Frank Prewitt

James Franklin Prewitt (Pron-en|ˈpruːˈwɪt; born January 31, 1949) is an American attorney, government affairs consultant, and the confidential source the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) relied on to initiate the Alaska political corruption probe. Prewitt is the author of "Last Bridge to Nowhere", a book that describes his work as the confidential source the FBI relied on to initiate the Alaska political corruption probe that currently is still under way.

Early years

James Franklin Prewitt, also known as "Frank Prewitt", was born in Berkeley, California on January 31, 1949. He was the youngest of three children born to Catherine and James Prewitt, co-founder of Corban College in Salem, Oregon. He attended public and international school in the San Francisco bay area and Israel and earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Corban College, a Master of Science degree from the University of Oregon and Juris Doctor degree from the University of Puget Sound School of Law.

During graduate school Frank served as a Trooper with the Oregon State Police (OSP). In his final semester of law school he was appointed legal extern to retired United States District Court Judge James Singleton and during the 1970s and 1980s instructed justice courses as adjunct faculty for Anchorage Community College.

Government service

In thirteen years of public service to the State of Alaska, Prewitt served as a Psychiatric Social Worker and Director of the Alaska Psychiatric Institute, Assistant Attorney General, Deputy Commissioner and Commissioner of the Department of Corrections.

When the State of Alaska’s only Psychiatric Hospital was at risk of losing accreditation, Governor Walter Hickel appointed Prewitt CEO, relying on his “exceptional management skills” to successfully re-organize and re-focus the hospital as a provider of quality inpatient and outpatient mental health services. [State of Alaska Office of the Governor No. 92-201 09/23/92]

Prewitt served under, and at the will of three successive Alaska Governors (Bill Sheffield, Steve Cowper and Walter Hickel). In his final year of public service, editorial writers of Alaska’s largest newspaper twice applauded Commissioner Prewitt for his, “unusually level-headed approach to the high charged issue of crime…when he argues ‘adding police and prosecutors, without giving equal attention to prevention, custody and treatment alternatives may be tough-minded, but it’s also soft-headed and fiscally irresponsible.” [Anchorage Daily News (ADN) Editorial 02/01/94; Anchorage Daily News (ADN) Editorial 08/28/94]

Private practice

In 1995 Prewitt established a private consulting and lobbying practice advising and representing human service organizations pursuing business partnership, outsourcing opportunity, funding, statutory and regulatory change with Alaska state and local government.

From 1998 to 2004 Prewitt was the consulting government affairs and corrections expert for corporate partnerships pursuing construction and operation of private correctional facilities in Alaska, Oregon and Washington. The venture rotated through a succession of corporate principals including Allvest Inc, GEO Group(formerly Wackenhut Corrections), Cornell Companies, Chugach Alaska Corporation (Alaska Native Regional Corporation), VECO Intl Inc, Kenai Native Association, Neeser Construction and the architectural firms of Koonce Pfeffer Bettis and Livingston-Slone. [http://www.state.ak.us/local/akpages/ADMIN/apoc/pdf/02empdir.pdf Alaska Public Offices Commission Directory of Clients or Employer of Lobbyist ]

Combating political corruption

From 2004 to 2007 Prewitt worked covert undercover investigations as an FBI [confidential source exposing Alaska’s sub-culture of political corruption initiating the Alaska political corruption probe. Prewitt provided indispensable strategic consultation, covert operations and trial testimony that laid the foundation for the continuing investigation and indictments that have followed (Alaska political corruption probe) In the words of the FBI, “We couldn’t have done it without Frank. His help was absolutely indispensable.” [source lead Special Agent Mary Beth Kepner of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)]

On October 10, 2007 the "Anchorage Daily News" reported, “After court on Thursday, prosecutor Joe Bottini took the unusual step of singling out prosecution witness Frank Prewitt, who has been working undercover for the FBI since 2004…his work helped investigators get the evidence they needed for wiretaps and bugs in Suite 604 of the Baranof Hotel. Bottini said that Prewitt has done a ‘tremendous job’ for the government, ‘we owe him a lot, frankly.’ “ [http://searchalaska.adn.com/sp?aff=101&keywords=Frank+Prewitt Anchorage Daily News Archive]

Two of the early private prisons venture partners were caught up in the on-going Alaska political corruption probe leading to blogger and press speculation that Prewitt's service to the federal government may have been the result of a secret plea agreement. Federal authorities have confirmed that Prewitt's “indispensable” help was fully voluntary and under no threat of prosecution, plea agreement or any other form of government coercion. [http://www.ktuu.com/global/Story.asp?s=6726642 KTUU Channel 2: Alaska's News Source]

Criticism

Under cross examination during the criminal trial of former Alaska Representative Thomas Anderson, Prewitt testified that he accepted a $30,000 loan from Bill Weimar in 1994, four months before the end of his term as Commissioner of Corrections. He testified it was a personal loan offered during a family emergency that he gratefully accepted and repaid by providing six months of legal consulting work for Allvest Inc from February 1995 to July 1995. He testified that Bill Weimar had a contract to provide halfway house services to Corrections. Neither the prosecution nor defense offered evidence that the loan was accepted in exchange for official acts, special interest favors, or was related in any way to a specific impropriety.

Prewitt also acknowledged making an improper campaign contribution in 2002 that could have resulted in a civil fine or written warning if the violation had come to the attention of the Alaska Public Offices Commission. The issue was moot because fines or warnings for Alaska campaign contribution violations can only be issued within twelve months of the alleged violation (Alaska Statutes 15.56.130). The defense used both incidents as an attempt to question Prewitt's motives and believability before the jury [Anchorage Daily News 07/03/07] . The defense was unsuccessful and on July 9, 2007 Thomas Anderson was convicted on all seven counts of criminal extortion, bribery and money laundering [http://anchorage.fbi.gov/doj/pressrel/2007/corruption120707.htm US Department of Justice] . On October 15, 2007 Anderson was sentenced to five years in federal prison. [http://www.usdoj.gov/opa/pr/2008/July/08-crm-601.html Anchorage Daily News 10/16/07] [ US Department of Justice] .

"Last Bridge to Nowhere"

cquote|The Department of Justice is entering its sixth year investigating and prosecuting one of the biggest cases of political corruption in U.S. history. At issue is the high stakes game of taxing and developing an Alaska gas pipeline and the toxic slick of political corruption that coated the process. Wired for light and sound, the author embarks on an incredible journey into the undercover world of FBI surveillance and the corroding influence of special interest, money and power. "Last Bridge to Nowhere" is a disturbingly humorous tale that exposes the underside of power politics, offering thoughtful observations on character, responsibility and public trust. But the pages turn more like a season special of Desperate Housewives Go To Washington: political intrigue and provocative crime, tossed and served in a delicious wrap of irreverence. You’ll laugh, you may even cry, but you don’t want to miss this book. (cover Last Bridge To Nowhere)

References

External links

[http://www.lastbridgetonowhere.com Last Bridge To Nowhere] () 23:41, 11 October 2008 (UTC)