Fisheries Netted In Federal Alaska Probe-Ted Stevens likes fish, too!

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Fisheries Netted In Federal Alaska Probe
By Laura McGann - June 22, 2007, 6:00 PM

Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK) had his son, former state Senate President Ben Stevens, head a board that distributed $12 million in federal grants to promote seafood companies that, at the same time, paid the younger Stevens upward of $775,000 in "consulting fees."

This arrangement has caught the FBI's attention. Last fall, at least three fisheries were issued grand jury subpoenas to hand over documents related to the lobbying and consulting work provided by the younger Stevens and a former aide to Sen. Stevens, Trevor McCabe. The subpoenas also sought any documents connected to the older Stevens. Two of the companies are based in Seattle, and another is in Juneau.

Since 2001, companies in the industry have paid Stevens upwards of $775,435 in "consulting fees," the Anchorage Daily News has reported, for work that Stevens has never publicly explained. Others have said Stevens has pulled in even more fees. The Alaska Public Offices Commission recently fined Stevens $5,630 for failing to disclose $480,000 in payments he received from various companies. The complaint (pdf) against Stevens was filed by former Alaska state representative Ray Metcalfe who has followed Stevens' relationship with the fisheries for years. Metcalfe estimates that Stevens has been paid at least $904,000 in fees by fisheries between 2000 and 2005.

Stevens' arrangement with the seafood industry is strikingly similar to his setup with the oil services company, Veco. Former chief executive of Veco pled guilty just a few weeks ago to bribery charges, including paying Stevens $240,000 in "consulting fees" as a bribe for favorable legislation. The media focus on the probe in Alaska has so far been on Veco, but it looks like there is plenty of fishery work for the grand jury to investigate.

PLEASE let that asshole Ben Stein get dragged into this somehow.

Wild Alaska Seafood, ‘Wild Ben’ Stein and The Food Network Cast a Wide Net with High Impact Ad Campaign”
The Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute Takes Sustainability Message to the Airwaves


Seattle, Washington, September 25, 2006 – The Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI) will launch a consumer television advertising campaign on The Food Network beginning September 25, 2006. The campaign is designed to promote wild and abundant Alaska seafood and prompt consumers to “Ask for Alaska” the next time they visit their favorite restaurants and grocery stores. ASMI is reaching out to foodservice and retail customers like never before; and has contracted with television/movie actor and comedian, Ben Stein, to deliver its sustainable message and promote the benefits of wild Alaska seafood. To view these spots please go to www.alaskaseafood.org/tv_ad <http://www.alaskaseafood.org/tv_ad> .

ASMI has a long history of providing its foodservice and retail customers with strong merchandising programs to drive sales of wild Alaska seafood. These efforts have been and will continue to be strengthened through highly compelling consumer print advertising campaigns. Now ASMI casts an even wider net by fortifying these efforts with this series of commercial spots airing on The Food Network. These spots are designed to inform, educate and entertain…and “Wild Ben’s” deadpan humor entertains with just the right amount levity when he reminds us to, “Grab a fork, there’s a lot more out there.”

In an effort to keep messages consistent across all consumer, foodservice and retail markets, ASMI has created 30- and 15-second versions of three spots: All-Species, Salmon and Crab. These spots will air from September 25 through November 27, 2006 and will coincide with the fall and winter/holiday season. The media buy has been finely targeted and coverage includes prime time, prime access, daytime, early fringe and weekends.

The Food Network viewer is well aligned with the wild Alaska seafood customer. The primary target customer is female, age 35 to 54 with an annual household income of $75,000 or above and she has a college degree. She is a time pressed cook that wants to feed herself and her family a healthy, nutritious diet. She cooks and or assembles these family meals when she finds time; and she is likely concerned with environmental causes.

More:
http://foodservice.chef2chef.net/foodservice-news/read_new1785.html