Just a quick note:
An interesting exchange took place between Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich (D, speculated to run against either Ted Stevens or Don Young) and the man who is behind all of the recent corruption charges you've been seeing from Alaska lately -- Republican Moderate Party chairman Ray Metcalfe.
Metcalfe alleges that Begich, also, is tarnished by the land deals between J&L Properties and Ted Stevens, saying Begich helped push through zoning changes to make the land value increase just before J&L sold the land under a Ted Stevens Earmark.
From the KTUU-TV article, it sounds as if both Begich and Metcalfe are considering running against Ted.
Metcalfe has raised allegations that Begich acted improperly in his actions to support the rezoning of a property in 2004.
Begich hit back this morning....
Begich advocated rezoning the property at the corner of Denali and 40th Streets from residential to commercial just before the National Archives Administration bought it from local real estate developers John Rubini and Leonard Hyde, who more than doubled their money on the property after owning it for just one year.....
"Your real agenda here Ray, and be frank you should answer it to Bob and Mark, the real agenda is here that you are considering a run for U.S. Senate against Ted Stevens and you think I might be in that race and all you're doing is shooting. The difference is I don't hide behind lawyers, I don't hide behind fancy spokespeople, I'm direct," Begich said....
Metcalfe said he has not decided whether or not to run for Stevens' seat, but did say, "From the reaction I've gotten from the public, I'd be crazy not to."
I'm really hoping Ethan Berkowitz will run....