Bishop could be up for big position

An Alaskan political scandal could make Rep. Rob Bishop, R-Utah, the ranking Republican on the House Natural Resources Committee.

Embattled Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska, has held that post, but on Wednesday pulled his name from consideration for re-election to it because of ongoing controversy.

That set up a three-way race to succeed him between Reps. Bishop, Elton Gallegly, R-Calif., and Doc Hastings, R-Wash. Bishop told the Deseret News he does not expect to win, "but it is kind of flattering" to be considered.

"I will be making a presentation" to Republican members on Thursday before they vote on the slot, he said. "But I don't have the seniority of the one who I think will be chosen."

Bishop expects that Hastings will win and said he can support him. Both Hastings and Gallegly have more seniority than Bishop on the committee.

Possibly helping Bishop, however, is he said that Young has endorsed him to others — and Bishop has been serving as the ranking Republican on one of the panel's key subcommittees on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands.

Bishop also recently was elected as chairman of the Congressional Western Caucus, showing strength among conservative Westerners interested in public lands.

Young stepped down amid reports — circulated during the last campaign — that he is under scrutiny by the Justice Department for his ties to VECO Corp., an oil services company. Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, was convicted this year of failing to report gifts from VECO and others and was defeated for re-election last month.

Young issued a statement Wednesday saying, "For the good of the Republican Party, the right thing for me to do is temporarily step down from my post as ranking member on the House Committee on Natural Resources while my name is cleared. At that time, I look forward to regaining my post."

Young added that, despite controversy, "I ran for and won my 19th term as Alaska's lone representative this year, confident that the cloud that hangs over me will eventually clear as I know I have done nothing wrong."

If Bishop is elected by Republicans to its top post on the committee, it will not be the first time that a Utahn has done that. Rep. Jim Hansen, R-Utah, (Bishop's predecessor) chaired the committee from 2001-02 when Republicans had majority control of the House.

When Bishop was re-elected last month, he said he was looking forward to serving again as the ranking Republican on the subcommittee on national parks, forests and public lands because that likely would be a center of debate on oil and energy development.

Bishop would have an even greater voice on that and all environmental and natural resource issues if he were chosen as the ranking Republican on the full committee.

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E-mail: lee@desnews.com