As Stevens Heads To Trial For Corruption, What Did VECO Get?Stevens Helped VECO Receive $95 Million In Federal Contracts – More Than 90% Went To Projects Outside Of Alaska Alaska Democrats Relaunch RetireTed.Com As Source For Latest Information On Stevens’ Corruption Trial Anchorage, Alaska – As jury selection is set to begin on Monday in the seven felony count case against Senator Ted Stevens in relation to accepting illegal gifts, the Alaska Democratic Party issued a new report documenting what exactly VECO got. Yesterday, the judge in Stevens’ federal trial ruled against Stevens’ motion to restrict evidence having to do with VECO. Since 2000, Stevens has helped VECO and its subsidiaries receive more than $95 million for a total of 190 federal contracts. More than 90 percent of VECO’s federal contracts went to projects outside of Alaska. These federal dollars are in addition to other favors and political influence Stevens used to aid VECO. “While Senator Stevens’ upcoming corruption trial has displayed what he got from VECO – a remodeled chalet, new car for his daughter, and a Viking gas grill – the question remains, what did VECO get from Stevens,” said Bethany Lesser, spokeswoman for the Alaska Democratic Party. “When you add up all the contracts, earmarks, and influence, it is clear Stevens helped VECO at the expense of Alaska families. Stevens took illegal gifts from VECO, and that is inexcusable. Stevens was sent to Washington to help Alaska, not himself and his friends.” According to Stevens’ felony indictment, during the period that Stevens accepted services from VECO, he also “received and accepted solicitations for multiple official actions from Allen and other VECO employees” who knew that “Stevens could and did use his official position on behalf of VECO.” According to USA Today, “U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan refused to throw out the Stevens indictment or stop federal prosecutors from presenting evidence about his discussions with or work concerning interests of an Alaska oil pipeline services company.” Evidently, when it comes to VECO, Stevens feels he has something to hide from Alaskans. VECO federal has received more than $30 billion in federal contracts, to date. This includes funding steered by Stevens for projects VECO had no previous experience in, including $170 million from the National Science Foundation for logistics and support for polar research. Then there are the earmarks, including $2.5 million to train Russian oil field workers instead of Alaskans for VECO employment. Then there is Stevens’ political influence. Stevens blocked legislation to help VECO get paid by Pakistani government. Stevens allowed the amendment lifting the sanctions on Pakistan to go through only after getting assurances from Pakistan that it would let the World Bank arbitrate the dispute. Whether it was a federal contact, earmark, or political favor, VECO had a yes-man in Stevens. Today the Alaska Democratic Party also relaunched the RetireTed.Com website as a source for the latest information on Stevens’ upcoming corruption trial. RetireTed.Com was originally made public on October 23, 2007. Stevens was recently named one of the 20 most corrupt lawmakers in the country by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. On July 30, Stevens was indicted on seven felony counts related to accepting illegal gifts valued at more than $250,000 from VECO. As a result of the indictment, Stevens was forced to resign his seniority on committees, including ranking member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee and ranking member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense. The Alaska Democratic Party has called on Stevens to step down from his Senate seat, retire, and focus on his legal issues. Click here to read the Stevens and VECO report # # # |
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