WHEN WILL BOEHNER MAKE DON YOUNG GIVE UP HIS COMMITTEE POSITIONS?

I guess Junket John Boehner has his own problems right now, but wonders are wondering why he hasn't forced Don Young to resign from his committee positions, the way he did with Rick Renzi and John Doolittle when it came out they're under FBI investigation on corruption charges. Last week the Wall Street Journal blew the whistle on one of Alska's three most corrupt federal politicians.

Yesterday's Fairbanks Daily News made sure the voters back home where aware what their crooked congressman has been up to.

The Journal article, which cited anonymous sources, is the first time Young’s name has been linked to the criminal investigation involving possible political favors for oil-services company VECO Corp. that has also ensnared U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens and his son, former state Senate President Ben Stevens.

VECO chief executive Bill Allen pleaded guilty in May to bribing Alaska legislators and has agreed to cooperate with the ongoing investigation.

Young received $157,000 from VECO employees and its political action committee between 1996 to 2006, according to public documents.

According to the report "the story sparked speculation that Republican leadership in the House could ask Young to surrender his committee seats. Young is the ranking Republican on the Natural Resources Committee and a member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Young also holds a seat on the House Steering Committee, which doles out committee assignments... House Minority Leader John Boehner has reportedly asked to speak with Young about the investigation. Boehner’s office did not return calls for comment for this story."

A Young flack said communication with leadership is confidential and that the congressman has no comments-- on anything. Young is one of the most hated men inside the House Republican caucus. He has virtually no allies and many Republicans would rather see a Democrat win than see Young come back to Congress. "Republican budget hawks have been contemplating Young’s downfall since a clash between him and New Jersey Republican Scott Garrett caused ruffled feathers on the House floor earlier this month over an attempt to cut education funding beneficial to Alaska Natives."

Young has been spending a great deal of his campaign money on attorneys trying to keep from being indicted, so far over a quarter million dollars. Whether Young winds up in prison before of after the November '08 election, he will have a new opponent. Jake Metcalfe, "former Anchorage School Board president and former head of the state Democratic Party, announced late Sunday that he plans to run against Don Young in the 2008 congressional election."


UPDATE: FBI & IRS JUST RAIDED TED STEVENS' HOUSE

The more crooked of Alaska's two crooked senators, Ted Stevens, just had his home raided by the FBI and IRS. Is there any way to not wonder if the Republican Party is something other than an organized crime ring?