Fundraising Notes: Don Young Shells Out Big Bucks For Attorneys

Ethically-embattled Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska) has been spending a fortune on legal bills -- $427,189 to be exact -- over the last three months. His fundraising also took a nosedive in the fourth quarter, as he raised only $62,247 over the last three months.

Young, though, still has nearly $1 million in his campaign account, but if his legal fees continue to remain at the same pace, he won’t have much money left by the time he needs it most. His fundraising total was much lower than the $175,000 he raised last quarter.

Young is under investigation by the Justice Department over his ties to oil-field services company Veco Corp. Most of the legal fees went to the powerhouse DC law firm Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, while a smaller amount went to Anchorage-based firm Tobin, OConnor, Ewing, & Richard.

He faces the likelihood of a tough primary campaign against state Rep. Gabrielle LeDoux (R) in August, and Democrats have been targeting his House seat as well.