Kohring faces trial with confidence

MAT-SU — Vic Kohring says he will walk into his corruption trial in 10 days with a calm heart and the ammunition of the righteous.

Following the trials of reluctantly guilty Pete Kott and admittedly guilty Tom Anderson, former state representative Kohring is stalwart in his conviction he is not corrupt. Set for trial Oct. 22, Kohring responded to questions provided by the Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman in an exclusive e-mail interview.

The former Wasilla representative is one of a cadre of legislators caught up in scandal for having allegedly taken bribes for votes on the Petroleum Profits Tax. Former Reps. Kott and Anderson were convicted for their roles and Anderson also recently admitted his guilt. Kott is asking for a new trial.

Kohring entered a plea of not guilty Tuesday to an amended federal indictment that charges he took money from former VECO Corp. executives in exchange for his vote as far back as January 2002.

Kohring calls the revised indictment a “ludicrous … Hail Mary” lobbed by prosecutors “in desperation, trying to pull off a last-second victory.”

Kohring’s comments were e-mailed to a reporter working for the Frontiersman and confirmed by telephone with the former lawmaker. In his responses, Kohring makes it clear he will come out fighting.

“I'm fully prepared for the worst and am not afraid,” Kohring says. “In fact, I have real peace in my heart and an inner calmness; however, I fully expect to win this case, and there's no way I am going to roll over and give up. I've always been a fighter by nature and intend to battle this thing hard, defend myself with every ounce of my strength and being and, God willing, convince the jury of my innocence and walk away a free man when it's all over.”

In the months leading up to his impending trial, some lawmakers, including Eagle River Sen. Fred Dyson, have urged Kohring to reach a plea agreement with prosecutors. If convicted, he faces up to 50 years in prison.

Kohring says agreeing to any deal with prosecutors would be an admission of guilt.

“I prefer taking the risk of proceeding with a trial, which is obviously a big gamble,” Kohring said.

Kohring likened his trial against federal prosecutors backed by the resources of the U.S. government to the biblical confrontation between David and Goliath.

“I just hope my aim is accurate and I find a smooth stone,” Kohring said.

Because of intense media scrutiny of Kohring and the scandal, the seven-time representative wanted his trial moved out of Alaska. He says jurors may be biased by the media coverage of his case.

“[Those in the media] try and convict me with their incredibly biased, one-sided and manipulating reporting,” Kohring says. “Unfortunately, even if innocent, it may prove very difficult to get a fair trial because of the way these over-zealous people in the media irresponsibly manipulate the unsuspecting public in such a slanderous way.”

Kohring is expected to face some of the same evidence and testimony that helped convict two of his former colleagues. In Kott’s trial, the testimony of former VECO CEO Bill Allen was damaging as he described conversations and arrangements he had with lawmakers, including cash payments and other bribes.

Kohring has maintained his innocence from the day in May he was led in handcuffs into a federal courtroom in Juneau to the day he announced his resignation in June to a crowd of more than 200 at a Greater Wasilla Chamber of Commerce meeting.

“The most difficult task I face is the lynch-mob mentality throughout the state where much of the public is convinced that the accused — like me — are automatically guilty even before we have a chance to speak one word in court,” he says. “It's not the public's fault though. I hold the media responsible for this travesty.”

Kohring said he is at peace, even with the thought that a jury could convict him.

“I fully recognize how serious this is and how determined the feds are to convict me, whether it's right or wrong; simply get another notch on their belt and advance their careers,” Kohring says. “Truth and justice don't always seem to be a priority with the feds.”

A full transcript of the Frontiersman’s questions and Kohring’s answers can be found online at www.frontiersman.com.