Ogan's world

Conflict of interest? Who, him?

State Sen. Scott Ogan acts like he doesn't understand what the fuss is about. Sure, he collected at least $57,000 "consulting" for the coal bed methane company whose drilling plans are so controversial with his constituents. So what if he helped the company push through a bill that gives his constituents less say over coal bed methane development? He didn't do all that much to help.

Sure, that bill went through Sen. Ogan's resources committee. But gee, he assigned work on it to a special subcommittee that didn't include him.

OK, it's true the controversial change that most angered his constituents was added by the full committee, with Sen. Ogan present. But at that point, the senator had handed control of his committee to the vice chair.

OK, it's true that he said nice things about the controversial change, which lets the state veto local government rules on coal bed methane. But when you look at the official committee members' recommendations when they passed the measure, you see he declined to state any position on the record.

(And they're not going to tell you what he might have said in closed caucus about this or any other bill before the Senate. So don't ask.)

OK, it's true he voted to pass the bill when it hit the Senate floor. He tried to abstain because the bill's chief beneficiary was paying him lots of money. But as is the custom, his colleagues instructed him to vote anyway.

So why would anyone complain that he had an incurable conflict of interest? Sheesh, if he can't be employed by a special interest and help the company get legislation that many of his constituents oppose, this whole idea of a "citizen" Legislature is out the window. If he's going to be persecuted, just about every one of his colleagues will have to be strung up, too.

A hardworking citizen legislator has to make a living, after all. Collecting $47,000 in salary and per diem for four months' work in Juneau just isn't enough to make ends meet -- not even for a guy who by all accounts is a very good cabinetmaker in the offseason.

Besides, there's nothing unusual about a company with interest in legislation paying a cabinetmaker to dispense political advice and promote better community relations. You think his hiring had something to do with the fact that he was a sitting state legislator? Aw, c'mon, that's not fair!

Anyway, how was he supposed to know his constituents would get so upset? Nobody spoke up at the time to complain.

Well, now that many folks are in a dither, Sen. Ogan thinks he sees a way out. He wants the legislative ethics committee to come to his rescue. If only the panel would take up his case and exonerate him! That would shut his critics up. The only people left complaining would be a handful of carping do-gooders.

One might wonder how the senator can believe the ethics committee would exonerate him.

Well, let's see. One of the members is fellow Republican Sen. Ben Stevens. He has collected more than $375,000 in consulting fees from special interests who understand quite well that his father is U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens -- and the chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Take a look at what happened to a Republican citizen member of the ethics committee when she dared to use her own best judgment. Shirley McCoy concluded that the Senate Republican majority's press secretary committed a minor ethics violation when he used his legislative office to set up a partisan political press conference. When she came up for reappointment, the Republican Legislature bounced her off the committee. Judge for yourself why.

And you wonder why no citizen has bothered to file an ethics committee complaint against Sen. Ogan. Constituents who are angry with him might figure he'd get no more than a wrist slap with the business end of a feather duster. Their remedy of choice is the recall drive.

Sen. Ogan may think he can rehabilitate himself by working on legislation now that strengthens state rules on coal bed methane. Reports indicate he is working constructively with state officials who want to fix some basic problems.

If Sen. Ogan wants to save himself, he'll need a better strategy. Working on corrective legislation won't do the trick. The senator has paid a high price for getting in bed with the major beneficiary of his own legislation: It cost him his credibility. Though he chairs the Senate committee dealing with coal bed methane, he should excuse himself. That's of interest to all Alaskans. Beyond that, only the voters of his district can say whether they're willing to tolerate the conflict of interest he gave them.

Sen. Ogan's biggest problem is not coal bed methane legislation. His biggest problem is ethical judgment. The best place for him to start his rehabilitation is to admit that he got himself into an egregious conflict of interest, that it was a serious mistake and that he won't repeat it.