NationStates Jolt Archive

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080729/ap_on_go_co/stevens_indictment

For you silly non-Americans, Ted Stevens is the 'internet is a series of tubes' guy.

He must also be a severely arrogant 'above the law' motherfucker to risk a lucrative and long career robbing taxpayers blind just to get a little free work done to the house. What an asshole. :p

I, for one, am starting to believe that the internet is a series of tubes. In fact, prove to me that it isn't, someone. And keep in mind that I want it in layman's terms!

Everyone goes off the deep-end at some point. Given that he's from Alaska and is 84, I'm betting this happened to Sen. Stevens over a decade ago. Unfortunately, the citizens of Alaska still couldn't find a better candidate...

Can you be a prison bitch at 84?

I hope they seize and liquidate his assets and build schools, libraries and hospitals with that money. :)

For those that may remember all the way to last year, in June of 2007 the good Alaskan Senator Ted Stevens acknowledged that the FBI had him under investigation.

Today, the Justice Department has announced that they have brought seven, that's seven, counts of failing to disclose against the man, for his failure to report the renovations and gifts that he received.

Justice Department indicts Sen. Ted Stevens
The long-serving Alaska legislator is accused of making false statements
NBC News and news services
updated 1:59 p.m. ET, Tues., July. 29, 2008
WASHINGTON - Sen. Ted Stevens, the longest-serving Republican senator and a figure in Alaska politics since before statehood, was indicted Tuesday on seven counts of failing to disclose thousands of dollars in services he received from a company that helped renovate his home.

Stevens, the first sitting U.S. senator to face federal indictment since 1993, has been dogged by a federal investigation into his home renovation project and whether he pushed for fishing legislation that also benefited his son, an Alaska lobbyist.

From May 1999 to August 2007, prosecutors said, the 84-year-old senator concealed "his continuing receipt of hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of things of value from a private corporation."

The indictment unsealed Tuesday says the items included: home improvements to his vacation home in Alaska, including a new first floor, garage, wraparound deck, plumbing, electrical wiring; as well as a Viking gas grill, furniture and tools.

He also was accused of failing to report swapping an old Ford for a new Land Rover to be driven by one of his children.

Justice Department officials held a news conference Tuesday to discuss the charges against Stevens.

Messages left at both Stevens' Senate office in Washington and his campaign office in Anchorage were not immediately returned. His attorney also did not return calls.


Prosecutors said Stevens "took multiple steps to continue" receiving things from oil services company VECO Corp., and its founder, Bill Allen.

At the time, 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 oil services 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 U.S. District Court in Washington.

Up for re-election
Stevens, who has served in the U.S. Senate for 40 years, is up for re-election this year, and Democrats view his seat as one of their top pick-up opportunities.

His Democratic challenger is Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich.

However, before the general election, Stevens must survive a GOP primary that occurs on August 26.

The Cook Political Report labels the Alaska Senate race as a "toss up."

Seven other Alaska politicians had previously been indicted in the FBI’s long-running investigation of political corruption, including state Sen. John Cowdery, chairman of the influential Legislative Council Committee. Cowdery resigned last week.

Stevens acknowledged in June 2007 that he was under investigation.

A month later, FBI agents raided his house in Girdwood, a suburb of Anchorage, after a wealthy Alaska businessman told prosecutors that he paid his employees to renovate the house.

Stevens has denied any wrongdoing. He announced last week that he would not attend next month’s Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minn.

Per Republican Senate caucus rules, if a member is indicted, he or she can no longer serve as chairman or ranking member of a committee.

Stevens is a ranking member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee.

NBC affiliate KTUU of Anchorage contributed to this report.

© 2008 MSNBC Interactive
URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25916299/

Link-sterized. (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25916299).

So, who would be happy to see the "Series of Tubes" lackwit finally kicked out of the United States Congress?

I, for one, hope he sticks around long enough to be forcibly expelled. And maybe they can dump a series of tubes on him as he leaves.

http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=561837

:)

http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=561837

:)

That's not a tube, that's a hollow ring.

*Shakes fist at Port Arcana as I whizz around in a ring for eternity*

Aww, C'mon! My title was better. :(

The indictment unsealed Tuesday says the items included: home improvements to his vacation home in Alaska, including a new first floor, garage, wraparound deck, plumbing, electrical wiring; as well as a Viking gas grill, furniture and tools.

Americans and their "decks". A love affair bound to lead to tragedy...

Aww, C'mon! My title was better. :(

Hey, I wanted to be First man, I took the time to actually put the quoted article in my post.

Now, if we were to switch the titles, and the thread founders, I'd be fine, but the result should be the same.

Though, on to the issue, I just realized that there's a bit of a shame in all of this: thanks to Ted, sending him down the tubes will only get him so far before he its the wall of his own S&*t.

Hey, I wanted to be First man, I took the time to actually put the quoted article in my post.

Now, if we were to switch the titles, and the thread founders, I'd be fine, but the result should be the same.

Though, on to the issue, I just realized that there's a bit of a shame in all of this: thanks to Ted, sending him down the tubes will only get him so far before he its the wall of his own S&*t.

SOme sites don't like you to repost their articles on other sites. Some don't mind as long as you don't post the whole article and/or source it. Personally, I'd rather not have to deal with the crap of knowing or caring which ones do or don't. That's why I tend to just post links.

Ted sliding down a tube into a mass of his own feces would certainly be entertaining. :)

Can you be a prison bitch at 84?
Could you be anything else in prison at 84?

Could you be anything else in prison at 84?

Stevens? Sure.

He'd be the mule.

Every time someone calls a plumber to get his or her internet connection fixed, it's Ted Stevens' fault. Unfortunately it's not a criminal offense to make inane statements. If it was, most members of this and a zillion other internet forums would be hunted down like vermin by the authorities.

Even if the federal investigations results in the incarceration of Stevens, chances are minimal that he will end up in a regular prison. I don't think that he will be forced to bend over and pick up the soap in his nearby future, despite his handsome Republican ruggedness. You know, a bit like Ann Coulter, but warmer and less crypto-fascist.

I don't think that he will be forced to bend over and pick up the soap in his nearby future, despite his handsome Republican ruggedness. You know, a bit like Ann Coulter, but warmer and less crypto-fascist.

And not quite as masculine.

I hope they seize and liquidate his assets and build schools, libraries and hospitals with that money. :)

I like you.

Every time someone calls a plumber to get his or her internet connection fixed, it's Ted Stevens' fault. Unfortunately it's not a criminal offense to make inane statements. If it was, most members of this and a zillion other internet forums would be hunted down like vermin by the authorities.

Even if the federal investigations results in the incarceration of Stevens, chances are minimal that he will end up in a regular prison. I don't think that he will be forced to bend over and pick up the soap in his nearby future, despite his handsome Republican ruggedness. You know, a bit like Ann Coulter, but warmer and less crypto-fascist.

People have actually done that?

I wouldn't be surprised, even though I simply made it up.

Americans and their "decks". A love affair bound to lead to tragedy...

There's nothing wrong with outdoor spaces used for entertainment. One of my family members has a deck on his house, that has covered seating and tables for outdoor barbecues, he has a hot tub on the deck, and the deck leads to the slightly higher pool deck. My uncle also has a deck on his house (no pool, though). He uses it for outdoor entertaining as well.

Decks are a great way to entertain friends and family on a nice day. Don't mock the deck!



:p

I hope they seize and liquidate his assets and build schools, libraries and hospitals with that money. :)

I'm not sure, but would it be legal to seize and liquidate the assets that he legitimately earned? The ones he got by breaking the law I can agree with, but I don't know about the honest assets.

Hopefully Neo Art or one of the other NSG lawyers can answer my question.



And speaking of lawyers;

How many lawyers does it take to shingle a roof?

Depends how thin you slice them.

:D

How many lawyers does it take to change a lightbulb?

Depends on how many want to keep you in the dark.

Lessee Hulk smash his way outta this one.

He must also be a severely arrogant 'above the law' motherfucker to risk a lucrative and long career robbing taxpayers blind just to get a little free work done to the house. What an asshole. :p

Seesh. Another amateur Berlusconi-wannabe. Still a loooong way to go... Silvio's managed to make himself non-prosecutable, with 4 impending criminal trials!

Ahi serva Italia, di dolore ostello
nave sanza nocchiere in gran tempesta,
non donna di provincie, ma bordello!

Dante, Purgatorio, VI

You can say what you want, but Berlusconi has done a lot to make Italy a less corrupt country. Okay, he managed to do that by redefining corruption in order to stay out of jail himself. A little modification of certain laws can do just that.

You can say what you want, but Berlusconi has done a lot to make Italy a less corrupt country. Okay, he managed to do that by redefining corruption in order to stay out of jail himself. A little modification of certain laws can do just that.

So you're saying Stevens real crime was not changing the laws before he took bribes or w/e. A wise man.

So you're saying Stevens real crime was not changing the laws before he took bribes or w/e. A wise man.

And Stevens could have looked up American history too. The Alien and Sedition Act, timed to last until the start of the next presidential term. In other words, criticizing the current administration in any ways is a punishable crime, but expires in the event of the opposiing party taking the White House so they can be free to start criticizing in turn.

Judicial Jerrymandering at its finest.

Stevens is usually described as an inveterate bastard if you mess with his pork, as could be seen from his threat to resign from the Senate if anyone redirected funds from his Bridges to Nowhere to Hurricane Katrina relief.

So yeah, I think this couldn't have happened to a nicer guy, literally.

Stevens is usually described as an inveterate bastard if you mess with his pork, as could be seen from his threat to resign from the Senate if anyone redirected funds from his Bridges to Nowhere to Hurricane Katrina relief.

So yeah, I think this couldn't have happened to a nicer guy, literally.

So why did they cave in instead of letting him resign?

Can you be a prison bitch at 84?

Depends...has he had hip and/or knee replacement yet?

Depends...has he had hip and/or knee replacement yet?

And whether or not he's using Depends. Nobody in prison likes packing fudge.

I, for one, am starting to believe that the internet is a series of tubes. In fact, prove to me that it isn't, someone. And keep in mind that I want it in layman's terms!

I will put a hundred dollar bill in my CD drive, you put a slice of Chocolate Cake in yours. Get that slice of cake to come out of my computer from any output source (speakers, monitor, printer etc.) and you can have the hundred dollars.

He's also the same idiot who pitched a temper tantrum during Katrina because they were going to divert money to the Gulf coast that he wanted for his Pork "Bridge to Nowhere" project.

So why did they cave in instead of letting him resign?

I don't believe they did. The Bridges to Nowhere never got funding, IIRC.

I'll report back in a few minutes. To Wikipedia I go. . .

Edit: According to Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gravina_Island_Bridge), the Bridges never recieved funding, but most of the pork spending by Sen. Stevens went through, and it's unclear if the funding was diverted to Katrina victims in the manner that Stevens was protesting. So he may have been handed a fig leaf to avoid leaving by the rest of the Senate.

You can say what you want, but Berlusconi has done a lot to make Italy a less corrupt country. Okay, he managed to do that by redefining corruption in order to stay out of jail himself. A little modification of certain laws can do just that.

Very noble of him. He takes all of the corruption upon himself so that once you get rid of him the rest of the place is pretty nice. He's like a wet/dry vac of evil.

Can you be a prison bitch at 84?Well, that depends on their overall heart condition I think, but I do believe it possible.

He's also the longest-serving and oldest Republican Senator and a uses pork by the barrel, most notably the "bridge to nowhere"--$20 million to build a bridge no one needs or will use. Among other things. Looks like we have a resignation pending. :)

He's also the longest-serving and oldest Republican Senator and a uses pork by the barrel, most notably the "bridge to nowhere"--$20 million to build a bridge no one needs or will use. Among other things. Looks like we have a resignation pending. :)

Supposedly he's still running for re-election. The race was barely favoring him before, now things have swung against him. That means the Democrats have a good shot at picking up six seats in the senate! That's a lot.

I believe if they run the table, they'll be in a secure but not filibuster-proof majority, so they can finally kick Lieberman to the curb because his contribution to the caucus will mean nothing whether he's with the party or not.

Thank you Ted Stevens. Your corruption is like mana from heaven to me.

I hope they seize and liquidate his assets and build schools, libraries and hospitals with that money. :)
That's far too socialist an approach to funds than most in this state would agree to. That's why he's been so successful here. :p

Thank you Ted Stevens. Your corruption is like mana from heaven to me.
Here's where ya watch:
http://www.tedstevens2008.com/
and while you're at it, watch this too:
http://donyoung.house.gov/
Note his happy mention of tax payer award?
http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/07/don_young_gives_self_fictitiou.php
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/313/story/45673.html
+
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hdHuzL72HIBCvcsWuXtE9kP6SxFgD91MFE5G0
http://www.adn.com/news/politics/fbi/young/story/465857.html

More manna?

I will put a hundred dollar bill in my CD drive, you put a slice of Chocolate Cake in yours. Get that slice of cake to come out of my computer from any output source (speakers, monitor, printer etc.) and you can have the hundred dollars.

Check your CD drive.

Thanks for the $100 :D

He's like a wet/dry vac of evil.Sigworthy. :D

You can say what you want, but Berlusconi has done a lot to make Italy a less corrupt country. Okay, he managed to do that by redefining corruption in order to stay out of jail himself. A little modification of certain laws can do just that.

Actually Silvio went further. His supporters in the Parliament just passed a bill stating that, during their terms, the President of the Republic, the Presidents of both Houses and the President of the Council of Ministers (Silvio himself!) CANNOT be prosecuted and eventually incumbing trials are suspended - thus falling, most likely, in prescription.
That is, Berlusconi is ABOVE any law.

Very noble of him. He takes all of the corruption upon himself so that once you get rid of him the rest of the place is pretty nice. He's like a wet/dry vac of evil.

Good one. Do you know any reliable cheap killer-for-hire?

That is, Berlusconi is ABOVE any law.

So he's pretty much untouchable, like God. That reminds me of the divine status that the Roman emperors enjoyed. Hail ceasar Berlusconi!

Here's where ya watch:
http://www.tedstevens2008.com/
and while you're at it, watch this too:
http://donyoung.house.gov/
Note his happy mention of tax payer award?
http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/07/don_young_gives_self_fictitiou.php
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/313/story/45673.html
+
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hdHuzL72HIBCvcsWuXtE9kP6SxFgD91MFE5G0
http://www.adn.com/news/politics/fbi/young/story/465857.html

More manna?

Excellent research, but you do realize I was saying it was good because Dems will likely get a larger majority as a consequence of his corruption, right?

I just want Alaska to rename the Anchorage Airport should he be found guilty.

Excellent research, but you do realize I was saying it was good because Dems will likely get a larger majority as a consequence of his corruption, right?
Oh yes, i agree. It seemed like a good connection, i wasn't disagreeing with you. :)

Do you know any reliable cheap killer-for-hire?Check your TG's or your friendslist lately? :p

I just want Alaska to rename the Anchorage Airport should he be found guilty.
Or perhaps a few of the common taxpayers from the states might fly up and take it apart piece by piece?

Well, Stevens showed up in court today to plead Not Guilty on all counts. He's asking that the trial be held early enough for him to have it over with before the election, and he wants it held in Alaska.

Stevens pleads not guilty
Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens is accused of lying about gifts from a contractor
The Associated Press
updated 2:51 p.m. ET, Thurs., July. 31, 2008
WASHINGTON - Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens has pleaded not guilty to charges he lied about accepting more than a quarter of a million dollars worth of gifts from a powerful oilfield contractor.

In the midst of his re-election bid, lawyers for the Senate's longest-serving Republican maintained Stevens' innocence at his afternoon arraignment in federal court in Washington.

Stevens, wearing a cream colored suit, did not speak when U.S. District Judge Emmet G. Sullivan asked for his plea. Stevens' attorney, Brendan Sullivan, answered for him.

Prosecutors say the Alaska Republican accepted more than $250,000 in house renovations and gifts from contractors but didn't disclose them on Senate financial records.

Wants speedy trial in Alaska
Stevens' legal team asked the judge Thursday to move the trial to Alaska, where the senator has been a political patron since before statehood. Attorney Sullivan also asked that the trial date be speeded up to give Stevens his day in court before the Nov. 4 election.

"He'd like to clear his name before the election," Sullivan told the judge. He added: "This is not a complex case. It should be one that moves quickly."

Stevens sat impassively at a witness table in the courtroom and whispered with his attorneys.

Prosecutors said they did not object to a trial date in late September.

"That is absolutely fine," said prosecutor Brenda K. Morris.

Judge Sullivan said he would consider the unusually fast trial schedule. He was meeting with his law clerks Thursday afternoon and was scheduled to reconvene court later.

Stevens had been scheduled to appear at a pretrial services office earlier Thursday, to be interviewed by court officials but, under an unusual arrangement, he arrived for that meeting Wednesday afternoon, avoiding the media attention. U.S. Marshal George Walsh, whose office is in charge of booking defendants, said he was unaware of the arrangement until Thursday and was disappointed that it would appear Stevens received special treatment.

Pretrial meeting on Wednesday
Court spokeswoman Jenna Gatski said Stevens made an early appointment with a pretrial services officer. Though a judge's order called for Stevens to appear for that meeting Thursday, Gatski said the pretrial office sets its own schedule. Stevens appeared late Wednesday afternoon but within business hours.

Stevens, a former federal prosecutor, has said little about the corruption investigation that has dogged him for more than a year.

The indictment is a blow to the senator's re-election bid. Once a seemingly invincible political figure, he now faces both Democratic and Republican challengers who hope his legal woes make him vulnerable.

Some GOP colleagues have distanced themselves from Stevens. A spokeswoman for John McCain's presidential campaign said Wednesday that the indictment was a "sad reminder" that the next president will have to work to rebuild the public's trust.

Nicolle Wallace said McCain and Stevens famously clashed over the appropriation process. McCain regularly says on the presidential campaign trail that appropriations are subject to corruption that causes voters to lose faith in government.

Maintained his innocence
Stevens has steadfastly maintained his innocence, and his campaign has pledged that Stevens will press on with his re-election race.

He would have to ask U.S. District Judge Emmet G. Sullivan for permission to travel. Stevens was expected to remain free while he campaigns and attends to Senate business, but Sullivan was to decide what rules the senator must abide by while he awaits trial.

Stevens, 84, is accused of concealing more than $250,000 in gifts and home remodeling services he received from VECO Corp., a once powerful contracting firm. Two top VECO executives have pleaded guilty to bribing state lawmakers. The executives cooperated with the FBI and provided information about Stevens.

If convicted, he faces up to five years in prison on each of seven counts.

The indictment stops short, however, of charging Stevens with bribery or other traditional corruption charges. Despite winning cooperation from the VECO executives and searching the senator's home, the Justice Department said it could not prove a this-for-that corruption case.

His indictment is the culmination of an FBI investigation that for years has sent tremors through Alaska's political system. Several state lawmakers have been charged and others, including Stevens' son, Ben, remain under scrutiny.


Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25951568/

Sourced link-ification. (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25951568)

I, for one, would be glad to see this. As long as the prosecution is careful to prevent die-hard Bridge-to-Nowhere advocates from getting onto the jury, I think that Alaskans might finally get the slap-in-face wake-up call that they have desperately needed for repeatedly sending this man to Congress.