September 6, 2008

Don Young's Seafood Invitational Golf Tournament

By Stephen Taufen

Alaska's only Congressional representative, Don Young (R) was spotted today by a Bering Sea crab crewman, Kodiak's Shawn Dochtermann at 4:52 p.m., cruising by "the 19th hole" at the Suncadia Golf resort, 80 miles east of Seattle, after a round of afternoon golf. I was on the phone with Shawn at the time, and heard him cry out a friendly "Hi, Don!" and I could hear Young give a friendly whoop in reply. Suncadia is a 6,300 acre pristine resort that borders the Wenatchee National Forest (website available).

Shawn was in the area and drove out to the tournament because he figured it was a good idea to keep in friendly relations with the members of the industry that the Bering Sea crab crewmembers will be confronting as they ask for their proper 'historical participation' share of crab quota rights in upcoming federal regional fisheries management meetings. Shawn spoke briefly with vessel owner and individual transferrable quota (ITQ) holder Kevin Kaldestad, who asked if Steve Branson would be at the crab committee meeting on September 15.

Kodiak's Steve Branson sits as an official representative on the fish council's crab subcommittee, but was out fishing in the Gulf of Alaska this week. However, there were many in the crowd (about 60 plus their wives and guests) who recognized Dochtermann as a leader for crewmembers out of Kodiak, and frequent public testifier for the rights of crab and jig fishing crews, especially for Western Alaska. The flurry of ensuing cell phone calls surely provided a quick test of the sound capture and triangulation systems on adjacent provider towers.

In its 12th year, the Seafood Invitational used to be held annually on the east side of the Cascade Mountains near Lake Chelan, or at other locations, but the completion of several 18-hole courses on the west side, closer to the metropolitan Seattle area drew favor this year. Obviously, reservations had to be made in advance, giving Groundswell plenty of time to get ready for the event.

During prior golf invitationals, it was rumored that the Representative's wife, 'Lulu' Young, won a diamond bracelet in a raffle. Apparently, a girl friend was so taken by the lovely gift that the following year Lu again won a similar bracelet in the raffle - after someone pointed out to her, "Lu, that's your ticket they just called!" If true, then laundering money to or pandering favors upon a U.S. Congressman is apparently a tough job, but someone has to do it. The raffle prizes this year included three large flat-screen TVs, which will allow the winners to watch the upcoming Ted Stevens trial from Washington DC in eye-opening colors.

This year's tournament comes at a critical time for Congressman Young, under investigation by the FBI and Justice Department for his involvement in Transportation project earmarks and regarding connections to the Jack A. Abramoff prosecutions. In a recent recap it said, "Mark Zachares, former aide to Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska, pleaded guilty to conspiracy. He acknowledged accepting tens of thousands of dollars worth of gifts and a golf trip to Scotland from Abramoff's team in exchange for official acts on the lobbyist's behalf." Fore! ('Go!')

Young established a legal defense fund last year, after long using his campaign funds, to help cover what has already become over $1.3 million in attorneys' fees - even though Young has yet to be charged with a crime. During the first half of 2008, it became clear that seafood companies were the major contributors to the legal fund. But as one agent said, "A guy like that can't operate alone; he always does crookedness with his associates."

Apparent by today's invitational attendance and the level of individuals present, there are no complaints about how Young uses the contributions, nor embarrassment or lack of support on the part of fishing industry associates. Or, on the other hand, after over a decade of teeing off together, they were just up for playing one final round among friends.

Within an hour, Shawn had also spotted Craig Cross (who sits on the North Pacific Fisheries Management Council's Advisory Panel), Dale Schwarzmiller (VP of Peter Pan Seafoods, owned by Maruha-Nichiro of Japan), Joe Plesha (Trident Seafoods, executive and attorney), and John Iani (a former aide to Don Young and Frank Murkowski; former director of Pacific Seafood Processors Association when it hired a Washington State University economist to theorize the benefits of Crab Rationalization schemes; former VP of UniSea, owned by Nippon Suisan of Japan; former EPA region 9 Administrator; and currently a binding arbitration attorney for the Crab Rationalization process). Groundswell had heard that Brent Paine (United Catcher Boats association director, for vessels that deliver to Japan corporate-owned and other shoreside plants in Alaska) and a host of Oregon boat owners (both crab and pollock), including the Burns brothers, were going to attend today, too.

The brothers own Blue Dutch, and along with others, had Don Young stuff a measure into a U.S. Coast Guard bill to award their vessels crab quota after the Crab Rationalization program was already implemented - proving "change is possible." Rumor has it that's a big enough deal to celebrate by Young shooting an elk in Oregon, after flying across country on a corporate jet - or going on some other big adventure like that. But who can keep up with mere rumors when there are Crab Corleones and their Maxwell Smart golf balls flying everywhere?

And crab crewmembers need the help of Congress to straighten out the highly imbalanced property rights, if quota systems are allowed to stand, at all. And if not giving vessel operators a 'fair and equitable' share of quotas, then to get back proper compensation for the crewmembers long employing the ultimate form of capital - the investment of human labor. For now, Shawn had no choice but to keep tabs on certain crab vessel owners, lobbyists and other members of Ted and Don's "Our Gang."

After a few conversations, Shawn sat down for dinner with former Kodiakan John Iani and his wife, Joe Plesha of Trident, Larry Cotter and Joe Kyle (APICDA Community Development Quota managers; and former NPFMC members) and a few others. Shawn had left his checkbook behind in Alaska, and asked if they took cash. We're not exactly certain why the crab crewmember leadership did not get invitations, with all the current concern that Congress may have to revisit the wrongful allocation of property rights that denied the crew of an historical share of over 35% - worth about $400 million dollars to the deckhands, engineers and skipper "vessel operator" industry segment. That's presuming that such Soviet-collective style, privatization schemes of public resources are Constitutional in the first place.

As an aside, I got a good snicker out of one federal officer today when advising authorities that Shawn just saw smiling Don Young wheeling by.

Well, the big joke's on the Seafood Invitational golfers today, as another Groundswell associate - a legendary ex-fishing industry manager - was involved in the installation of the Internet Integration Systems at the Suncadia complex during its recent construction, and that there was an ample widescreen and surround sound capability, and full A/V output and dot-sized input provisions made in preparation of events, not unlike today's. Smile, you're on Candid Camera!

And these hobnobbers were merely concerned about - and not-so-teasingly asked whether or not - Shawn happened to bring any consumer electronics or videocam with him today. Or just that big Cuban cigar he was enjoying as they returned to the 19th hole. Upon leaving, Shawn made sure to shake Don Young's hand a last time: if you can't bring any money, you can at least say goodbye, and "Good Luck!"

Don Young's Seafood Invitational Golf Tournament

By Stephen Taufen

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