Ted Stevens Indicted On 7 Criminal Charges


WASHINGTON — Sen. Ted Stevens, the nation's longest-serving Republican senator and a major figure in Alaska politics since before statehood, was indicted Tuesday on seven felony counts of concealing more than a quarter of a million dollars in house renovations and gifts from a powerful oil contractor that lobbied him for government aid.

Stevens, 84, is the first sitting U.S. senator to face federal indictment since 1993. He declared, "I am innocent of these charges and intend to prove that."

He is accused of lying on his annual Senate financial disclosure reports between 1999 and 2006 _ an indictment that caps a lengthy FBI investigation that has upended Alaska politics and brought unfavorable attention to both Stevens and his congressional colleague, GOP Rep. Don Young. Both are running for re-election this year.

The Justice Department accused Stevens of accepting expensive work on his home in Girdwood, Alaska, a ski resort town outside Anchorage, from oil services contractor VECO Corp. and its executives. VECO normally builds oil processing equipment and pipelines, but its employees helped do the work on Stevens' home.

Prosecutors said that work included a new first floor, garage, wraparound deck, plumbing and electrical wiring. He also is accused of accepting from VECO a Viking gas grill, furniture and tools, and of failing to report swapping an old Ford for a new Land Rover to be driven by one of his children.

From May 1999 to August 2007, prosecutors said, the senator concealed "his continuing receipt of hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of things of value from a private corporation."

Prosecutors said Stevens "took multiple steps to continue" receiving things from VECO and its founder, Bill Allen. The indictment says Allen and other VECO employees were soliciting Stevens for "multiple official actions ... knowing that Stevens could and did use his official position and his office on behalf of VECO during that same time period."

VECO's requests included funding and other aid for the company's projects and partnerships in Pakistan and Russia. It also included federal grants from several agencies, as well as help in building a national gas pipeline in Alaska's North Slope Region, according to the indictment filed in Washington.

At the White House, press secretary Dana Perino said, "The president has been working with Senator Stevens for many years, and he appreciates his strong leadership on key issues. This is a legal matter that the Department of Justice is handling, and so we will not comment further on it."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/07/29/ted-stevens-indicted_n_115634.html


Does anyone see another Presidential Pardon coming??

Yeah I just seen that on the news

Another Republican

Crooked bastard.

OMG!!! a corrupt politician?? how can that be??? how is it possible...????

I respectfully agree. I apologize if I have made any republicans mad..

I have always thought that there should be terms on congress, the same as the presidency.......... Could you imagine Bush being president for 20 years??????????????????

Actually six of them. He's just the first to be indicted!

On August 31, 2006 officers with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service raided the offices of several prominent members of the Alaska Legislature. Raided were the offices of Sen. John Cowdery (R-Anchorage), Senate President Ben Stevens (R-Anchorage), Rep. Vic Kohring (R-Wasilla), Rep. Bruce Weyhrauch (R-Juneau), Sen Don Olson (D-Nome), and Rep. Pete Kott (R-Eagle River). The investigation involves allegations of illegal gifts to law makers from VECO.

Also named in the search warrants were VECO officers Bill J. Allen, Rick Smith and Pete Leathard.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaska_political_corruption_probe

The three VECO executives confessed, and are testifying against the Republicans!!

I just noticed there are two of these threads!!

It's always the same people who like to bash republicans who mysteriously disappear when it comes to DEMS.

I think it's called a hyocrite.

Who disappeared quick???

We could do a google search on how many Dems vs. Reps have been convicted in this country's history. I bet it's about even.
Besides being indicted is NOT the same as being convicted.
The liberals continue to practice the politcs of personal destruction to any and all who dare to oppose them. If you can't beat'em indicte them!

*cough*

The executives from VECO confessed!

I believe their testimony will convict at least some if not all 6 Republicans being investigated here!!

*Need a tissue for the phlegm?*

The testimony may do just that but until it does these folks are innocent.
I just don't want you people to walk through life thinking that only Republican politicians get convicted. That is simply not true. There are more republicans under investigation right now because the dems are in control.

I agree! Everyone is innocent until proven guilty, but for a case to make it this far there must be pretty good evidence or a judge would not allow it to go to court!

I know you dont think this is all just the Democrats picking on all the poor little Republicans.

Besides the fact that most of these judges were illegally appointed by Gooding and co. People in glass houses dont usually throw rocks, unless they want to suffer the return wrath of those they falsely accuse.

Esp when those folks hold most of the power and all of the US Judicial Branch positions.

A Fed Judge would laugh them out the court house doors if there weren't a justifiable reason for the charges. Not to mention the FBI, and IRS dont take kindly to being sent on wild goose chases.

I know you dont think that all these Republican crimes and indictments are just a sign of one of the most crooked and lying Administrations since the Nixon Administration, but maybe you should!

corruption. a republican way of life. democrats have William Jefferson. but why should we be surprised that another republican got caught.