The United States Department of Justice is asking Alaska officials to stay out of the way of their investigation of corruption in the state. The federal investigation has already netted several former lawmakers, but the state had hoped to investigate a few issues as well. In a letter addressed to State Attorney General Talis Colberg, the government writes, “we believe that the concurrent state investigative activity will have the effect of compromising certain aspects of the ongoing federal public corruption investigation.” It’s not yet known whether the government’s opinion will limit or halt the ongoing investigation being carried out by the Alaska Public Offices Commission. Attorney General Colberg was unavailable for comment.
David Shurtleff, APRN – Anchorage
