Stevens found guilty in Alaska!

[JoeChalupa]

Just heard it on MSNBC.

[xrayzebra]

Are you really surprised Joe?

[JoeChalupa]

Are you really surprised Joe?

No, not really but you never know these days.

[Sportcamper]

Should of had the trial moved to LA if he wanted to get off...

[xrayzebra]

That's true. Now if we could just get Barney and his other barnyard friends
in front of a judge, we might just get something done in Washington.

[xrayzebra]

Should of had the trial moved to LA if he wanted to get off...

Hey friend, did you get my email the last few days???

[boutons_]

So is pitbull bitch also guilty by association of pal-ing around with a Repug politician convicted of corruption, to along with her upcoming citation for ethical violations?

[RandomGuy]

DUN DUN DUN

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/stevens_trial

WASHINGTON – Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens was convicted of seven corruption charges Monday in a trial that tainted the 40-year Senate career of Alaska's political patriarch.

The verdict, coming just days before Election Day, adds further uncertainty to a closely watched Senate race. Democrats hope to seize the once reliably Republican seat as part of their bid for a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate.

Stevens, 84, was convicted of all seven charges he faced of lying about free home renovations and other gifts he received from a wealthy oil contractor. Jurors began deliberating Wednesday at noon.

Stevens faces up to five years in prison on each count when he is sentenced Jan. 26, but under federal sentencing guidelines, he is likely to receive much less prison time, if any.

The monthlong trial revealed that employees for oil services company VECO Corp. transformed the senator's modest mountain cabin into a modern, two-story home with wraparound porches, a sauna and a wine cellar. Stevens never paid for VECO's work.

The Senate's longest-serving Republican, Stevens said he had no idea he was getting freebies. He said he paid $160,000 for the project and said he believed that covered everything.

Stevens asked for an unusually speedy trial, hoping he'd be exonerated in time to return to Alaska and win re-election. He kept his campaign going and gave no indication that he had a contingency plan in case of conviction.

Despite being a convicted felon, he is not required to drop out of the race or resign from the Senate. If he wins re-election, he can continue to hold his seat because there is no rule barring felons from serving in Congress. The Senate could vote to expel Stevens on a two-thirds vote.

"Put this down: That will never happen — ever, OK?" Stevens said in the weeks leading up to his trial. "I am not stepping down. I'm going to run through and I'm going to win this election.

Democrats, who are hoping to capture a filibuster-proof Senate majority, have jumped at the chance to seize the once reliably Republican seat. They have invested heavily in the race, running television advertisements starring fictional FBI agents and featuring excerpts from wiretaps.

Stevens' conviction hinged on the testimony of Bill Allen, the senator's longtime drinking and fishing buddy. Allen, the founder of VECO, testified that he never billed his friend for the work on the house and that Stevens knew he was getting a deal.

Stevens spent three days on the witness stand, vehemently denying that allegation. He said his wife, Catherine, paid every bill they received.

Living in Washington, thousands of miles away, made it impossible to monitor the project every day. Stevens relied on Allen to oversee the renovations, he said, and his friend deceived him by not forwarding all the bills.

Stevens is a legendary figure in Alaska, where he has wielded political influence since before statehood. His knack for steering billions of dollars in federal money to his home state has drawn praise from his constituents and consternation from budget hawks.

[RandomGuy]

What do you mean, you can't borrow a chair for 7 years?

Scratch one more Republican senator.

[only1wwff]

84 and goin' to prison for 5 years...never let your drinking buddy retile your bathroom...it'll cost ya

[RandomGuy]

If he wins re-election, he can continue to hold his seat because there is no rule barring felons from serving in Congress.



WTF???


What about a rule saying "if you just got convicted of a felony, and will have to spend most of your term in jail, then GTFO."

[ElNono]

I'll bet $20 he won't get any time. When you're in government, crime pays.
But I'm certainly glad this idiot that once tried to describe the internet as 'a series of tubes' is out of the picture.

[DarrinS]

Who?

[RandomGuy]

Who?

Republican Senator from Alaska.

Been a senator since the territory was granted statehood.

Good example of how power corrupts over time.

[only1wwff]

I'll bet $20 he won't get any time. When you're in government, crime pays.
But I'm certainly glad this idiot that once tried to describe the internet as 'a series of tubes' is out of the picture.

I don't think he'll get away with it this time...I'll bet $20 he gets made an example of...

[CluelessOldCodger]

Meh?

[Sportcamper]

Hal- I saw a video clip that I can not open at work…I will try to view it later from home…

[Galileo]

WTF???


What about a rule saying "if you just got convicted of a felony, and will have to spend most of your term in jail, then GTFO."

The U.S. Constitution was set up to protect the people from oppressive central government. One British tactic was to "convict" American leaders and then have them removed form office.

Senator Stevens is a victim of oppressive central government. I am no fan of the republicans, but this case stinks. For one thing, the charges are petty and it's been blown up into 7 felonies. It should be a civil case. The prosecution also rigged the trial by withholding vital exculpatory evidence. Stevens will likely win a new trial.

I suspect that Stevens was taken out because he opposes the neocon agenda. I hope he wins re-election and serves another term, Either from prison or on bail awaiting the appeals court ruling.

[PixelPusher]

Hal- I saw a video clip that I can not open at work…I will try to view it later from home…

D8oSlo1R9hA

[RandomGuy]

The U.S. Constitution was set up to protect the people from oppressive central government. One British tactic was to "convict" American leaders and then have them removed form office.

Senator Stevens is a victim of oppressive central government. I am no fan of the republicans, but this case stinks. For one thing, the charges are petty and it's been blown up into 7 felonies. It should be a civil case. The prosecution also rigged the trial by withholding vital exculpatory evidence. Stevens will likely win a new trial.

I suspect that Stevens was taken out because he opposes the neocon agenda. I hope he wins re-election and serves another term, Either from prison or on bail awaiting the appeals court ruling.

... as I said before, you can't tell me that he wasn't doing something a little bit shady when he tried to claim an expensive leather chair was "on loan" for 7 years.

Dude had a pattern of not quite reporting everything, probably out of some sense of entitlement.

This is simply a case of someone rationalizing unethical behavior, no more, no less.

[1369]

It's all Palin. She's a crafty one.

Think about it, she gets herself added to the McCain ticket knowing that he's got a snowball's chance to win, but she gets much needed exposure. Then she sees to it that Stevens gets convicted, but with only a week before election so it really doesn't do that much damage. Stevens wins reelection but cannot serve. Dems slaughter the GOP in the election and have the majority. Palin places herself in Steven's seat since he cannot serve. Rails against the establishment during the next four years as the "lone voice of conservative ideals" and makes the run for the presidency as the GOP and media darling because the country has spent the last four years recovering from the credit/housing problems.

She's a crafty one, that Palin is.

[Galileo]

... as I said before, you can't tell me that he wasn't doing something a little bit shady when he tried to claim an expensive leather chair was "on loan" for 7 years.

Dude had a pattern of not quite reporting everything, probably out of some sense of entitlement.

This is simply a case of someone rationalizing unethical behavior, no more, no less.

The so-called pattern is not germane to the charge at hand. Allen, the snitch, was at fault. He never turned the invoice over to Stevens. Stevens is not the first 84 year old man to overlook paperwork.

[implacable44]

and yet Charlie Rangel walks free

[RandomGuy]

The so-called pattern is not germane to the charge at hand. Allen, the snitch, was at fault. He never turned the invoice over to Stevens. Stevens is not the first 84 year old man to overlook paperwork.

... and the chair that Stevens swore up and down was "on loan"?

[baseline bum]

Despite being a convicted felon, he is not required to drop out of the race or resign from the Senate. If he wins re-election, he can continue to hold his seat because there is no rule barring felons from serving in Congress. The Senate could vote to expel Stevens on a two-thirds vote.

What the fuck? A felon can't vote but he can govern?

[ChumpDumper]

That's true. Now if we could just get Barney and his other barnyard friends
in front of a judge, we might just get something done in Washington.Why do you always turn threads to homosexuality?

[boutons_]

There will be an appeal.

He can afford it.

Appeal will drag on for years.

He won't do time or pay a fine.

He'll probably die before the appealing is exhausted.

====

pitbull bitch bringing down McNasty's ticket,

her ethics violations,

Stevens' conviction,

publicity for Alaskan Independence Party

publicity for weird-ass, made-up Alaskan cults attended by pitbull bitch

publicity about brave, manly-man, Alaskan "sportsmen" shooting animals from planes

Solidly Repug Alaska getting a couple of nice black eyes.

[RandomGuy]

The U.S. Constitution was set up to protect the people from oppressive central government. One British tactic was to "convict" American leaders and then have them removed form office.

Senator Stevens is a victim of oppressive central government. I am no fan of the republicans, but this case stinks. For one thing, the charges are petty and it's been blown up into 7 felonies. It should be a civil case. The prosecution also rigged the trial by withholding vital exculpatory evidence. Stevens will likely win a new trial.

I suspect that Stevens was taken out because he opposes the neocon agenda. I hope he wins re-election and serves another term, Either from prison or on bail awaiting the appeals court ruling.

So Ted Stevens is a victim of a conspiracy?

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HA!!!!!


"THEY" did it.


HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HA!!!

[RandomGuy]

The U.S. Constitution was set up to protect the people from oppressive central government. One British tactic was to "convict" American leaders and then have them removed form office.

Senator Stevens is a victim of oppressive central government. I am no fan of the republicans, but this case stinks. For one thing, the charges are petty and it's been blown up into 7 felonies. It should be a civil case. The prosecution also rigged the trial by withholding vital exculpatory evidence. Stevens will likely win a new trial.

I suspect that Stevens was taken out because he opposes the neocon agenda. I hope he wins re-election and serves another term, Either from prison or on bail awaiting the appeals court ruling.

on the other hand...


HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHA...

:lmao

[ChumpDumper]

If nothing else (and there is nothing else), Galileo is consistent in his lunacy.

[boutons_]

Colin Powell's recent endorsement of Stevens is yet another stain on Powell's public life.

[ChumpDumper]

And yet, the only public figure with higher positive ratings is Hussein himself.

[byrontx]

Too bade Rangel is not his cellmate.

[exstatic]

What do you mean, you can't borrow a chair for 7 years?

Scratch one more Republican senator.

That should make 6 automatic Dem gains: 5 retiring GOPs and one convicted felon.

McConnell, Dole, Norm Coleman, and Snowe are fighting for their lives.

[Wild Cobra]

The U.S. Constitution was set up to protect the people from oppressive central government. One British tactic was to "convict" American leaders and then have them removed form office.

Senator Stevens is a victim of oppressive central government. I am no fan of the republicans, but this case stinks. For one thing, the charges are petty and it's been blown up into 7 felonies. It should be a civil case. The prosecution also rigged the trial by withholding vital exculpatory evidence. Stevens will likely win a new trial.

I suspect that Stevens was taken out because he opposes the neocon agenda. I hope he wins re-election and serves another term, Either from prison or on bail awaiting the appeals court ruling.
Now I agree with part of what you say here. I agree he was 'taken out.' However, I would tend to believe by democrats rather than republicans. Either way, he is probably guilty and deserves to be out. I only wish the same standards of media and legal attention applied to democrats.

[Winehole23]

U.S. prosecutors in the case of the late Alaska Senator Ted Stevens repeatedly hid evidence that could have exonerated him from corruption charges, according to an investigative report released on Thursday that found misconduct by Justice Department lawyers.


The prosecutors intentionally withheld and concealed information from Stevens' defense lawyers that included witness statements, key details that could have undermined prosecutors' star witnesses and allowed false testimony to be presented during his 2008 trial, the report said.


Stevens' main defense attorney, Brendan Sullivan, "was not aware when he gave his opening statement, and never learned during or after the trial, that the prosecutors possessed evidence that directly corroborated Senator Stevens' defense," the report said.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/03/15/us-usa-crime-stevens-idUSBRE82E0S220120315

[coyotes_geek]

Even douchebags deserve a fair trial. The prosecutors in the case need to be, well, prosecuted.

[Winehole23]

for that very reason, they won't be. people might lose confidence.

[Wild Cobra]

for that very reason, they won't be. people might lose confidence.
I really hate to agree with you on this, but that is often how real life is. I wish I could have more confidence in our federal, state, and local governments.

[TheSullyMonster]

Now I agree with part of what you say here. I agree he was 'taken out.' However, I would tend to believe by democrats rather than republicans. Either way, he is probably guilty and deserves to be out. I only wish the same standards of media and legal attention applied to democrats.

You mean like blagojevich?

[Wild Cobra]

You mean like blagojevich?
Each case is different. Over the years, in my opinion based on observation, it appears it takes a great deal more evidence against a liberal or democrat before the M$M's are willing to take the story. The allegation alone seems to always put the conservative or republic in the crosshairs.