Last Bridge to Nowhere

Frank Murkowski, former senator Jerry Ward among others mentioned in shady dealings

A new book by former lobbyist turned FBI informant Frank Prewitt mentions former Alaska governor Frank Murkowski, former senator Jerry Ward and others involved in shady dealings. AlaskaReport has been given an exclusive to publish excerpts from the book before its Saturday launch.

Prewitt's book is based on hundreds of hours of undercover meetings with perps and other persons of interest to the FBI, conversations with agents and attorneys in the U.S. Department of Justice, secret recordings, transcripts and public records.

Here's an excerpt from pages 98-99. AlaskaReport will publish a second excerpt Friday and a third on Saturday.

 It was early evening as Kepner slowly turned down the maple-lined street of vintage suburban DC houses. Ignoring the GPS she glanced at a photograph, looked to her left and said, "Here it is." She pulled into the driveway in front of a two-car garage, stopped, and shut down the engine as Chad quietly stepped out onto the concrete and felt for his weapon. A floodlight suddenly illuminated the driveway and slowly lifted, revealing a pair of scraggly, paint-stained tennis shoes, baggy sweats, rotund belly, folded arms, white Colonel Sanders beard, and frowning countenance of the "Congressman for all Alaska". Kepner stepped out of the car and said, "Congressman Young, my name is Mary Beth Kepner. This is my partner, Chad Joy. We're with the FBI and we'd like to ask you a few questions."

Young irritably said, "I have a scheduling secretary, an office, and office hours. Feel free to make an appointment. Just who'n the hyell do you think you are?"

Kepner replied, "I'm very sorry Congressman Young. We'd be happy to make an appointment, or drop by during your office hours. We just thought you'd prefer to talk to us in a less public place." Turning, she said, "Chad, let's go."

Young thought for a moment and said, "Wait, wait, you know, I get hounded by people all day long and, well, crap, you know. Come on in. What's on yer mind?"

Kepner smiled and follwed Young into the kitchen where they all pulled up chairs around an average, middle-class-looking table surrounded by things most people have in their kitchens, such as empty pizza boxes, beer cans, cigar butts, an open box of licorice twists, and a pile of dirty dishes.

"Kempner sat down, opened a file and spread a bunch of pictures out on the table. "Do you recognize these?" she said.

Young picked them up, and after a bit said, "Sure, that's the golf tournament VECO throws every year to help keep me in touch with my constituents."

"How 'bout this one," Kepner said as she slid the picture across the table. Young looked down, paused, looked up with a stone face and said, "What do you want?"

Kepner replied, "We want to talk to you about Bill Allen, Rick Smith, pig roasts, golf tournaments, earmarks, campaign contributions, and your IRS returns."

Young said he'd need to talk to an attorney and Kepner replied, "No hurry, but that would be a very wise contact, Mr. Congressman. Let's stay in touch." Kepner and Joy stood, thanked Congressman Young for his hospitality and said they could see their way to the door.

As they backed out of the drive Chad said, "So, how'd I do?"

Kepner replied, "Oh you were too tres' scary."

"No, really, how'd I do?" Chad persisted.

Kepner said, "Just perfect. He knows we're serious. What's your bet on who he's calling right now?" 

Excerpt's

• Second excerpt - Frank Murkowski, Lesil McGuire, and federal prisoner Tommy Anderson

• Third excerpt - Frank Murkowski's dirty deal and Ben Stevens as Bill Allen's vice-president

The book will be available in local Alaska stores September 15. The book's website is at lastbridgetonowhere.com

Frank Prewitt served as an Assistant Attorney General, Deputy Commissioner and Commissioner under Alaska Governors Bill Sheffield, Steve Cowper, and Walter Hickel.

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