Senator Stevens: Under Investigation, Losing CloutOne week from today is the first anniversary of the federal raid on Senator Ted Stevens’ Girdwood home. There is a growing unease surrounding Stevens, from Alaska families to his colleagues in Washington, DC. Alaskans are unhappy with their representation in Congress and their reputation Outside. The latest polls show Alaskans disapprove of Stevens in the Senate. Stevens “friends” nationally and in Alaska are distancing themselves. And as Stevens loses clout, he has more and more trouble getting things done. It seems as though with Stevens under federal investigation, losing clout, and dropping in the polls, now would be a good time to answer some questions for the people he works for – Alaska families. However, Stevens refuses to answer questions, continuing to leave Alaskans in the dark about everything from his investigation by the FBI to how he pays his legal bills. Alaskans have had enough of the secret, closed-door, business as usual – they want and deserve real answers.
On July 30, 2007, Stevens’ home was raided by FBI and IRS agents as part of a court authorized search warrant. It has been 359 days since the raid on Senator Stevens’ home and he still refuses to discuss the case or how he is paying for his legal fees.
Stevens Is Under Federal Investigation…
Senator Stevens Is Under Federal Investigation. As USA Today reported, “VECO Corp., the company at the heart of the federal investigation of Sen. Ted Stevens, has been a political player in Alaska for years. Its executives have forged ties with the state’s political leaders, hosted campaign fundraisers and given hundreds of thousands in campaign contributions. . . One construction project involving the longest-serving Republican in the U.S. Senate is bringing national attention to VECO. The company and its then-CEO Bill Allen oversaw a 2000 project that more than doubled the size of Stevens’ home in Girdwood, Alaska, contractors have told the Anchorage Daily News and other newspapers.” [USA Today, 8/1/2007]
In July Of 2007, The FBI Raided Senator Stevens’ Girdwood Home. According to the Anchorage Daily News, “Federal law enforcement agents raided U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens’ Alaska home in Girdwood on Monday, hauling off undisclosed items from inside and taking extensive pictures and video. . . Federal investigators and grand juries in Anchorage and Washington, D.C., have been seeking information about a remodeling project at Stevens’ Girdwood home that occurred in 2000. The project, which more than doubled the size of the house, was overseen by VECO CEO Bill Allen. Two months ago, Allen pleaded guilty to bribing state lawmakers and agreed to cooperate with authorities. VECO vice president Richard Smith pleaded guilty to identical charges.” [Anchorage Daily News, 7/31/2007]
And He Has Already Told The Media That As A Result He Is Not As Effective A Senator As He Used To Be…
Stevens Admits The Investigations Have Hurt His Effectiveness As Senator. According to a KTUU report, Sen. Ted Stevens admitted to worrying about the impact of adverse publicity in the wake of investigations into his son, former state senator Ben Stevens’ business dealings with Adak fisheries. Stevens lashed out at the news media when questioned during a 2005 press conference: “What you have effectively done is decreased my effectiveness as an Alaskan senator. Whether you know it or not, I’m responsible for $3 billion a year that goes into the Alaskan economy. My ability to do that is now questioned.” [Ethics Investigations Could Hurt State Economy, KTUU, 8/6/2007]
And Some High Profile Alaskans Have Made It Clear How They Feel About Stevens…
The Day After Stevens Home Was Raided, Governor Palin Says Investigation Is A “Wake-Up Call” To Demand More From Elected Officials. Alaska GOP Gov. Sarah Palin was quoted as saying the corruption investigations are “a wake-up call for Alaska to demand better from its elected and appointed officials.” She continues to say, “My concerns…are that any culture of corruption that exists, what does this do to our kids? I’m worried about what it’s doing to our next generation of leaders who will be voting soon.” [Associated Press, 8/1/2007]
Governor Palin Said That Change Is Necessary For Alaska To Be “Taken Seriously”, “Given More Authority”, And Have The Opportunity “To Develop” Alaska. In an extended interview with the Anchorage Daily News, Gov. Sarah Palin explained, “My interpretation of it is that Alaska has got to change its image. … We need to be taken seriously so that we are given more credence and more authority here and we are provided more opportunities to develop our state. The only way that we are going to be able to gain the trust of the rest of the United States … is to prove that we can do things right and honestly and transparently and Sen. Stevens knows that has been my message.” [Palin Foresees Positive Change in Alaska Politics, Anchorage Daily News, 9/2/2007]
Governor Palin Called On Stevens To Break Silence After FBI Raid. Gov. Sarah Palin said that she and Alaskans are owed a more thorough explanation from U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens about why he is under federal investigation. “Right now, Alaskans aren’t hearing anything,” Palin said, adding that she and many of the state’s residents are willing to give Stevens more leeway than most people because of the Republican senator’s long service to Alaska. “But not hearing anything in terms of information that can be shared regarding the senator’s innocence is kind of frustrating for Alaskans,” Palin said. “Alaskans are getting more anxious to hear any information that he can provide regarding his innocence.” Palin first expressed her concerns Thursday to a reporter with National Public Radio, who spoke to her after she dropped in on the federal corruption trial of former state Rep. Pete Kott. [Governor urges Stevens to break his silence, Anchorage Daily News, 9/22/2007]
Senator Murkowski Recognized That Stevens’ Investigation Was Not Good News For Alaska. According to the Anchorage Daily News, “There has been a very intense media scrutiny on Alaska,” Murkowski said. “And it’s one thing if you read about it in our own newspapers or hear about it on the 6 o’clock news. It’s another thing when you see the media reports coming out of New York and the Washington Post. We all want coverage to be good about our state. And I acknowledge that it is not particularly good news for Alaska.” [Anchorage Daily News, 8/5/2007]
Author Of Alaska Constitution “Very Disgusted” With Current Lawmakers And Their “Cozy Relationship With Oil Industry.” Vic Fischer, one of the original authors of the Alaska State Constitution concluded that “the state is reaping what it sowed from years of lax oversight and a cozy relationship with the oil industry.” He continued saying, “Greed is rampant. The character of the politicians has changed a lot. I’m very disgusted. It’s not so much a matter of betrayal. It’s more a matter of sadness and concern, but most of all disgust.” [Associated Press, 8/1/2007]
And They Aren’t The Only Ones Talking About Stevens These Days…
National Strategists Said Stevens At Risk Of Losing His Seat. Roll Call reported in 2007 that United States Sen. Ted Stevens, facing FBI and IRS investigations, raised the risk factor of losing his senate seat. [Get Your Scandal Sheet Here!, Roll Call, 11/6/2007]
Ø Some Alaskans Feel Corruption & “Arrogance Of Power Have Gotten The Best” Of Stevens. Roll Call reported on reaction to Stevens’ investigation from Rebecca Braun, the publisher and editor of Alaska Budget Report. “Alaskans are fundamentally conflicted about Stevens,” she said. Some feel “that enough is enough - that he did a lot for Alaska but that corruption and the arrogance of power have gotten the best of him.” [Get Your Scandal Sheet Here!, Roll Call, 11/6/2007]
Stevens Might Be In “Serious Trouble.” Roll Call reported that despite Sen. Ted Stevens’ length and record of service, “for the first time since he was appointed to office in 1968, he might be in serious trouble with his electorate.” The investigation coupled with “some of his well-publicized antics on the Senate floor (who can forget his contention that the Internet is a “series of tubes”?), have brought unwanted media attention to Stevens.” [Scandals Could Topple Alaska's GOP Giants, Roll Call, 11/5/2007]
Stevens Damaged GOP Image. Roll Call reported that the investigation of Stevens and Young are damaging the image of the GOP. “Despite efforts to scrub themselves of the ethical stain that hurt them in the 2006 elections…Republicans may still be plagued by scandal in 2008. Sen. Ted Stevens (R) and Rep. Don Young (R) of Alaska are embroiled in the Justice Department’s wide-ranging corruption probe into oil-services giant VECO.” [Ethics Reform, Roll Call, 1/22/2008]
GOP Blames Stevens For Causing “Headache” For Party. A Roll Call article reported Stevens received a “cool” reception from fellow GOP senators when he returned to the Hill in the wake of the investigation. “GOP Senators acknowledged the allegations surrounding the Stevens scandal are unwelcome after what’s become an endless string of public relations headaches for the party.” [Support for Stevens Tepid, Roll Call, 8/1/2007]
DeMint Compared Stevens’ Investigation To Convicted Duke Cunningham. Sen. Jim DeMint was quoted by Roll Call stating that Stevens’ investigations “are part of a broader problem with the culture in Washington, D.C., and linked the controversy to the ongoing fight over earmarking. ‘It has been with Duke Cunningham who basically had a ‘here’s how much you have to give me for a certain level of earmarks and that’s just what we discovered. I think for years on some level it’s been going on with staff. As long as we can throw around millions of dollars, that’s where the corruption comes from.’ ” [Support for Stevens Tepid, Roll Call, 8/1/2007]
And Even Though Stevens May Not Be Talking, Its No Secret He’s In Trouble…
Ø “Sen. Ted Stevens and Rep. Don Young of Alaska are embroiled in the Justice Department’s wide-ranging corruption probe into oil-services giant VECO” [Roll Call, 1/22/2008]
Ø “FBI and IRS agents raided Stevens’ Girdwood, Alaska home as part of a massive federal investigation into state and federal corruption in the state.” [Roll Call, 7/17/2007]
Ø Alaska Senator’s Home Is Raided [Washington Post, 7/31/2007]
Ø “Stevens’ ties to oil industry contractor is focus of probe” [USA Today, 8/1/2007]
Ø “Sen. Stevens Tied To Bribery Probe” [Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 6/8/2007]
Ø “Now, father and son share a new, unwelcome distinction. Both are under investigation by the Justice Department” [New York Times, 8/10/2007]
Ø “Like Father, Like Son, Even When They Are Under Suspicion” [New York Times, 8/10/2007]
Ø Search warrant served; FBI, IRS examine residence; remodeling job under scrutiny [Anchorage Daily News, 7/31/2007]
Ø D.C. grand jury examines Stevens’ ties to VECO [Anchorage Daily News, 7/17/2007]
Ø “Alaska graft scandal widens, Politicians shake ties to contractor, questionable cash” [Fort Wayne Journal Gazette, 10/5/2007]
Ø “In Alaska, scandal flows like crude; Many probes lead to oilman Bill J. Allen. The scope is threatening to reshape the state’s political landscape” [Los Angeles Times, 8/17/2007]
Ø “Allen Says He Paid for Work on Stevens’ Home” [Roll Call, 9/17/2007]
Ø “Contracts, ties to Stevens probed” [Seattle Times, 8/16/2007]
Ø “Stevens scrutiny mounts” [Anchorage Daily News, 8/1/2007]
Ø “Feds Eye Money Used for Wildlife Center” [Associated Press, 8/1/2007]
Ø “SeaLife was good deal for ex-aide to Stevens” [Anchorage Daily News, 2/10/2008]
Ø “Iconic senator, Alaska politics under siege” [Seattle Times, 8/5/2007]
Ø “Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens hires lawyers in corruption probe” [Associated Press, 6/7/2007]
Ø “Investigations hang over key Alaska political figures” [Anchorage Daily News, 7/11/2008]
Ø “Probe May Alter Face of Alaskan Politics” [Washington Post, 8/26/2007]
Ø “Scrutinized Investment Made Senator $822,000″ [Los Angeles Times, 6/15/2005]
Ø “Support for Stevens Tepid” [Roll Call, 8/1/2007] |
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