ALASKA’S “BIG 4” MOST POWERFUL POLITICIANS – MURKOWSKI (FATHER AND DAUGHTER), STEVENS AND YOUNG – FAIL TO DELIVER 10 MILLION DOLLAR JUSTICE COMPENSATION GIFT TO ALASKA VETERANS FOUNDATION.

PRESS RELEASE
Alaska Veterans Foundation, www.akvf.org
CEO Ric Davidge, 907-222-6927
Anchorage Alaska
August 24, 2006

Exactly one year ago, during a KTUU Channel 2 news videotaping, Ted and Francoise Gianoutsos gave a legal assignment for all of their 10 million dollar federal justice compensation to the Alaska Veterans Foundation.  They asked that their gift be placed in the Foundation’s U. S. Treasury-based Veterans Endowment Trust (V.E.T.) fund to benefit the health care needs of Alaska’s vets.  They also publicly invited Alaska’s “Big 4” most powerful politicians to come to the Veterans Day concert, annually hosted by the Alaska Veterans Foundation on November 11th, and deliver Ted and Fran’s extraordinary gift for Alaska’s vets.

Alaska’s “Big 4” most powerful politicians – Republican Governor Frank Murkowski, Republican U. S. Senator Lisa Murkowski, Republican U. S. Senator Ted Stevens, and Republican U. S. Congressman Don Young had plenty of time, more than two months, to get the federal check to benefit Alaska veterans’ health care.  Indeed they all have known about Ted and Fran’s justice for years!  They just never have wanted to see their own constituents rewarded for serving honorably and honestly in Washington DC in the early ‘80s and standing up against Washington corruption – specifically contract waste and fraud.  The “Big 4” never showed up at the Veterans Day concert.  Ten months later, they still have not lifted a finger to do the right thing.

In the past few weeks, hundreds of Alaskans – as well as Americans from around the country – have signed an on-line petition on the Foundation’s web site demanding that the “Big 4” do what’s right for Ted and Fran and Alaska’s vets.   The Foundation’s web site - www.akvf.org - has had many visitors checking out what the foundation is doing to build Alaska’s largest health care insurance group.  More information on Ted and Fran, including a video, is also available on the web site.  Alaska residents can sign up for a free Foundation membership on line and become part of the health care group.  Anyone - Alaskan or not – can also sign the on-line Ted and Fran Justice gift Petition and directly email any or all of the “Big 4” let them know what they think of their shameful failure.

The Foundation’s CEO Ric Davidge says, “No other Alaskans have given as much - in proportion to their means - as Ted and Fran have given to the Foundation for veterans’ health care.  You would think that Alaska’s “Big 4” most powerful politicians would put all of their considerable power behind efforts to secure justice for Ted and Fran, especially when their justice compensation benefits Alaska’s vets.  I have been a Republican all of my life and I have known and worked with the “Big4” for many years.  I can only say that it saddens me very much to see our most powerful Alaska politicians mouthing transparent excuses to explain why they have failed so miserably to stand up for their own constituents and Alaska’s vets.  During the past year alone the annual  $500,000 interest lost to the Foundation from Ted and Fran’s 10 million dollar gift, could have bought a new wheelchair at $800 each for 600 Alaska vets - that’s as many vets as Alaskans saw in wheelchairs at the head of this year’s Fourth of July parade.  The “Big 4’s” failure is a shame.  Alaska’s vets, and Ted and Fran, all deserve far better treatment than they have so far received from Alaska’s most powerful politicians, who have brought hundreds of millions of dollars to Alaska for all kinds of things that are much less important than justice and the health care of veterans who have put their lives on the line for all of us!”