Masek faces APOC challenges

MAT-SU -- Northern Susitna legislator Beverly Masek said she believes her records will prove false allegations filed against her with the Alaska Public Offices Commission by a former legislative aide.

Masek, on May 24, was asked by the Alaska Public Offices Commission for checks, bank statements and deposit slips for campaign checking and public offices expense term, or POET accounts, after a former legislative aide filed a complaint that she misused nearly $11,000 from the accounts. She said she's pulling the information together and plans to submit it by APOC's June deadline.

"I just got all that information, and I'm getting it ready to give a response to APOC by their June deadline," Masek said Friday.

The complaint and request for investigation was filed by legislative aide Eric Musser, who worked for Masek in 2002-2003. Masek said she got to know Musser after the 2002 general election, and hired him before the 2003 legislative session began.

"He worked '03 and the interim of '03, and I fired him before we went back [in '04]," Masek said. She said she'd rather not discuss why Musser was fired, but she said it may be linked to this filing.

"I really trusted him as a legislative aide," Masek said. "I question his motivation at the time he filed the complaint."

Musser worked for Rep. Vic Kohring, R-Wasilla, during the 2004 legislative session, but according to information from Kohring's office, Musser has taken a voluntary leave of absence, for an undetermined amount of time. A phone message was left in reference to this story Friday, but it was not returned by press time.

Masek said Musser, when he worked for her, was registered with APOC as a person authorized to file paperwork for her office. She said she, at times, relied on information he provided to help fill out APOC documents.

"I did take a lot of advice from Mr. Musser on what to do," Masek said.

Musser's complaint alleges Masek used nearly $11,000 from her POET account in 2003. Under state law, according to Christina Ellingson, assistant director of the Alaska Public Offices Commission, candidates can spend up to $5,000 in one year on expenses related to their candidacy, using their POET accounts. Up to $5,000 in additional funds can be set aside for each additional year of the candidate's term, but that money must be in a separate account, the POET reserve account. An additional $5,000 can be moved into a separate account to kick-start the candidate's next election.

Musser's complaint alleges that Masek spent the POET funds on items that did not fall under personal expenses, such as using funds from a campaign account to give to her son, Michael Masek. In an account activity report Masek filed, the check Musser referred to, in the amount of $3,100, was listed as coming from the POET account, payable to Michael Masek, as a draw on personal funds.

Musser also claims Masek made two payments, both of $644.14, for transportation costs, that covered two payments on a "truck/camper automobile" loan, and that POET account money was used to make payments on credit cards, house payments and home telephone bills. Musser also claims Masek paid back a personal loan of $150 he made to her with a $276 check listed as a reimbursement for campaign expenses.

"This was a reimbursement for a personal loan of $150, plus reimbursement for office/campaign related expenses," Musser wrote in the complaint.

Ellingson said APOC staff have begun investigating the complaints, and will continue to do so after Masek's information comes in. She said she believes the filing procedures and regulations are clear -- and they're explained to each legislator after they win office in a training session put on by the Legislative Affairs Agency. State law, she said, clearly states that a legislator may not financially gain from holding office, and when questions about fund usage come up, that's the central standard to which legislators are held.

"I just tell them that if they have a question in their mind, think about what their constituents would say," Ellingson said. Ellingson said Masek has until June 15 to file the requested bank statements and documents. Masek said she plans to cooperate fully, and although she feels burned by Musser's treatment, she's keeping her chin up.

"I really put a lot of trust into him as a legislative aide. He was definitely one of my favorite persons," Masek said. "[Like Ronald Reagan said,] Trust, but verify. I always give the benefit of the doubt to people … Right now, at this point in time, these are allegations and, with the process, I intend to deal with them. In the end, it'll all be clear. I'm pretty positive about it."

Contact Rindi White at rindi.white@frontiersman.com.