Catalog of Ted Stevens’ Actions That Have Benefitted Clients of Ben Stevens

Original Link: http://blog.sunlightfoundation.com/2006/09/01/catalog-of-ted-stevens-actions-that-have/

By Bill Allison

From the miracle of Nexis comes this list compiled by Chuck Neubauer, Judy Pasternak and Richard T. Cooper of the Los Angeles Times in June 2003 of Sen. Ted Stevens official actions in the U.S. Senate that have benefited the clients of his son, state Sen. Ben Stevens. Regrettably, that article (part of a two-part series the Times did looking at congressional offspring who became lobbyists) is not available online; this is a small chunk of it.

The Stevens connection

The special interest: Cook Inlet Region Inc., (CIRI), a Native Alaskan corporation created by federal legislation sponsored by Sen. Stevens

What Sen. Ted Stevens has done: Put a rider on an appropriations bill to help CIRI make a profit from a telecommunications investment. Pushed other legislation that would benefit CIRI, including an attempt in January to make CIRI eligible for tribal gaming.

How much Ben Stevens has been paid in consulting fees*: $218,774

The special interest: VECO, a large Alaskan engineering and construction company with business around the world. It started out as an oil field service contractor

What Sen. Ted Stevens has done: Helped settle a contract dispute between VECO and Pakistan while chairing an appropriations subcommittee that was considering legislation to remove sanctions against Pakistan. Mandated that federal job training money be used to train Russian oil field workers for VECO and other Alaskan companies. Pushed for the Alaska Natural Gas pipeline.

How much Ben Stevens has been paid in consulting fees*: $148,000 in consulting fees from 2000 to 2002. $64,000 in lobbying fees in 1996 and 1997

The special interest: Special Olympics

What Sen. Ted Stevens has done: Brought more than $10 million in federal aid to put on the 2001 Special Olympics Winter Games in Anchorage.

How much Ben Stevens has been paid in consulting fees*: $715,395 in salary over three years to run the Alaska games. $57,000 as a consultant to the national Special Olympics since he ended his job running the Anchorage games

The special interest: At-Sea Processors Assn., the trade group of the 19 large factory trawlers that catch and process groundfish in the Bering Sea. The group’s executive director is Trevor McCabe, a former Stevens aide

What Sen. Ted Stevens has done: Sits on the subcommittee of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, which has jurisdiction over the fisheries. Co-sponsored American Fisheries Act in 1998 that gave 40% of the pollock harvest to the 19 trawlers in the association, which are listed by name in the legislation. In 2001, put through a rider that eliminated the sunset provisions of the act, making it permanent.

How much Ben Stevens has been paid in consulting fees*: $54,000

The special interest: North Pacific Crab Assn., a trade group of nine onshore processors

What Sen. Ted Stevens has done: Pushed legislation to have federal fishing regulators come up with a plan for crab quotas. Congress is expected to vote this year on the plan, which gives processors, vessel owners and skippers shares that can be bought and sold. Has held hearings on the plan.

How much Ben Stevens has been paid in consulting fees*: $56,000

The special interest: Bering Sea Crab Effort Reduction Fund, an ad hoc group of Bering Sea vessel owners

What Sen. Ted Stevens has done: Pushed through legislation for a $100-million buy-back program for crabbing vessels as the crab population shrinks.

How much Ben Stevens has been paid in consulting fees*: $42,500

The special interest: Norquest Seafood, a large fish processor

What Sen. Ted Stevens has done: Earmarked $10 million in federal funds to market Alaska seafood. Required Defense Dept. to buy only domestically produced seafood.

How much Ben Stevens has been paid in consulting fees*: $37,502

The special interest: Adak Fisheries, a groundfish processor

What Sen. Ted Stevens has done: Earmarked $10 million in federal funds to market Alaska seafood. Required Defense Dept. to buy only domestically produced seafood.

How much Ben Stevens has been paid in consulting fees*: $80,000

The special interest: Adak Seafood, former operator of a groundfish processing plant on Adak Island

What Sen. Ted Stevens has done: Sponsored legislation that opened this one-time naval base for commercial development.

How much Ben Stevens has been paid in consulting fees*: $25,000

The special interest: Southwest Alaska Municipal Conference, a nonprofit economic development agency

What Sen. Ted Stevens has done: Picked the agency to divide $30 million in disaster relief money after a bad groundfish season in 2000.

How much Ben Stevens has been paid in consulting fees*: $12,800

*Unless otherwise noted

Sources: Financial disclosure forms filed by Ben Stevens with the Alaska Public Offices Commission, covering 2000 through 2002; congressional bills, news releases and documents; interviews with Ben Stevens’ clients and others.

All coincidences, I’m sure. The full cite for the article is: Neubauer, Chuck, Judy Pasternak and Richard T. Cooper, “The Senators’ Sons; A Washington Bouquet: Hire A Lawmaker’S Kid.” Los Angeles Times, June 22, 2003 Sunday, Pg. A1.