Longtime friend vouches for Kohring

Chuck Legge’s Valley Voices piece of Nov. 18 criticizing my friend Vic Kohring, a 14-year veteran landslide state representative, is full of inaccuracies — not to mention juvenile sarcasm and condescending, mocking.

Legge claims Vic accepted a bribe from his friend, ex-VECO CEO Bill Allen, involving a $100 gift. Simply accepting money does not make it a bribe. In fact, state law allows gifts up to $250, which don’t have to be reported. Nor is there a limit on the number of people who can give a gift. The head of the Legislative Ethics Committee testified at Vic’s trial and confirmed this. Help me understand why such an anti-Republican went out of her way to justify that Vic’s gift was permitted under the law?

Legge: “One of my favorite conversations went like this: ‘Here Vic, here’s $100.’”

Does any reasonable person honestly believe a bribe took place over $100, a gift Allen gave Vic to buy his daughter Easter eggs? It’s even more ridiculous when you consider Vic’s verbatim words during his conversation with Allen (available on YouTube) when the alleged bribe supposedly occurred: “I would make sure everything was done in accordance to the law,” “I wish to make sure we’re not violating any law” and “I want it to be above board.” Does this sound like someone trying to break the law? Heck no!

Legge: “He (Allen) called that little exchange a bribe ...” (referring to Vic’s $100 gift).

After Vic’s false conviction, hidden evidence later revealed (part of the revised official record) that Allen admitted in private interviews with the FBI that he had no intention of bribing Vic. Allen said he “never asked Vic to do anything in exchange for cash or some benefit,” admitting the money was a gift to a friend with no strings attached.

Legge wrote that after Allen gave Vic $100, Vic said, “What can I do for you?”

Vic indeed said words close to this, but not in connection with any gift. During his discussion with Allen, Vic spoke his usual, generic mantra of, “Let me know how I may help; please call anytime,” words he said to nearly everyone, including his constituents, as part of being a good legislator and trying to help people on his $24,000 a year salary, with never a sinister intent. It’s what got him elected seven consecutive times, all by landslide.

I personally called Vic at 11 p.m. and he returned my call at 1 a.m. with a hoarse voice from being sick about issues concerning family matters, landfill issues and public domain matters. My response was, “Vic, are you insane?” His reply was, “Glen, I’m sorry, but you asked that I call back ASAP!” He ended with his mantra of “let me know how else I can help.”

Legge goes on to write that “legislative action (was) taken by Kohring” for Allen’s benefit (referring to the PPT bill, which was part of tax reform of the oil industry supported by Allen).

Vic opposed PPT, after which Allen was obviously dismayed, but their friendship was not compromised. He voted no on every version of the legislation, against Allen’s wishes.

No bribery took place and the record without question proves that, following the discovery of thousands of pages of evidence hidden by federal prosecutors that they miraculously “found” 20 months after Vic’s trial, which is a federal offense.

Legge has made Vic a prime target for years. His disdain for Vic spills out in his words as hard as he tries to conceal it. I enjoy a good debate and listening to both sides, but when someone like Legge butchers the facts and misleads the public, he must be called to task and maybe even sued for libel. I’ve known Vic for 14 years, so I can vouch for him. He’s a decent man who was fully dedicated to his community and constituents.

Glen Fryfogle is a self-described friend of former Alaska legislator Vic Kohring, who pleaded guilty to federal bribery charges last year.