Yes, finding such corruption and holding them accountable is what the US is all about...
Thanks for pointing it out. On Oct 27, 4:19 pm, "\"Lone Wolf\"" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Stevens Convicted of Concealing $250,000 in Gifts (Update6) > > By Cary O'Reilly and Nadine Elsibai > > Oct. 27 (Bloomberg) -- U.S. Senator Ted Stevens was convicted of all > seven felony charges of failing to report gifts from a company in his > home state of Alaska, a possibly fatal blow to the career of the > Senate's longest-serving Republican. > > Stevens, 84, was convicted in Washington of making false statements on > his Senate financial disclosure forms. He was accused of hiding more > than $250,000 in home renovations and other gifts from Veco Corp., an > Alaska oil-services company, Bill Allen, the company's founder, and > other friends. > > ``It's not over yet,'' Stevens told his wife Catherine as they left > the courtroom. Later, he said in a statement he is innocent and will > ``fight this unjust verdict with every ounce of energy I have.'' He > said he is still seeking re-election Nov. 4. > > ``This is obviously the worst possible outcome, not only legally but > politically, for Senator Stevens,'' said Jennifer Duffy, who analyzes > Senate races for the nonpartisan Cook Political Report in Washington. > Even so, she said, ``Remember, this is a guy whose poll numbers went > up during the trial.'' > > Stevens, a member of the Senate since 1968, is the first sitting U.S. > senator convicted of a felony since 1981, when the late New Jersey > Democrat Harrison Williams Jr. was found guilty of bribery and > conspiracy. The false-statement charges carry a maximum prison term of > five years. > > `Do What's Right' > > Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, the Republican vice- presidential > nominee, said in a statement it was a ``sad day'' for Alaska and for > Stevens. > > ``The verdict shines a light on the corrupting influence of the big > oil-service company that was allowed to control too much of our > state,'' Palin said. ``I'm confident Senator Stevens will do what's > right for the people of Alaska.'' > > National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman John Ensign of > Nevada said in a statement he was disappointed to see Stevens's > ``career end in disgrace.'' As a result of the jury's verdict ``he is > properly being held accountable,'' Ensign said. > > The Alaska Democratic Party called on the senator to resign > immediately. ``He knew what he was doing was wrong, but he did it > anyway and lied to Alaskans about it,'' a party statement said. > > Stevens isn't required by law to give up his Senate seat. He can only > be removed by a full Senate vote on a recommendation by its ethics > committee. Such a process would likely take until next year and would > move forward only if he is re-elected. > > Speedy Trial > > After being indicted on July 29 he sought a speedy trial in an effort > to clear his name. > > The Justice Department's investigation is continuing, Matthew > Friedrich, acting assistant attorney general for the criminal > division, said outside the courthouse after the verdict. > > U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan delayed setting a sentencing date > at the defense's request, and allowed Stevens to remain free without > bail. > > Stevens's conviction will likely boost Democratic chances of winning > an Alaska Senate seat for the first time in almost three decades. He > won the Republican primary in August with 63 percent of the vote after > being indicted. He faces Democrat Mark Begich, the mayor of Anchorage, > in the general election. An Oct. 7 Rasmussen Reports poll had the two > statistically tied. > > The verdict ``should elect Begich,'' Marc Hellenthal, an Alaska > pollster and political consultant, said in a phone interview from > Anchorage after the verdict. > > `Tremendous Resilience' > > Hellenthal said Stevens has ``shown tremendous resilience'' after > being charged. ``The fact that Stevens was indicted should have > elected Begich, but there was a backlash and Stevens picked up some > support. I don't expect that to happen now that he's been > convicted.'' > > A legendary figure in Alaska politics, Stevens has steered billions of > dollars to the state from his seat on the Senate Appropriations > Committee. > > The case stemmed from a federal investigation of political corruption > in Alaska that began in 2004 and has resulted in eight convictions or > guilty pleas. Allen, the prosecutors' star witness against Stevens, > pleaded guilty last year to charges of bribery and conspiracy. Stevens > wasn't charged with taking bribes. > > Prosecutors presented evidence that between 2000 and 2006, Stevens > received improvements to his home and other gifts, including a Viking > gas grill, a power generator, an Alaskan sled dog and a custom-made > glass window, without reporting them on his financial disclosure > forms. > > Prosecutors said Veco and Allen provided labor and materials to > install a first floor, garage, outdoor deck and other improvements to > Stevens's home in Girdwood, Alaska, which he called his ``chalet.'' > > Stevens's Testimony > > Stevens, in three days on the witness stand, testified that his wife > was in charge of the home renovations and paid all the bills they > received. His defense lawyers said the couple spent $160,000 on the > renovations and that Stevens believed his financial disclosures were > accurate. > > Stevens insisted he never accepted as gifts other items delivered to > his homes in Alaska and Washington, D.C., including a $2,700 massage > chair, the gas grill and a statue depicting migrating salmon. Stevens > said they were either loans or he didn't want them at all. > > ``We have lots of things in our house that don't belong to us,'' > Stevens said when a prosecutor asked him about the chair. > > Defense lawyer Brendan Sullivan called Allen ``a paid witness'' and > said prosecutors ``twisted'' the evidence. > > Earlier in the trial, the judge denied multiple requests from > Stevens's attorneys for a mistrial or dismissal of the case over > claims the prosecution withheld evidence. > > The case is U.S. v. Stevens, 08cr231, U.S. District Court for the > District of Columbia. > > To contact the reporters on this story: Cary O'Reilly in Washington at > [EMAIL PROTECTED]; Nadine Elsibai in Washington at > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Last Updated: October 27, 2008 18:43 EDT --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. For options & help see http://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum * Visit our other community at http://www.PoliticalForum.com/ * It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls. * Read the latest breaking news, and more. -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
