Stevens Prosecutors to be Investigated

The Federal judge who presided over ex-Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK) trial has set aside the verdict and will pursue contempt charges against the prosecution team.

“In nearly 25 years on the bench, I have never seen anything approaching the mishandling and misconduct that I have seen in this case,” Sullivan said. “Again and again, both before and during the trial in this case, the government was caught making false representations and not meeting its discovery obligations.”

No objection from my end. It was clear from the start that this prosecution team was the gang that couldn't shoot straight, and I'm as pissed as anyone given that it cost the United States the conviction of a man who I remain convinced is guilty of corruption. The only thing I find unfortunate is that I doubt this precedent will extend to cases of prosecutorial misconduct in situations where the defendant is not politically well-connected. Ted Stevens deserves justice and a fair trial just as much as any other accused criminal, but I worry the upshot of this move will not be to increase fairness but persuade DOJ attorneys to focus their shenanigans on defendants who don't have the pull to fight back.

Clash of the Titans

Rep. Don Young (R-AK) has a better idea for former Sen. Ted Stevens than a futile effort to get Sen. Mark Begich (D-AK) to resign. He thinks Stevens should challenge Gov. Sarah Palin (R) and try and take the Governor's mansion.

Stevens Is Out of the Fire

Citing major prosecutorial misconduct by the Justice Department attorneys who led the case, the Obama administration has announced it is dropping all charges against former Senator Ted Stevens (R-AK) and will not seek a new trial. Unfortunately, this is hardly surprising given the rather relaxed standards of competence the Justice Department enjoyed over the last eight years.

Gov. Sarah Palin (R-AK), of course, couldn't stop talking out of both sides of her mouth even if one was glued shut, released a statement bemoaning Stevens' treatment and the "frightening" misconduct he was forced to endure. "It is unfortunate that, as a result of the questionable proceedings which led to Senator Stevens' conviction days before the election, Alaskans lost an esteemed statesman on Capitol Hill. His presence is missed." Of course, after his conviction she was singing a different tune, criticizing him for failing to resign his seat and saying "Even if elected on Tuesday, Senator Stevens should step aside to allow a special election to give Alaskans a real choice of who will serve them in Congress."

Too Much Credit

I may have been too kind to Senator Ted Stevens (R-AK) the other day, when I jokingly interpreted a CNN headline as him claiming to have been "vindicated" by a federal jury convicting him of seven counts of corruption. But no, he's going there, claiming that he has "not been convicted yet", a point he reiterated in a debate with Democratic candidate Mark Begich: "I have not been convicted of anything."

It's like Alaska politicians don't even comprehend the meaning of investigation. First Gov. Palin, and now this? It's utterly bizarre.

Alaskan Dave Noon translates for the rest of us lowlanders.

I Call it a Win

The CNN headline says "Stevens sees vindication". What they mean, of course, is that Stevens is promising he'll be exonerated upon appeal. But what I preferred to interpret it to mean is him pulling a Sarah Palin, and claiming that the jury verdict which convicted him of eight counts of corruption actually showed he was perfectly ethical at all times.

Stevens Guilty On All Counts

The prosecution did its level best to botch the case, but nonetheless a jury has found Alaska Senator Ted Stevens guilty on all seven counts of his federal corruption trial.

Sen. Stevens indicated that he will seek a new trial. My guess is that the amount of screw-ups in the prosecution's handling of the case will, at the very least, keep them tied up in appeals for years. Even still, this is hardly good news for his re-election chances.

It's Tougher in Alaska

Listening to Alaskans fret about how their state will survive without Senator Ted Stevens' (R-AK) largess is ridiculously amusing to me. If your state can't survive without corruption-tainted pork, you have issues.

Stevens Indicted

Ted Stevens (R-AK), the senior Republican in the US Senate, has been indicted for making false statements on his Senate Financial Disclosure forms related to gifts received from the VECO corporation (resulting in the steering of millions in federal contracts to the company).

As The Plank notes, this could actually be good for GOP Senate prospects in Alaska, as Stevens was trailing Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich (D) in early polling, and anything that might assist in knocking him off the ballot in favor of another candidate makes it easier to hold the seat. On the other hand, putting Republican corruption back in the spotlight hardly is the gift conservatives were looking for, either in Alaska or on the national stage.

Up the Creek

Alaskan Senator Ted Stevens' lawyer, Brendan Sullivan of Williams and Connolly:

“By the time somebody comes to me, they are pretty far up the creek,” Sullivan has said. “The good thing is they will pay almost anything.”

Having worked at WC, this strikes me as largely accurate. WC is for people who are a) really wealthy and b) in really serious trouble. They are very good at what they do, and charge accordingly.

Even corrupt Senators like Ted Stevens deserve good legal advice. I just hope that in this case, the best advice Mr. Sullivan can give is for him to take a plea deal.

Ted Stevens Has Gonads The Size of Bowling Balls

I know that if the FBI and IRS raided my house, I wouldn't threaten to put a hold on the Ethics Reform bill that just passed the House. Or perhaps I would, depending on your point of view. But, still, it takes huevos grandes, and just like the word "internet," Ted Stevens doesn't know the meaning of Chutzpah.

Culture of Corruption, what?

****

Going political for a moment, what does this say about Stevens' Senate seat? Ted Stevens is the kingpin of Alaska's political establishment, and I have to think that if he runs, nothing short of an illegal immigrant under-age gay prostitute ring scandal will bring him down. But he may not run (he may be in prison). In which case, can Democrats poach his seat? Maybe, but don't get too excited. In 2006, a Democratic wave year, we couldn't win the Alaska governorship despite a) it being an open seat where b) the incumbent was removed because he lost his own primary (in other words, the GOP was weak in Alaska specifically) and c) we had our ideal candidate (former Governor Tony Knowles). I have to think that if we can't win in a perfect storm like that, we can't win at all. But this set of circumstances might be even more GOP-unfriendly. 2008 still looks to be an overall strong year for Dems. The corruption scandal that is tearing through the Alaskan political establishment is taking down top GOP figures left and right, and if Stevens' goes down, the Alaska GOP could reach Ohio-levels of dysfunction. All that would be needed is a strong candidate. Anyone know what our bench looks like in the Arctic?