More Deep-Doo-Doo for Stevens

[Laura PourMeADrink]

http://www.capitolhillblue.com/cont/node/3072

Senator, aide may have broken law

Alaska Republican Senator Ted Stevens (AP Photo)

By LARRY MARGASAK

A Senate aide who handled Sen. Ted Stevens' personal bills did not report any payments from his personal funds, raising questions about whether the two violated gift restrictions or federal law.

Barbara Flanders, a financial clerk at the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, is cooperating in a corruption investigation of the lawmaker. The Associated Press reported Tuesday that Flanders is cooperating in the probe of Stevens' dealings with a wealthy Alaska contractor.

In her public financial disclosure form for 2006, Flanders checked the "No" box when asked whether she or her spouse had earned income of more than $200 beyond her Senate salary.

Income received from Stevens, R-Alaska, would be reportable under Senate rules.

If she was not paid for the personal work, it could be considered a gift that Stevens would have to report on his annual disclosure forms. He has not reported gifts from Flanders, a longtime aide who also has worked in the senator's personal office.

Flanders did not return calls seeking her comment.

Stevens' spokesman, Aaron Saunders, said in an e-mailed statement: "As the former chairman of the Senate Ethics and Rules Committees, Senator Stevens has vast knowledge and experience with the Senate rules. He has long-standing office policies that are consistent with these rules, including personally compensating staff members for performing tasks that are outside their official duties."

Saunders said Flanders has not worked in Stevens' personal office since 2005 when she switched to the committee's payroll.

Stevens, 83, is the committee's top Republican and the longest-serving GOP senator in history. He has been in the Senate since 1968.

Flanders testified under subpoena in the past few weeks and provided documents regarding the senator's bills, according to a lawyer in the case who spoke on condition of anonymity because grand jury matters are secret.

Investigators are scrutinizing Stevens' relationship with oil field services contractor Bill Allen, who helped oversee a renovation project that more than doubled the size of Stevens' Alaska home in 2000.

Allen's company, VECO Inc., won tens of millions of dollars in federal contracts. Allen has pleaded guilty to bribing Alaska lawmakers.

Investigators, including FBI and Internal Revenue Service agents, raided Stevens' home Monday. They photographed and videotaped its contents and left with a garbage bag full of unidentified items.

U.S. law prohibits a federal employee from giving a gift to a superior. The law also would bar Stevens from accepting a gift from an employee receiving less pay.

Lawmakers are prohibited from accepting anything of value from someone whose interests may be substantially affected by the performance of the lawmaker's official duties. In this case, Flanders' job and her duties could be affected by Stevens' official actions.

Senate gift rules are somewhat conflicting. But the Senate has long held that federal law trumps congressional standards of conduct.

more....

[zbdent]

1. Is he still pissed because those 50 people didn't get their bridge?

Although Alaska still got the $200 Million ... which a small portion of that could have saved what (at this count) amounts to 10 percent of the population of the island the Alaskan bridge might have served ...

[Richard Steele]

2. FRY his crooked ass! K&R

[Virginia Dare]

3. I hope come New Year's Eve we'll be throwing frog march parties..

it could be fun, come in your orange jump suits and masks of your favorite frog marched politician.

[B Calm]

4. Bush will end up pardoning him...

[lonestarnot]

5. He's covered in it about now!