newsminer.com

WASHINGTON — Rep. Don Young on Tuesday released revised fundraising totals for the first quarter of 2008, showing he raised $134,000 — some $30,000 less than his campaign estimated earlier this month.

The campaign also overestimated the amount of cash Young has on hand. Michael Anderson, spokesman for the Young campaign, said the campaign had slightly more than $604,000 in its war chest as of March 31. His available campaign funds have continued to slide over the past year as his legal expenses have mounted.

Young is under federal investigation for his ties to lobbyists and his use of congressional earmarks. He has not been charged with a crime, and he denies any wrongdoing. But he continues to spend campaign funds on the high-powered Washington, D.C., law firm Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer and Feld. Young paid the firm $213,000 in the first quarter. Federal election records show he has paid the firm more than $1.1 million since the investigation began early last year.

On Tuesday, Young acknowledged for the first time that he had spoken to federal authorities about the investigation. His lawyer, John Dowd, told KTVA Channel 11 that Young had also turned over documents requested by federal authorities.

“I have worked fully with the Department of Justice by answering their questions and providing them with anything they have requested,” Young said in the statement.

Young has declined to discuss the investigations further, citing the advice of his attorney.

“Both the Department of Justice and my lawyers have asked that I not comment further on the investigation. I must honor this request,” Young said.

Despite the falling fundraising totals, Young, 74, released a defiant statement to the media, hailing the amount raised by his campaign between Jan. 1 and March 31.

“Those who have doubted me had best think again,” he said. “These latest numbers are incredibly encouraging and show my strength as the standing congressman.”

April 15 was the deadline for federal candidates to file their first-quarter campaign reports with the Federal Election Commission.

Young, who has held Alaska’s lone House seat since 1973, faces challenges in the Republican primary from Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell and state House Rep. Gabrielle LeDoux of Kodiak.

Parnell said he raised $26,000 between announcing his candidacy March 14 at the state Republican Party convention and the March 31 end of the first quarter. He spent $225.

Parnell, 45, said he’s challenging Young in order to restore Alaskans’ faith in the Congress.

“A lot of people here have recognized that our congressman is not electable in November,” Parnell said.

LeDoux vowed not to raise money while the Legislature was in session.

She said she brought in about $8,000 prior to the start of the 90-day session in mid-January. LeDoux loaned her campaign about $92,000 to keep competitive with other candidates.

LeDoux’s official filing was not posted on the FEC Web site as of Tuesday. Also not posted were campaign finance reports for Democrats Jake Metcalfe and Diane Benson.

Benson last week said she had raised about $47,000 in the first quarter. Metcalfe did not return phone calls for this story. A spokesman for his campaign previously estimated Metcalfe brought in around $50,000.

Democrat Ethan Berkowitz raised $277,000. Berkowitz, who has raised more than $400,000 since entering the race, has more than $280,000 cash on hand.