Recall backer says Kohring won't quit

June 10, 2007

By John R. Moses

Frontiersman

WASILLA - The head of a recall drive against Rep. Vic Kohring got an unexpected call last week from his recall target.

Kohring told Wasilla City Councilman Mark Ewing that the drive may not be necessary if Kohring decides to resign, and invited Ewing to attend his discussion session June 19 at the Wasilla Chamber of Commerce meeting about whether he should go.

Kohring is under indictment and facing trial in October on bribery charges following a federal investigation into corruption in Juneau.

The petition seeking his recall does not use corruption as a reason. It states that Kohring is emotionally unfit to serve due to &#8220a lack of mental fitness that he has demonstrated in the wake of his arrest on Federal Grand Jury indictments on May 4, 2007.”

The petition goes on to state examples of &#8220unfit” behaviors, such as Kohring's televised tears after losing his chairmanship of the Oil and Gas Committee, and his failure to vote on gas pipeline legislation - an inaction which the petition terms &#8220Neglect of Duties.”

Ewing spent a sunny Saturday afternoon at the corner of Lucille and Spruce gathering signatures from the tailgate of a black pickup parked in a vacant lot. He said he won't attend the chamber meeting and does not expect Kohring to resign by the end of it.

&#8220I told him I don't have any hard feelings,” Ewing said. &#8220I'm doing what my constituents asked me to do. I'm doing what feels right.”

Ewing has learned that doing what he feels is right has some downsides. He recently reported a telephoned death threat, has had his vehicle spat upon and occasionally gets some interesting hand signals from passing motorists. He said he also has to closely guard the petitions and stopped one individual from walking away with a petition holding several signatures.

Saturday saw brisk business at Lucille and Spruce with several motorists honking in support of the &#8220Recall Vic” signs posted on his truck. Three clipboards on the tailgate held signatures. Ewing said sometimes more than one car stops at the same time.

Kohring (R-Wasilla) may announce his decision to the Wasilla Chamber on June 19. He plans to discuss whether to stay in office or resign his seat in the legislature.

The embattled legislator will meet Tuesday with House leadership in order to discuss the process &#8220and an agreeable transfer of responsibilities should I decide to resign,” Kohring said. &#8220I have also contacted the governor to make her aware that I may leave my District 14 seat so she can prepare for an orderly transition.”

&#8220As a courtesy, I have also contacted Mark Ewing (of the recall effort) and informed him I am considering resigning which may save him a lot of time and effort, enabling him to instead focus on serving his constituents as a city council member.” Kohring said in his media release.

Kohring stated he is &#8220disappointed that a few residents of District 14 have chosen to rush to judgment.”

A media release from Kohring's office states that he has been talking with family, friends and constituents about the pending trial and &#8220the conflicts with his legislative position.”

&#8220As the result of these discussions, I am seriously considering resigning from the legislature,” Kohring said in the release.

Kohring said any decision he makes will be based on the best interests of his family, friends, constituents and state.

”I wish to do what's right.” he said. &#8220I strongly believe in our constitution and its guarantee that I am presumed innocent until proven guilty. Should I decide to resign, I want to make it very clear it would not be an admission of guilt of any charges or allegations. However, with the growing perception created since my arraignment last month, it is making it difficult for me to serve in the best interests of all concerned.”

Kohring said his attorney has asked that he limit what he says about the case, as it may jeopardize his defense.

&#8220There are two sides to every story and unfortunately my side cannot be told until after the trial. I ask the media to take that into account as it has often reported only one side,” he said.

Whatever the sides are, the recall continues. Ewing said he has more than enough signatures to qualify the petitions. The state requires 710 valid signatures and Ewing has about twice as many unverified signatures. The state will eliminate signatures with bad addresses or that are from people who don't live in Kohring's district.

&#8220I've got enough to satisfy the state. I don't have enough to satisfy me,” he said shortly before the male half of a pair bicycling by stopped on the street began questioning Ewing from afar about the level of proof Ewing has that Kohring should be recalled. The short discussion ended after the bicyclist accused Ewing of duping people into signing the petition and said that no recall should go forward.

&#8220Well, the 1,400 people who signed the petition think so,” Ewing replied.

Like three men who stopped in the rocky lot within a 15-minutes timeframe to sign a petition, the man who was against the petition declined to read its arguments.

&#8220He wants to argue the point, but he doesn't want to read it,” Ewing said after the man left. &#8220I think it speaks for itself.”

Contact John R. Moses at 352-2270 or e-mail john.moses@ frontiersman.com