Vic Kohring

Vic Kohring
Member of the Alaska House of Representatives
from the 14th district
In office
January 21, 2003 – July 19, 2007
Preceded by Lisa Murkowski
Succeeded by Wes Keller
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from 's 26th district
In office
January 17, 1995 – January 21, 2003
Preceded by Patrick J. Carney
Succeeded by Ethan Berkowitz
Personal details
Born August 2, 1958
Waukegan, Illinois
Political party Republican
Spouse(s) Tatiana
Children Anna
Residence Wasilla, Alaska
Alma mater Alaska Pacific University (1987)

Victor H. "Vic" Kohring (born August 2, 1958, in Waukegan, Illinois) is a former member of the Alaska House of Representatives. A Republican, he was elected to seven consecutive two-year terms beginning in 1994. Kohring represented Wasilla in District 26 and then District 14, after redistricting due to the 2000 U.S. Census. He resigned on July 19, 2007 after a corruption probe.

Kohring was indicted on federal bribery and extortion charges on May 4, 2007. He, along with former state legislators, Republicans Pete Kott and Bruce Weyhrauch, were accused of soliciting and accepting bribes from VECO, an oilfield services company. Their offices were among 20 searched by FBI agents on August 31, 2006.[1] Kohring resigned his seat on June 20, 2007.[2] On November 1, 2007, a federal jury found Kohring guilty in three out of four criminal charges and acquitted on the fourth, a charge of extortion. In May 2008, he was sentenced to three and a half years in prison.[3] Kohring asked outgoing President George W. Bush for a pardon that was not granted.[4]

Kohring was released on June 11, 2009.[5] The conviction was vacated, and in 2011, Kohring agreed to plead guilty in exchange for being sentenced to time served and conditions on his release.[6]

Republican United States Senator Ted Stevens was also charged and convicted in a case that hinged, in part, on the prosecution of Kohring.[7][8] The seven felony convictions of Stevens were eventually vacated because of prosecutorial misconduct.[9][10]

Kohring later attempted running for a seat on the Wasilla City Council. He was defeated by a 2-1 margin on October 1, 2013.[11]

in 2014 Kohring was the Alaskan Independence Party candidate for the U.S. Senate from Alaska. He withdrew from the race in September 2014 and endorsed Republican challenger Dan Sullivan.[12][13]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "FBI searches offices of Alaska lawmakers ''Associated Press'', September 1, 2006". Associated Press. MSNBC. January 9, 2006. Retrieved 2011-04-17.
  2. ↑ 'Alaska Republican Victor Kohring resigns under pressure of indictments, Alaska Report, 20 June 2007. Retrieved 21 October 2013.
  3. ↑ "Corruption investigation who's who". Anchorage Daily News. November 16, 2008.
  4. ↑ "Kohring says he asked Bush for pardon". Associated Press. Anchorage Daily News. February 10, 2009.
  5. ↑ Richard Mauer. "Kohring had a rude transition from freedom to prison". Anchorage Daily News. Retrieved 2011-04-17.
  6. ↑ Prosecutors Outline Kott, Kohring Plea Agreements Associated Press/Alaska Public Radio Network 10/19/11
  7. ↑ "United States Senate History, "Expulsion and Censure"". Senate.gov. Retrieved 2010-06-20.
  8. ↑ Carnevale, Mary Lu (2008-10-27). "Wall Street Journal, "Jury Finds Sen. Stevens Guilty of Failing to Report Gifts"". Blogs.wsj.com. Retrieved 2010-06-20.
  9. ↑ "Lawyer says prosecutors' request has 'cleared' Stevens". CNN. 1 April 2009. Retrieved 1 April 2009.
  10. ↑ United States of America v. Theodore F. Stevens No. 1:08-cr-00231-EGS Document 324 Filed 04/01/2009 @ https://ecf.dcd.uscourts.gov/doc1/04512482916
  11. ↑ 'AK Beat: Vic Kohring loses bid for Wasilla City Council seat', Alaska Dispatch, 1 October 2013. Retrieved 2 October 2013.
  12. ↑ "August 19, 2014 Primary Candidate List". State of Alaska Division of Elections. Retrieved December 28, 2014.
  13. ↑ Associated Press (September 3, 2014). "Independence party candidate exits US Senate race". Newsminer.com. Retrieved December 28, 2014.

External links