Allegations of $$ for Earmarks, Contracts The Wall Street Journal reports today that "Federal investigators are examining whether Rep. [Don] Young [R-AK] or Sen. [Ted] Stevens [R-AK] accepted bribes, illegal gratuities or unreported gifts from VECO Corp., Alaska's largest oil-field engineering firm." The investigation is part of a continuing criminal probe of alleged political favors for the company. The issue under investigation is whether Young or Stevens accepted bribes or unreported gifts from VECO. Young is the former chairman of the House Transportation Committee and now its ranking Republican. Stevens, former chairman of the Appropriations Committee, is the longest-serving Senate Republican. VECO has been awarded a series of federal contracts since 2000, including contracts to provide logistics support for arctic research. Young received $157,000 in campaign contributions from VECO employees and the company's political action committee between 1996 and 2001. Congressional records show that Stevens several times added extra funding for arctic research above what the agency sought. The chart below, prepared by the Center for Responsive Politics, shows VECO ranking number one and two in corporation campaign contributions to Rep. Young and Sen. Stevens respectively since 1989: Source: Wall Street Journal (click to enlarge)