The conservative American Spectator [1] seems to see the Alaska scandal involving Veco Corp. as a factor in Trent Lott's decision to resign:

The tin-foil-hat crowd was almost immediately pushing a Jack Abramoff angle to the surprise resignation of Sen. Trent Lott. But a more recent scandal brewing [2] -- which has already ensnared Sen. Ted Stevens, among others -- may also be playing on Lott's mind.

Lott, Stevens, as well as Rep. Dennis Hastert all have ties to Bill Allen, a larger than life Alaskan businessman who owned Veco, an oil-field services company, and who was a huge benefactor of Republican politicians. Between 1980 and 2000, Allen, Veco executives and Allen's friends generated more than $1 million in political donations.

Does the Spectator know something? Or just speculating?