Forgiving those who wronged me

The Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman reported Oct. 30 that my defamation lawsuit against former VECO CEO Bill Allen was dismissed. My case was thrown out not because it wasn’t justified, but because Allen’s high-priced attorneys convinced the judge that they had case precedence on their side.

They successfully argued that Allen should be allowed to literally commit perjury against Ted Stevens and I at our respective trials even if it meant contributing to our losses and causing personal devastation, simply because he cut a special deal as a witness and therefore had “absolute immunity.” I argued from a moral standpoint that no one should be allowed to get away with lying against another, and if they do, they should be held accountable. Unfortunately, my argument, as logical as it was, lost out.

Allen cut a deal with the government while under enormous pressure. Prosecutors threatened to indict his family members, throw him in prison for many years and block the sale of his company VECO, worth hundreds of millions of dollars. But none of this occurred once he agreed to testify erroneously against Stevens and I, resulting in our false convictions.

This is documented in criminal investigator Henry Schuelke’s report released this year, revealing that Allen was highly motivated to say whatever prosecutors wanted.

Following my sham trial in 2007 and wasting away in prison for a year near Death Valley, U.S. Attorney General Holder called for my release after discovering prosecutors deliberately and illegally concealed more than 6,500 pages of evidence, which would have exonerated me. Consequently, the prosecutors found themselves the target of a criminal probe. One sadly even committed suicide. The hidden evidence included multiple written summaries of private FBI interviews of Allen where he admitted he did not bribe me nor had any intention. Yet he testified the exact opposite and fooled the jurors into thinking I was guilty.

My case centered around an alleged bribe involving a paltry five $20 bills for buying my little stepdaughter Easter eggs and a basket, shown on the so-called “iconic” video tape in the infamous Baranof Hotel room in Juneau. From this, the feds created a monumental case involving several charges and a threat of over a half-century in prison. I’ve always agreed it was wrong to have associated with Allen at a time when gasline-related legislation was being considered and accept his gifts, for which I apologize. But there was never any criminal intent.

Some may claim I’m still guilty, otherwise I wouldn’t have agreed to a plea on a single “conspiracy” charge last year after winning my appeal. A plea doesn’t always mean one is truly guilty. In my case, the prosecutors threatened to drag me through the mud with unsubstantiated personal allegations at my scheduled retrial, engage in character assassination and even sent FBI agents to intimidate family members.

The same old tricks.

I concluded it wasn’t worth the turmoil and that I was better off not risking losing a second bogus trial as anxious as I was to prove my innocence, not to mention potentially being taken away from family who need me. Furthermore, the government had no evidence to prove I was guilty of the charge to which I pled. But they gave me no choice. It was either “plead to what we say or we’re coming at you with a vengeance.” They were determined to make up for botching my case and for their embarrassing handling of Stevens’ trial. Truth and justice was clearly not their objective. A conviction was all that mattered.

Complicating matters was the judge’s personal grudge over political battles I fought with his wife. I once sponsored legislation that eliminated her $110,000-a-year job as Department of Commerce commissioner. I also cut several million from her agency’s budget as chairman of the committee authorizing funding, causing her to go ballistic. I was unaware the judge was married to my biggest political foe until after my trial, something he was required by law to disclose, yet failed. Despite his blatant conflicts, he refused to step down and made crucial decisions that prevented me from proving my case. Most egregiously, he rejected my witnesses who planned to testify and explain that the supposed quid pro quo with Allen using my mantra of “let me know how I may be of help” were simply words I frequently used as a legislator in the course of doing my job, not words of a bribe.

In time, I will forgive those who wronged me, including Bill Allen, the cheating prosecutors and judge. While I’m prepared to forgive, I will never forget. Denying me my constitutional right to due process and a fair trial will forever be seared in my mind. I am grateful for your support and encouragement and look forward to seeing many of you in the community. May God bless you.

Vic Kohring represented Wasilla, Chugiak and the Matanuska-Susitna Valley in the Alaska House of Representatives from 1994 until he resigned in 2007. He can be reached on Facebook. His blog is available at simplesite.com/vickohring.