Empire editorial: Bill Allen's punishment less than he deserves

Bill Allen asked the U.S. District Court for leniency this week, shortly before being sentenced to three years in prison and fined $375,000 for corruption.

The shamed former VECO executive asked Judge John Sedwick for a lighter sentence because, in the process of turning federal stool pigeon, he attempted to make up for two decades of cheating Alaskans and corrupting their elected leaders.

"...Go ahead and sentence me," he told Sedwick, "But kind of remember that I tried. I done some good."

Done some good, indeed.

Allen of course was referring to his cooperation with federal investigators by testifying against former Sen. Ted Stevens and former state Reps. Pete Kott and Vic Kohring. Let's not forget, however, that federal prosecutors say Allen also bribed former lawmakers Beverly Masek, John Cowdery, Tom Anderson and that he attempted to conspire with Bruce Weyhrauch. Masek and Cowdery both pled guilty to bribery, Anderson was convicted for bribery and Weyhrauch's pre-trial appeal before the U.S. Supreme Court is set for Dec. 8.

But it doesn't stop there. Investigators also are looking into Allen's claim that he paid off former state Sen. Ben Stevens and U.S. Rep. Don Young, though no charges have been filed yet.

Allen did get off easy. The fine imposed is chump change to a man whose business sold for more than $400 million a few years ago, and he'll be out of prison in just 36 months, possibly sooner.

"Really, I thought I was doing right, but again, I went over the line," Allen told the court Wednesday.

Allen said he snitched to make amends, but the truth is he was trying to protect his family and fortune. It wasn't until the FBI had in possession video surveillance of Allen bribing lawmakers - which for him was simply business as usual - that he began to feel remorse.

For more than 20 years, Allen manipulated the democratic process, starting in the mid-1980s when his company was fined for making illegal campaign contributions. He cheated Alaskans and destroyed the public trust in the process, all for personal gain.

It will take more than an apology and a few convictions of corrupt politicians to fix the mess Allen created. Allen asked for leniency and got it, but he deserved something much harsher.