call around as well, I haven’t talked to them yet. Even if I can rent on something $1000 or so, for door knocking and putting up signs. Need to get out of this jalopy that keeps breaking down. If too many things on your plate, I understand.
- I want to do this the right way.
- I’m always looking out to the industry, not beholden, but less government is better, less taxes. (1)
- VK If I did do something for you, I’d want it real, above board never criticize our relationship or getting something I don’t deserve.
BA: Don’t say anything til I can figure out, so it doesn’t come back to bite my ass or yours.
VK: I wouldn’t tell anybody of financial situation. What would happen if I were to borrow money. But I don’t have to I don’t want to raise any read flags or anything.(11)
Cracks in the Kohring Boy Scout Image
In his opening statement, Browne worked hard to show that Kohring was different from the foul mouthed drinkers that we would see on the tapes - Bill Allen, Rick Smith, Pete Kott. He doesn't drink or swear we were told.
But already yesterday, Kohring was heard on tape talking about drinking vodka (now that he had a Russian wife) at dinner, and that it was nice how it relieved stress. Today he twice suggested to Rick Smith they go out and have Long Island Tea. He also slipped in words like 'bullshit' 'asshole' and 'turd'. Not terrible in the big picture, but contradicting the boy scout image Browne was trying to portray.
There are a lot more items, but they'll come out when they play the tapes again with the witnesses who are in the tapes.
Did he call him Uncle Bill? I didn't catch that.
ReplyDeleteDo you think that Bill saw these guys as friends or was he amused by their weaknesses and his ability to so easily take care of them?
How stong do you feel the evidence is?
ReplyDeleteGift v Bribe?? reasonable doubt???
Tea, in the previous trial, Pete Kott, the defendant often called Bill Allen Uncle Bill in private. It appears from what I heard on the tapes, that Kohring didn't normally do that, but it appears that he knew some people did and in this instance he did too.
ReplyDeleteI think he saw Pete Kott as a friend. I think I wrote about that relationship during that trial. They had a lot in common. But there was no evidence that Kott went to Bill and asked for things. They even testified that they offered to do his flooring for free because he was a friend.
In this case the defense has argued that Kohring and Allen had a relationship in part because Kohring's wife and Allen's girlfriend were both Russians with daughters. It sounds like Kohring became something of a pain in the neck as things went along. He kept coming for help, and he was an ideologue about taxes so they weren't sure if he'd vote their way. Allen said, in the previous trial, that he felt sorry for Kohring. He lived in his Juneau office (they -the Legislature I think - even built a shower in the bathroom for him eventually) and he was always broke.
Anon, I think I addressed this in today's second post. The tapes are much less damning, the defense attorney seems, despite my sniping, a real fighter for his client. The last two trials the government had all its ducks lined up and I suspect they do here too. And this jury is taking notes, literally, in the government supplied notebooks.
Gift or bribe? I wrote today that a good lobbyist's job is to make each legislator feel like the lobbyist is his best friend. Asking for help to get out of a $17,000 credit card debt when the collectors are knocking on your door? That's on tape? At the same meeting he asks, "What can I do to help you guys? Anything?"