Veco Exec Won Over Pol With Talk Of Barbados Warden GigIt’s the American dream to retire to a job as a prison warden near topless beaches in Barbados. Well, at least, that was former state Rep. Pete Kott’s (R-AK) dream, and Veco CEO Bill Allen was going to do his best to make it happen — in exchange for a lucrative oil pipeline, of course.
In opening statements in Kott’s public corruption trial, the prosecution played the jury phone conversations recorded by the FBI where Kott jokes (at least once while audibly tipsy) about his hopes for the prison position, but is serious about a future with Veco after leaving his post.
The tapes also reveal how Allen — also known for overseeing the doubling of Sen. Ted Stevens’ (R-AK) Girdwood home — sees his relationships with politicians:
In one lengthy call between Allen and [former Veco vice president Rick Smith] on Feb. 20, 2006, Allen goes on a tirade about Veco’s new young lobbyist, Kris Knauss. Allen was angry that Knauss was using Allen’s own well-cultivated influence with Kott as if it were his own, turning it to his advantage with Gov. Frank Murkowski’s chief of staff, Jim Clark.
“Well f—. I put more money into Pete Kott than he’s ever even thought about,” Allen sputtered at one point.
Some investments are better than others.
