the Nation - News from July 31, 1985

Gov. William Sheffield told an Alaska Senate panel considering his impeachment that he learned of a supporter’s interest in a state lease in late 1983, rather than in 1984, as he had told a grand jury. Sheffield testified to the Senate Rules Committee, which is considering whether he should be impeached for allegedly manipulating lease specifications for the supporter, Lenny Arsenault, and lying about it to the grand jury. Sheffield said that he first told the grand jury he became aware of Arsenault’s interest in mid-1984, then he said he wasn’t sure when he became aware. Senate lawyers on Monday had released a December, 1983, note from Sheffield to an aide in which Arsenault’s interest in the lease was mentioned.