Former Alaskan lawmaker to be sentenced

ANCHORAGE, Alaska, April 15 (UPI) -- A federal judge has denied former Alaska state Rep. Vic Kohring's request for a new trial, court papers show.

U.S. District Judge John Sedwick set sentencing for May 8 for the former state legislator, who was convicted of bribery, conspiracy and attempted extortion, the Anchorage Daily News reported Tuesday.

His attorney, John Henry Browne of Seattle, said they will appeal to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.

Kohring wants the case thrown out or, at least a new trial with a different judge, because of what he called an "extremely antagonistic relationship" he had with the judge's wife.

The Republican former lawmaker said he and Deborah Sedwick clashed when she was commissioner of the state Department of Commerce and Economic Development, and Kohring had targeted her department for cuts and downsizing.

In his 29-page order, Sedwick wrote that "certain allegations made by Kohring are either inaccurate, misleading, or conclusions without any evidentiary support."