State Rep. Tom Anderson Arrested on Seven Federal Charges

Anchorage, Alaska - State Rep. Tom Anderson, R-Anchorage, has been indicted on seven counts of extortion, money laundering, bribery concerning federal funds and conspiracy and was arrested Thursday night at his Anchorage home.

The charges stem from a federal investigation into corrupt state politicians. Last August, FBI agents raided the offices of several state representatives and were looking for ties between those politicians and VECO Corp. VECO Corp. offers oil field services and support, mostly on the North Slope at the Prudhoe Bay oil field, which is the largest oil field in North America.

According to the indictment, Anderson was receiving payments from a lobbyist who was a confidential source for the FBI through a shell company called Pacific Publishing. In exchange for the payments, which totaled $26,000 according to the grand jury indictment, Anderson agreed to conduct official state business on behalf of the informant. Specifically, the indictment charges that Anderson agreed to secure positions on specific committees to ensure that legislation passed that would financially benefit the source and the correctional company.

The FBI source lobbied for the construction of a private prison in Alaska. The indictment claims the source lobbied for a correctional facilities company not located in Alaska to "hire" Anderson through the source and, in exchange for compensation, Anderson would "be their boy in Juneau." Juneau is home of the Alaska state capitol and where most official state business is conducted.

Anderson has served in the state House of Representatives since election in November 2002, representing state district 19, located in Anchorage. He has served on several committees, including the Health, Education & Social Services Committee and the Judiciary Committee. As a member of the health committee, Anderson was able to secure key legislation in order to further the success of a private correctional facility in Alaska.

He also has served as chairman of the Labor & Commerce Committee and Administration Regulation Review Joint Committee.

Anderson did not seek re-election in 2006; in the indictments, Anderson suggests going to work privately for the lobbyist and/or correctional facilities company and not seeking a third congressional term. Anderson is married, though, to a current state legislator, Rep. Lesil McGuire, who was elected to the state Senate in November.

Anderson's family, including Sen.-elect McGuire, did not appear in court; however, McGuire did release a statement defending her husband and claiming that the federal charges against him allegedly took place before they were married. She further said she would not resign from the state Legislature based on the charges against him.

Anderson pleaded not guilty to the charges Friday in court and is being held on a $10,000 unsecured bond. His trial is set for Feb. 12, 2007.