Congressman Don Young - the Homer Simpson of Alaska...

...without the popularity.

Young Staff Tries to Boot Reporters from Press Conference

The congressman didn't want to talk to us.

Congressman Don Young canceled a press conference in Wasilla this morning after fellow Daily News reporter Richard Mauer and I showed up with everyone else and refused to leave.

The press conference was supposed to be at the Mat-Su Congressional delegation office. KTUU Channel 2 News and a valley radio station were there as well.

Richard and I showed up a few minutes early, before Young arrived, and were told by delegation staff we had to leave. No one else was asked to leave.

Delegation staff said the press conference was only for Mat-Su media. We pointed out that the Daily News is the largest circulation newspaper in the Mat-Su, and that our Mat-Su bureau had been invited to attend.

After a phone call to Young's Washington staff, the press conference was canceled.

I posted ON WEDNESDAY about the reason for this snub - the fact that the Daily News journalists were doing their jobs by asking about Young's expenditure of over $800,000 of campaign money on his legal bills.

I can't see how people can still vote for this guy in November.