Ted Stevens Guilty

[Ausmerican]

Senator Ted Stevens of Alaska, the longest-serving Republican in the Senate’s history and a figure of enormous influence in his state, was found guilty on Monday of violating ethics laws for failing to report gifts and services that he was given by friends.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/28/washington/28stevens.html?hp

[dudalb]

The GOP Just cannot catch a break this year.
I really though, consdiering all the bizarre happenings with the jury, that Stevens would get off, since in most cases a lot of unusual stuff going down with a jury indicates acquittal.

[kallsop]

Let me be the first to say - GOOD RIDDANCE. Shame we can't send incompetent Barney Frank and Countrywide VIP Chris Dodd out to pasture too.

[Ausmerican]

Wanna bet he yelled "NO!" just like in his famous response about the bridge? :D

[davefoc]

This is the first time that I realized he's running for reelection this year. One poll had him down by 1%.

Question:
Were his ethical transgressions such that one could see that the main effect of them was to promote Alaskan interests over the general interest?

If that were true, and you were an Alaskan looking to maximize his self interests might you still judge it to be in your interest for Stevens to win over a probably more honest opponent?

And one quick answer might be that this conviction is going to strongly damage his ability to bring home the port anyway and maybe it's still better to vote for the other guy? Or maybe it's better to vote for the other guy because as a member of the majority party he's going to have better opportunities to bring home the pork anyway?

[dudalb]

It is going to be hard to vote on issues and bring home the pork from a room in Club Fed.
The guy has been convicted of Seven felonies. This is not a misdemeanor like Sen. Craig.
He is toast.

[dudalb]

Palin has stated the she is sure Stevens will "do the right thing",which is polite way of saying "resign",and I suspect other GOPers will call upon Stevens to "do the right thing" and fall upon his sword.

[tomwaits]

I don't really think this can be considered a blow to the GOP. Nobody really liked him.

[Scottch]

Let me be the first to say - GOOD RIDDANCE. Shame we can't send incompetent Barney Frank and Countrywide VIP Chris Dodd out to pasture too.

Consider me incompetent. But what has Barney Frank done? I would really like to know.

<<not a troll...just looking for EVIDENCE to base many different decisions>>

Scottch

[dudalb]

I don't really think this can be considered a blow to the GOP. Nobody really liked him.

He is like Tom DeLay in the HOuse...a lot of people in his own party hated his guts,but had to tolerate him.

BTW, tomwaits, we watched "Bram Stroker's Dracula" this weekend....and you were GREAT as Renfield:D

[leftysergeant]

This is the first time that I realized he's running for reelection this year. One poll had him down by 1%.

Question:
Were his ethical transgressions such that one could see that the main effect of them was to promote Alaskan interests over the general interest?

No. A lot of it involved a contractor who got a sweet deal doing renovations on Stevens' house.

[SDC]

I'm having my kitchen redone, in a relatively modest way. Since this is the NYC suburbs, it's still very expensive. I am going to speak with my contractor to see whether he will give me back the (approx) $30,000 I've already spent. And do the rest for free.

Heck, I never knew contractors were such good guys.

(NB: our contractor is a good guy. I think he regards our 80-year old, several times added-onto house which has had several DIY owners as a real hoot and a kind of special project. But he still makes sure to cash my checks pronto.)

[Tricky]

If Stevens wins the Senate election (and he is still slightly ahead) and is forced to resign, is there any chance that Palin will run for the open spot?

[davefoc]

No. A lot of it involved a contractor who got a sweet deal doing renovations on Stevens' house.

Absolutely, but still that might be seen as Stevens getting a little reward for getting federal money for contractors into Alaska. Something that profits Alaskans.

And then even if one decides that what Stevens has done is against Alaskan interests and therefore worthy of being voted out, one still might vote for him so that Palin will appoint a Republican replacement.

It seems like that right now 46% of Alaskans or thereabout see it something like that.

[WildCat]

If Stevens wins the Senate election (and he is still slightly ahead) and is forced to resign, is there any chance that Palin will run for the open spot?
Is there anything in Alaskan law that would prevent her from appointing herself to Senator?

[Aoidoi]

On another board they mentioned that in Alaska the Senator's replacement would be via special election rather than appointment. So if he gets elected and then resigns/gets expelled... I guess Alaska would have to pay for another election in a couple months.

[TexasJack]

Double post

[TexasJack]

I can't beleive this idiot still refuses to resign
http://www.mlive.com/us-politics/index.ssf/2008/10/stevens_has_no_plans_to_resign.html

[Bikewer]

Not only that, on his campaign stump speeches he's saying "I haven't been convicted of anything."
Apparently feeling that the fact he's filing an appeal nullifies the conviction....

And this guy is a "lawmaker".

[TexasJack]

Not only that, on his campaign stump speeches he's saying "I haven't been convicted of anything."
Apparently feeling that the fact he's filing an appeal nullifies the conviction....

And this guy is a "lawmaker".

It's amazing the amount of denial this guy is going through, I think when those bars finally slam into his face, reality will finally settle in.

[leftysergeant]

Let me see if I got thisd straight. Palin was so happy that she had been cleared of any hint of unethical conduct and Stevens has not been convicted because the case is under appeal.

What kind of mushrooms do they grow up there in the tundra?

[SDC]

He still can win. And isn't it true that conviction for a felony (or for 7) doesn't mean he would be automatically expelled from the Senate? Would his fellow senators have to vote to evict him?

Uh oh, what if he shares a cell with Larry Craig...

[fishbob]

Is there anything in Alaskan law that would prevent her from appointing herself to Senator?

She can only appoint a temporary replacement to fill in until the state holds a special election. Maybe a few months at most. In the event of a special election, the most likely candidates would be Stevens Republican primary opponent and his current Democratic opponent.

He might as well resign now.

[fishbob]

Let me see if I got thisd straight. Palin was so happy that she had been cleared of any hint of unethical conduct and Stevens has not been convicted because the case is under appeal.

What kind of mushrooms do they grow up there in the tundra?

Lots.

What do you expect when Wasilla's biggest agricultural cash crop is greenhouse pot, and highest revenue manufactured product is meth.

[Cain]

If nobody can say a kind word about him, then I will: Ted Stevens isn't pure evil. He's got personality. I hope we can somehow allow him to do segments for radio/Internet from his jail cell, sort of like Mumia. I would so totally listen to the popular clips that major blogs pick up on.

[ponderingturtle]

If nobody can say a kind word about him, then I will: Ted Stevens isn't pure evil. He's got personality. I hope we can somehow allow him to do segments for radio/Internet from his jail cell, sort of like Mumia. I would so totally listen to the popular clips that major blogs pick up on.

The series of tubes podcast?

[TexasJack]

It appears he has at least 1 Senator on his side, and it's a democrat:
http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2008/11/reid_to_stevens_no_felons_in_s.html

Senator Daniel K. Inouye (D-Hawaii), a 42-year veteran of the Senate and a revered Democrat in Congress, today told Alaskans that Senator Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) will retain his Senate seat while the legal process moves forward. Senator Inouye also echoed the sentiment of legal scholars across the United States saying that Senator Stevens will be vindicated through an appeal.


"As the Senate has done in every other instance in its long 220-year history, I am absolutely confident that Ted Stevens will be sworn into the Senate while he appeals this unjust verdict," said Senator Inouye. "I am certain that this decision in Washington, D.C., will be overturned on appeal."

[dudalb]

I would not be surprised to see the other old codger, Byrd of West Virginia, aka "The King Of Pork" chime in in Steven's defense.
After all, the "Bridge to Nowhere" is amateur hour compared to some of the questionable projects that Byrd has gotten funded.
IMHO, a lot of Senators on Both sides of the aisle have done what Stevens did..Stevens was dumb enough to get caught, that's all.

[TexasJack]

IMHO, a lot of Senators on Both sides of the aisle have done what Stevens did..Stevens was dumb enough to get caught, that's all.

That's probably true, and I'm going to keep my eye out on who comes to his defense...they immediately go on my suspect list.

[1337m4n]

Don't fret, Ted. Prison is just a series of bars!

[Puppycow]

Prosecutor in Ted Stevens case commits suicide (http://www.comcast.net/articles/news-general/20100927/US.Prosecutor.Suicide/)

WASHINGTON — A Justice Department prosecutor killed himself while under investigation over whether he and other attorneys in the prosecution of Sen. Ted Stevens acted improperly in the case, officials said.

Nicholas A. Marsh, 37, committed suicide on Sunday, two years after being part of the Justice Department team that convicted Stevens on corruption charges that were eventually thrown out. Marsh's suicide was confirmed by his lawyer, Robert Luskin.

Funny how things turn out sometimes.

[Beerina]

The prosecutors in the Stevens case failed to disclose evidence favorable to the defendant as Supreme Court precedent requires. The omission was so serious that Attorney General Eric Holder stepped in and asked a federal judge to throw out Stevens' convictions, which the judge did, while taking the additional step of appointing a prominent Washington attorney, Henry Schuelke, to investigate possible improprieties by the prosecutors.

His lawyer laments the suicide, saying he wouldn't have been surprised at the complete exoneration of his sucided client.

And people wonder why lawyers are considered way down at the bottom of Truthiness.

[leftysergeant]

And people wonder why lawyers are considered way down at the bottom of Truthiness.

Lawyers are more prone to stress-related problems. Being accused of a crime is stressful. He was at least a little more aware of the world around him than was good for him.

This may be the reason that so few Republican office holders off themselves.