MEMO: Must-Answer Questions For Senator Ted StevensTO: Reporters; interested parties Since the FBI raided his Girdwood chalet more than a year ago, Senator Ted Stevens has adamantly refused to answer questions from Alaskans. Even Governor Sarah Palin has asked questions of Stevens, but those too went unanswered. Prosecutors have presented evidence showing that Stevens knowingly received gifts from VECO, never paid for them, and refused to disclose them. The trial has chronicled Stevens scheme to keep gifts secret. If Stevens takes the stand at his corruption trial, he owes Alaskans an honest explanation about what really happened. While Alaskans have waited for answers from Stevens about his activities, Stevens has developed quite a reputation for being short with reporters and leaving Alaskans in the dark. Stevens has claimed he’s innocent, but he hasn’t yet explained the charges of corruption against him. Stevens is accused of lying to Alaskans for seven years and scheming to cover up free renovations at his Girdwood chalet. Alaskans deserve honest answers from their Senator. Questions Senator Stevens must answer: 1. Given the fact that, prior to his indictment, Stevens managed billions of dollars through his leadership positions on both the Senate Appropriations and Commerce Committees, why couldn’t he manage the finances on his Girdwood chalet? 2. Stevens repeatedly thanked Bill Allen for his work on the Girdwood chalet. Stevens knew the details about some of his household bills – for example, he knew what was paid for cable and an exterminator. After seeing that VECO was never paid out of the chalet account, why didn’t Stevens pay Allen? 3. When an Anchorage reporter called his Senate office in 2004 seeking information on the renovation, why didn’t Stevens look into the matter and answer honestly, rather than brush it off? Why didn’t Stevens pay VECO at that point? 4. How can Stevens say he didn’t know the specifics of the remodeling of his Girdwood chalet when there are emails showing he was involved in many of the details? 5. Why did Stevens never follow up on the bills he asked for? 6. Did Stevens often ask for bills just to give the appearance he was paying for things? 7. In recordings, Stevens acknowledged his dealings looked suspicious enough to warrant an FBI investigation. What was Stevens doing that looked so suspicious, and why didn’t he rectify the situation to remove that cloud of suspicion? 8. What actions made Stevens comment that he might “…run up a bunch of legal fees . . . might pay a fine, may spend a little time in jail”? Do innocent people really talk about going to jail? 9. Repeatedly since his indictment, Stevens has argued that there is no public interest in filling out his disclosure forms. If the purpose of the forms is to maintain public confidence in the Senate, why doesn’t he think that the public has a right to know? 10. Bill Allen and Bob Persons are Stevens’ close friends. Given that they had frequent communication with him, how could Stevens not know what Allen and Persons were doing at his Girdwood chalet? |
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