A day doesn’t go by now without more bad news for Alaska and Don Young. Yesterday’s headline read, Young’s legal fees surpass $1 million. Tonight’s ten o’clock news led with Congress takes aim at Don Young.

When will it stop? Alaska can’t take it anymore. For Alaska, Don Young needs to come clean, or find a new job.

Part of me wants Don Young to remain the wounded bear, easy pickings for November. But that’s bad for Alaska. We need a new Congressman, now. Our state’s reputation and credibility are too important to drag through the mud anymore.

Alaska Democrats offer voters hope and change. In order to win this seat, we must lead by example and not behave like Don Young. It is time we show Alaska voters we are open, honest and transparent.

That’s why I released my tax returns last week and called on my fellow Democrats to do the same thing. I want voters to know who I am. I work, I pay a mortgage, and I pay too much in taxes. Unlike Ethan Berkowitz, I’m not afraid to open my books, nor will I ever engage in in elite parsing of language to hide my income.

For me, change and victory are simple. Democrats will win if we open our books, remain honest and forthright, and show transparency and pride about who we are.

Don Young appears to be using taxpayer funds to offset the hit his campaign coffers have taken covering his quarter million dollar-plus legal tab.

The beautifully-printed, full color brochure you see below was sent by Don Young to every resident of Alaska. While it looks, feels (heavy card stock), smells and reads like a political brochure, it’s technically Don’s way of keeping we Alaskans informed as to how he’s serving his voters.

It’s this kind of apparent borderline abuse of his Congressional privilege that makes defeating Don Young all the more necessary in 2008.