Will Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK) Resign This Week? He finally has his road to nowhere.

[L. Coyote]

Ted Stevens may not want to comment, but I want to howl about his bribes. Why don't rich corporations remodel my home. Simple, I have no Senate votes or earmarks to sell. It is a "quid pro quo" world out there, out where bridges go nowhere.

==================
http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/cats/ted_stevens/

Stevens: No Comment On New Bribery Charges
By Laura McGann - September 14, 2007, 3:46 PM

I just spoke with Sen. Ted Stevens' (R-AK) spokesman Aaron Saunders who said they are not commenting on the recent testimony from Bill Allen. Saunders said they are standing by the old statement they put out when Stevens' home was raided by the FBI. That statement, declaring that Stevens won't comment on the investigation "until it has concluded," ...

Stevens wasn't so disciplined, declaring that he'd paid "every bill that was given to us" as part of the home renovation. With Allen's testimony today, that line is looking more and more like the artful dodge it was suspected to be.....

=========================
WELL, paid "every bill that was given to us" is an obvious parse-lie for "I did not give or get bills for the bribes."

=========================
former Veco CEO Bill Allen testified ... acknowledged that the more than $400,000 he admitted spending in the bribery charge was for other legislators - and including for work done at the Girdwood, Alaska, home of Stevens, the longest serving Republican in the U.S. Senate.

"I gave Ted some old furniture," Allen said. "I don't think there was a lot of material, There was some labor."

The workers were VECO employees, probably one to four at a time, Allen said. He said the work on the home lasted for "probably a couple of months." Later, he said it might have been as much as six months.

Update: To clarify, according to Bill Allen's plea deal, he admitted to giving more than $400,000 worth of "illegal benefits" to politicians and their families.

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/2007/09/oil_exec_workers_remodeled_ste.php

==========================
Well, that should be the end of another Culture of Corruption Republican's Congressional career. When he leaves, and where he does time are my remaining questions. He should resign this week. Who cares which prison he ends up in? The Senator finally has his road to nowhere before him. Time to take the sunset ride.

[fedupfisherman]

1. Doubt he will

Stevens is a crook

[babylonsister]

2. Stick a fork in him; I don't know when, but soon. nt

[L. Coyote]

11. Yeah, he is done!

With so many scandals, it is taking the news cycle a bit to catch up to this. Ten years ago, this would have been all headlines for days!

[Swamp Rat]

3. He's on an Inter-Tube to nowhere.

:D

[Blue_In_AK]

4. L. Coyote, did you see my thread here for the local coverage...

I love the line about "gasps emerged around the crowded courtroom." :rofl:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=1815585&mesg_id=1815585

[L. Coyote]

6. THANKS. I missed it. == Allen says Veco paid for part of Stevens' remodel

Blue_In_AK Sat Sep-15-07 01:47 PM
Local coverage of Alaska Republican corruption trial...
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x1815585

Allen says Veco paid for part of Stevens' remodel
BOMBSHELL: Courtroom gasps could be heard during testimony.

By RICHARD MAUER and LISA DEMER
Anchorage Daily News = http://www.adn.com/news/politics/fbi/story/9305230p-9218615c.html

Published: September 15, 2007
Last Modified: September 15, 2007 at 02:41 AM

Former Veco chairman Bill Allen might have been on the witness stand to present bribery evidence against a state legislator, but the biggest shock of the day -- perhaps the entire trial -- was his assertion Friday that he or his company financed a substantial portion of the remodeling of U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens' Girdwood home.

As he testified for the third day in the bribery, extortion and conspiracy trial of former House Speaker Pete Kott, R-Eagle River, gasps emerged around the crowded courtroom when Allen admitted he provided workers and some material for the 2000 building project that doubled the size of Stevens' official residence.

And that was only one of the revelations outside the scope of Kott's specific charges. Another former Veco official, Rick Smith, followed Allen to the witness stand and was asked by one of the prosecutors, Nicholas Marsh, to name the legislators whom he bribed. "That would be Vic Kohring, Pete Kott and Bruce Weyhrauch," Smith said, naming three former House Republicans who have already been indicted.

"And the state Senate -- did you plead guilty to bribing anyone in the state Senate?" Marsh asked. "That would be Ben Stevens and John Cowdery," Smith responded, naming two Anchorage Republicans. One is Sen. Ted Stevens' son and the former Senate president, the other a current sitting senator.

<snip>

Allen's role in the remodeling has been the subject of widespread speculation since May, when the Daily News reported that it had become part of the far-reaching FBI investigation into Alaska political corruption. Ted Stevens denied wrongdoing and the FBI refused to comment, though in July FBI and IRS agents spent nearly 12 hours searching the house and documenting the addition.

In response to cross examination by Jim Wendt, Kott's attorney, who was seeking to discredit Allen and minimize the role that Kott played in the scandal, Allen testified that one to four Veco employees worked for months on the project. He also acknowledged Veco paid some of the contractors and that it supplied some of the furniture.

.....

[roguevalley]

9. blue, I was listening to Blue State of Mind on KUDO and the gal ...

shannon? ... she says that the AP guy called her and said that when allen said that, everyone who was a reporter jumped up and ran out to send it out. Ted won't quit. He will go out kicking and screaming. I doubt that he will cop a plea to save his kid like allen is doing. he has no guts. he will be the last dog hung.

[Blue_In_AK]

10. You have to kind of admire Bill Allen for falling on his sword

to protect his family. I agree Ted will never do that. Do you think, like we do, that the feds are waiting to indict Ben until Ted has been neutered, so to speak? I can't think of any other reason for the delay unless they're still gathering up the multiple counts.

And what about that old fat-ass Cowdery? Why hasn't he been indicted?

[roguevalley]

30. agreed. I don't know about Cowdry but I agree about Ben. :)

[Tom Joad]

5. Whenever Bill Allen tapped his foot, Ted Stevens would reach under the stall and wave wildly.

[Justitia]

7. Unfortunately not even a wooden stake thru the heart gets rid of these vampires.

Drama Queen Ted will steadfastly refuse to leave and continue to lie his ass off every day about it.

On CNN today, they said that the repukes thought he'd easily get re-elected, even after this. Sickeningly, as far as AK politics go, I have to agree it's a good chance he would.

[L. Coyote]

13. And Faux said the White House is in NY. Like we can believe the MSM!

Seriously, the opening line for Faux News' big ALERT "In NY, a stormy day on Penn. Ave...." Rich, sooo RICH

The VIDEO: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x54545

[Toots]

22. As far as I have heard there is no Democrat in Alaska even willing to run against him.

Stevens is a shoe-in to get re-elected again. Alaskans are not especially bright people, ( very red state) except for the fact they love getting all that government largess that has consistantly rolled in since Stevens and Young have been there. They are the Kings of Pork, there is no doubt about that. I believe Alaska brings home more Federal dollars per person than any other state. It will take more than this to stop Stevens I think..

[L. Coyote]

23. Someone is being courted by the Dems. Both seats are vulnerable. AND Santa is a big Crook!

In the courtroom, jaws dropped, people gasped, and reporters scurried for phones. Alaska got a collective jaw-dropping on Friday!

Everyone in Alaska found, all at once, that Santa is a big Crook! And, that he is going to jail too, of course. It may take a few days for the pundits to catch up on the shift in opinions.

AND, by the way, the people of Alaska are especially bright. Otherwise, they would all be frozen. They are not frozen politically either!

[Toots]

24. That is why they have a veto proof Republican Majority in their Legislature

I believe they are frozen. Frozen in time with no indication of any forward vision. They have the best climate for alternative energy research of any place in America. Huge tidal action, windy areas that never stop blowing, water everywhere but none used for energy. They have not invested a single dollar toward alternative energy research. They gave the oil industry over a hundred million dollars in cash just a few years ago ( Exxon has a net profit of over a hundrted million dollars a day) as "incentive" money to drill more wells. At the same time they cut a hundred million dollars from their senior funding..The richest Industry in the world really needed that Senior money from Alaska of that there is no doubt.

[Blue_In_AK]

26. Please do not paint with a broad brush.

And I just have to comment on the "more federal dollars per capita" thing that constantly gets thrown in our faces. There are approximately 650,000 people in the entire state of Alaska, an area 1/5 the size of the rest of the country. Any federal project costs X amount of dollars, whether it's built in a state with 650,000 people or 6,500,000 people. Naturally, the 650,000 get more dollars per person -- it's simple math, nothing nefarious. In addition, Alaska has only been a state for 50 years. We had infrastructure needs that the other states have had for a long time. We still don't have roads to the vast majority of the state and probably never will.

And as for the stupid bridges to nowhere -- that was all Ted and Don. The people here aren't clamoring for a bridge, so please don't paint us all as greedy, stupid people. It's just not correct.

[Toots]

28. I don't disagree with you and you only make my point

People in Alaska believe they get the money justly and in fact they may but they do love getting it. As for bridge to nowhere, I never made any objection to it. In fact it is not to nowhere but to an Internation Airport located on an island next to Ketchikan. It is in fact the only International Airport in the entire United States that does not have road access to it. The only point I was making was that people in Alaska love Stevens and (not quite so much) Young and it will be extgremely hard if not impossible to vote them out. Alaska is a very red state and will go Republican when given the chance even though everyone knows the wrong candidate will get elected as in Murkowski for Governor. People knew when they voted that Fran was much better suited for the job but because he was Republican and she was Democrat he got elected and very few were happy about it.

[Blue_In_AK]

31. I think Fran's mistake was saying that she might have to

raise taxes. People do go bonkers here whenever anyone says the word "taxes," as you must know since I assume you have lived here, or may still, for all I know. A lot has changed here in the past five years since Murkowski was elected governor. He didn't become the least popular governor in the country for nothing. The love affair with the oil companies has soured somewhat since BP's troubles on the Slope, plus the fight over the profits tax, and these corruption trials have everyone pretty disgusted, as far as I can tell. I personally think Don Young is toast ... he might even get taken out in the primary like Frank did last year. Ted's a tougher nut to crack, but a lot can happen between now and next year. I'm personally hoping that Ethan Berkowitz takes him on.

I'll grant you that Alaska has been solidly Republican for quite a few years, but I remember a time when we were a Democratic state (before Big Oil), and I have not lost hope that it can happen again.

[annabanana]

8. That testy old toad? Naw...

He's more of a "dig in the heels and deny everything" kind of get...

[SidDithers]

12. The Hulk never resigns!...

Sid

[hang a left]

14. Not a chance.

My Fantasy Football team has a better chance of beating my league this week, and I have Daunte Culpepper starting.

[L. Coyote]

15. Perhaps he will decide to drag it out, and keep Republican corruption in the news.

But, this is so over now, I really think it is time to pack it in before winter and get back to that nice cabin the bribes built.

So, that brings up a new questions. Will the IRS step in with charges for undeclared income? Can the cabin be seized like when the police seize the ill-gotten wealth of other criminals?

[hang a left]

16. Well if you were an unconnected white civilian....

They seize all of your assets and force you to be represented by a public defender.

Stevens is an awfully powerful senator unfortunately. He is going down, just not yet. I think he plans on not going down alone and will call in all of his markers.

[L. Coyote]

17. Any attorneys who can address the seizure laws. Can we take his "cabin" as punishment?

[L. Coyote]

18. NY TIMES: Executive Describes Work on Senator’s Home = Sunday, 2007.09.16

Executive Describes Work on Senator’s Home
By WILLIAM YARDLEY - September 16, 2007
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/16/us/politics/16alaska.html?ref=us


SEATTLE, Sept. 14 — A major federal contractor in Alaska provided workers and paid contractors to do remodeling work on the home of Senator Ted Stevens, a former executive with the company testified.

The contractor, Bill J. Allen, the former chief executive of the company, the VECO Corporation, testified Friday in an Anchorage courtroom that the company provided up to four workers at a time for several months in 2000 to work on the expansion of Mr. Stevens’s home in Girdwood, Alaska, according to an Associated Press account of testimony in the trial of a former state lawmaker who is facing corruption charges.

.....

Mr. Allen has pleaded guilty to bribery and other corruption charges involving state lawmakers, including the senator’s son, Ben Stevens, the former president of the Alaska Senate.

One contractor who completed the bulk of the work on the house has said in interviews that he was told to send his invoices, totaling about $100,000, to VECO to be checked for accuracy, and that VECO then forwarded the bills to the senator.

Mr. Stevens has said that he paid all the bills he received and has denied wrongdoing.

.........................

[L. Coyote]

19. Ankorage Daily News: Former Veco VP has more to reveal = to testify Monday

Former Veco VP has more to reveal
Smith names bribe takers; to testify again Monday in trial of Pete Kott
By LISA DEMER - Sept. 16, 2007
http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/9307926p-9222390c.html


Witnesses in the corruption trial of former state Rep. Pete Kott have provided jarring testimony about secret dirty deals, payoffs to Kott, and the remodel of U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens' Girdwood home.

Most of the revelations have come out through dozens of secretly made recordings of cell phone calls and meetings in Suite 604 of the Baranof Hotel, the Juneau headquarters of Veco Corp. .....

The trial wrapped up its eighth day Friday and continues Monday.

Highlights so far: ..............

FRIDAY, SEPT. 14

The most startling moment of the trial comes when Allen reveals that he or Veco provided workers and material for the 2000 building project that doubled the size of Ted Stevens' residence in Girdwood. .........

[L. Coyote]

35. VECO official acknowledges organizing pig roast fundraiser for Rep. Don Young (R-AK)

VECO official acknowledges organizing fundraiser for Young
Associated Press - September 17, 2007 6:14 PM ET
http://www.ktuu.com/Global/story.asp?S=7087941

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - The corruption trial of a former Alaska state legislator continued today to pop out names of prominent national politicians.

Former VECO Vice President Rick Smith testified he was instrumental in organizing an annual pig roast fundraiser that brought in thousands of campaign dollars to Congressman Don Young.

Smith mentioned no wrongdoing in regard to Young. ....

... Allen and Smith pleaded guilty in May to bribing Alaska lawmakers, ....

[L. Coyote]

20. AP Exec: Workers Helped on Senator's Home

Exec: Workers Helped on Senator's Home
By DAN JOLING –
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5i_dWQBZvEAdfrB1CG-O8T_ozSv9Q


ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — In the latest sign of corruption problems for Republicans, a corporate executive testified Friday that his employees worked for months to remodel the Alaska home of Sen. Ted Stevens.

Stevens, the longest-serving Republican senator, is under scrutiny in a corruption investigation that also is targeting Alaska state officials.

Bill Allen, former chief executive of oil services company VECO, testified that he spent more than $400,000 to bribe state legislators and for work at Stevens' house in the ski resort town of Girdwood. He said VECO also paid at least two contractors, a plumber and a carpenter, for work on the house. The project in 2000 more than doubled the size of the four-bedroom structure.

.................

[L. Coyote]

21. WA POST: Work on Stevens House Detailed, Ex-CEO Testifies He Oversaw Project

Without question, the big papers have their sights on this story now!

===========================
Work on Stevens House Detailed
Ex-CEO Testifies He Oversaw Project
By Paul Kane, Staff Writer
Saturday, September 15, 2007; Page A03
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/14/AR2007091402145.html?hpid=moreheadlines


.... Sen. Ted Stevens (R) ... is under investigation in a federal probe of corruption among Alaska lawmakers.

Bill Allen, the former chief executive of Veco Corp., said he personally oversaw the rebuilding of Stevens's house .... yesterday was the first time that Allen, who has pleaded guilty to bribing state lawmakers in Anchorage, named Stevens publicly.

.....

Ted Stevens has told Alaska reporters that he paid every bill he received for the renovation. In a letter to a friend who is a former federal prosecutor, Stevens said he paid more than $130,000 for the renovations, according to the Seattle Times, which reported on the document.

Yesterday, Stevens said in a statement that he does not want to make any comment that might influence the investigation. "I urge Alaskans not to form conclusions based upon incomplete and sometimes incorrect reports in the media. The legal process should be allowed to proceed so that all the facts can be established and the truth determined," he said.

Federal investigators have been examining federal contracts awarded to Veco, particularly those from the National Science Foundation in 1999 and 2004. The 1999 contract was worth $45.4 million, while the second is worth as much as $93 million through 2011.

...........

[L. Coyote]

25. TIME: Exec Remodeled Senator's Home

Well, this news is really making the big TIME after all, just 24 hours slower than I expected. Albeit this is an AP posting, I expect Time is working on this too now.

======================
TIME: Exec Remodeled Senator's Home
AP Friday, Sep. 14, 2007 By DAN JOLING
http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1662117,00.html

(Anchorage, Alaska) — The former head of an oil field services company admitted Friday that he had employees work for several months on remodeling the home of Republican U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens.

[L. Coyote]

27. Ted Stevens currently under FBI AND IRS investigation. Stevens' son took bribes from VECO

Ted Stevens' son Ben took bribes from VECO
Senator son "worked" for VECO for over 10 years
http://alaskareport.com/news907/z46667_ben_stevens_implicated.htm

Anchorage, Alaska - .... Ben Stevens is under multiple criminal investigations for corruption and bribery ... payments were in exchange for giving advice, lobbying colleagues, and taking official acts in matters before the legislature ...

Stevens has also pocketed over $659,000 from the At-Sea Processors Association (APA) and other fisheries companies to serve as a "consultant" between 2000 and 2005. The APA, the Alaska Fisheries Marketing Board, and his father Senator Ted Stevens are all currently under FBI and IRS investigation. ....

[L. Coyote]

29. Sen. Stevens Mentioned in FBI Video

Stevens Mentioned in FBI Video
By MATT APUZZO – http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hKRLMJ5kALpjyP4o6IvHjkrA3vow


ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — During a secret meeting to discuss what prosecutors say was a dirty deal to keep Alaska oil taxes low, two oil contractors said they had a powerful ally coming to town who could help build support for the plan: Sen. Ted Stevens.

....

In the grainy video, VECO Corp. executives Bill Allen and Rick Smith can be heard talking about how to ensure passage of an oil tax bill. If approved, the bill would increase chances that a natural gas pipeline would be built, a deal that could mean huge profits for VECO.

Allen and Smith said they wanted to ensure Stevens was asked "good questions" that would steer him toward discussing the bill and the pipeline. The senator, Allen said, would make clear that "we need oil."

........

Days after the discussion on the videotape took place, Stevens arrived in Alaska to deliver his annual address to state lawmakers. He championed the pipeline project and said the tax bill would create a good investment climate to make that deal happen.

"This is something that must be done by this legislature, both oil pricing and the gas line. It's extremely important," Stevens said.

[L. Coyote]

32. Senate Prospects Continue to Worsen for GOP

Senate Prospects Continue to Worsen for GOP
By Reid Wilson - Sept. 17, 2007
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2007/09/senate_prospects_continue_to_w.html


In 1980, former California Governor Ronald Reagan beat incumbent President Jimmy Carter in a landslide so massive that eleven Democratic Senate seats went Republican along with the White House. Republicans knocked off a number of Senate lions, including Idaho's Frank Church, Indiana's Birch Bayh, South Dakota's George McGovern and Washington's Warren Magnuson.

Six years later, facing the second midterm election of an incumbent president, historically the worst election for the incumbent party, many of those freshmen Republicans didn't survive. Democrats, in 1986, won back nine seats and lost just one, recapturing the majority.

As more Republican Senators retire and more top-notch Democratic candidates emerge to contest GOP-held seats, many political observers say they see parallels between the 1986 elections and next year's battles. Like 1986, next year features races decided narrowly in Republicans' favor six years earlier. Like 1986, Republicans can't seem to catch a break. .......

The bleeding may not stop there. Thanks to ethics problems and continuing retirement rumors, Sens. Ted Stevens (R-AK) and Pete Domenici (R-NM) could create two more open seats for Republicans to defend, both of which would likely cause contentious primaries, while Democrats have been actively pursuing top nominees in case retirements come about. .......

[L. Coyote]

33. Republican Corruption Continues, Unabated...

September 16, 2007 at 21:07:38
Republican Corruption Continues, Unabated...
by Professor Emeritus Peter Bagnolo
http://www.opednews.com/articles/opedne_professo_070916_republican_corruptio.htm


The corruption charges leveled by Democrats at Republicans throughout the period leading to the 2006 Congressional election, continue and here is an analysis of events, which led to indictments and more investigations the last few months.

More Charges Coming?
Last year about this time the Democrats were looking forward to sweeping changes in the make-up of the congress following their campaign alleging the corruption of the Republican elected officials. Now, with a new election only about 13 months away the uncovering of corruption continues unabated.

The recent arrest of Republican Senator Larry Craig, Idaho, who though vacillating, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor after an undercover sting in an airport men's room, added to, Senator David Vitter, R-La., (not up for reelection, however) who confirmed that a Washington company, which was a beard for prostitution, had his phone number appearing in their records, and also the Senate Ethics Committee is investigating accusations that Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., attempted to influence a federal prosecutor in the election probe of some Democrats, continues to lend credence that Republican congressmen along with the President, feel that they are above the law.


It may be old news, but for Democrats it will be good news. It isn't just that Senator (Alaska) Ted Stevens and Former House Speaker of Alaska, Pete Kott, were alleged to have taken huge bribes from at least one oil services company ......

[L. Coyote]

34. CREW asks McConnell to remove Ted Stevens from committee assignments

It's Monday in DC and CREW is in the office.
Three biq cheers for Melanie Sloan and CREW.

=====================
CREW asks McConnell to remove Ted Stevens from committee assignments
September 17, 2007
http://alaskareport.com/news907/z46678_crew_stevens.htm


Washington, DC - A citizen watchdog group is asking that Alaska Senator Ted Stevens be removed from his committee assignments in light of the criminal investigations by the FBI and IRS.
A citizen watchdog group is asking that Alaska Senator Ted Stevens be removed from his committee assignments in light of the criminal investigations by the FBI and IRS.

Ted Stevens is under multiple criminal investigations for corruption, conspiracy, and bribery.

From a CREW press release: Today, Melanie Sloan, the executive director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), sent a letter to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) asking that he remove Senator Ted Stevens (R-AK) from his committee assignments and refer the criminal matters surrounding the FBI investigation into Sen. Stevens to the Senate Ethics Committee. .........

AlaskaReport's ongoing Alaska corruption coverage: .... (LOTS OF LINKS)

[L. Coyote]

36. Alaska Sen. Stevens Bribed With Home Remodel

September 18, 2007
Alaska Sen. Stevens Bribed With Home Remodel
http://www.corruptionchronicles.com/2007/09/alaska_sen_stevens_bribed_with.html

The longest serving Republican in the U.S. Senate took bribes in the form of a major home remodeling, according to the federal court testimony of an oil company chairman guilty of showering several lawmakers with nearly half a million dollars of “illegal benefits.”

Alaska Senator Ted Stevens has been implicated in the widespread corruption scheme for months but the court testimony--in the corruption trail of state House Speaker Pete Kott--marks the most damaging evidence against the veteran legislator who is also the state’s most powerful political figure.

As chairman of the major oil services company VECO, Bill Allen admitted that he committed extortion, conspiracy and bribery of legislators for giving various politicians and their families more than $400,000 worth of bribes. Among them was doubling the size of the senator’s Alaska home by paying for the labor and materials.

Allen testified that VECO employees performed the work to add a second story to the Stevens residence near Anchorage and the elaborate project took about half a year. ..........

[L. Coyote]

37. TPM: Remodeling A Senator's Home, All in A Year's Work

Remodeling A Senator's Home, All in A Year's Work
By Laura McGann - September 18, 2007,
http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/004213.php


Reading about Veco CEO Bill Allen's testimony (http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/004190.php) of Sen. Ted Stevens' (R-AK) home makeover didn't capture Allen's mentality quite like reading the actual transcript. (http://community.adn.com/adn/node/110742)

While we learned last week that Allen admitted (http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/004190.php) to paying for some of the work (alleged bribes of a U.S. senator), Allen's full answers make it sound like he has a very hazy recollection of the job. He wasn't completely sure how much he spent, how many Veco employees he assigned to the job, how long the project took or if he gave Stevens anything else besides some old furniture. It almost seems like it was routine (which for Allen, who's admitted to bribing a group of Alaska pols, it was).

Here is one telling back and forth between Allen and Rep. Pete Kott's defense attorney: .............

[L. Coyote]

38. More CRIMES detailed: Contractors Assisted Stevens Fundraisers

That Road to nowhere is lined with yellow bricks, and Craig and Stevens might as well be in OZ, they are so outta here!

====================
Contractors Assisted Stevens Fundraisers
Wednesday September 19, 2007 9:46 PM
By MATT APUZZO = AP
http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6934349,00.html

WASHINGTON (AP) - A construction worker who oversaw renovation of Sen. Ted Stevens' home said his company also paid him to help run fundraisers for the Alaska Republican, a practice that appears to violate federal campaign finance laws.

Contractor Robert Williams is a key witness in a bribery investigation that stretches from Alaska to Capitol Hill and threatens legal and political headaches for the Senate's longest-serving Republican. The FBI is investigating whether Stevens received illegal gifts from VECO Corp., the once powerful Alaska oil contractor.

Williams said he was in charge of ``special projects'' for VECO founder Bill Allen, and the renovation of Stevens' home was one such project. Others included working three or four fundraisers for Stevens while on the clock with VECO. Federal elections laws prohibit candidates from accepting donations or free services from corporations.

Unlike other VECO employees, Williams did not itemize his time sheets with job codes so customers could be billed.

[L. Coyote]

39. Well, it is Thursday morning and he is still silent. How many more crimes do we need?

Can we rename DC "Wonderland, D.C." after Alice's Adventures? After all, up is down and down is up there.
Down that rabbit hole, Bush and his paranoid political minions continue their daily contraventions of reality.

Only in this Wonderland reality can a U. S. Senator have a corporation add an entire floor onto his residence,
a huge bribe if ever there was one, and still sit in the Senate as if nothing was happening corruption-wise.

One has to ask, just how many Culture of Corruption members are there? Why is no one speaking out vociferously?
What is it like down there, in their alternate reality, where lies are truth and truth is a fearful enemy?

Does Stevens think that Bush's War on Iraq is built on lies, so "So what if my house is now built on a lie too?"
My lie is just a little lie and my lie isn't killing a million people. Is this what it is like down the rabbit hole?

[L. Coyote]

40. Republicans Could Lose Six Seats in US Senate in 2008

Paul Weyrich: Republicans Could Lose Six Seats in US Senate in 2008
By Paul M. Weyrich
Sep 20, 2007
http://www.nationalledger.com/ledgerdc/article_272616183.shtml


In this Congress Senate Minority Leader A. Mitchell (Mitch) McConnell, Jr. (R-KY) has real power. He has 49 Republican Senators to the Democratic Majority’s 51. However, in the Senate it takes 60 votes to accomplish almost anything. The Majority often falls short of 60; thus Mitch McConnell prevails. The Majority gets angrier as it fails to achieve its objectives.

But McConnell has to worry about the next Congress. There is a real possibility that he may not have more than 41 Senators, a few of those possibly flakes. He may not be able to prevent the Majority from securing 60 votes and if he cannot prevent that his power would almost evaporate.

The landscape is as follows: all indications are that the Democrats will have a winning candidate for the Presidency and it could be that the Democratic candidate for President would win decisively. In that scenario Republican candidates for the Senate would need to overcome a Democratic candidate for the Presidency.

First, the Republicans are defending 23 seats in the Senate, the Democrats only 12.

We begin with retirees ............

[L. Coyote]

41. THE BIG STING: FBI Secretly Taped Sen. Stevens Calls As Part of Sting

Is anyone surprised? Tomorrow is Friday, a good day to resign!

========================================
FBI Tapes Stevens Calls As Part of Sting
By MATT APUZZO 09.20.07, 7:05 PM ET
WASHINGTON - http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2007/09/20/ap4141723.html

The FBI, working with an Alaska oil contractor, secretly taped telephone calls with Sen. Ted Stevens as part of a public corruption sting, according to people close to the investigation.

The secret recordings suggest the Justice Department was eyeing Stevens long before June, when the Republican senator first publicly acknowledged he was under scrutiny. At that time, it appeared Stevens was a new focus in a case that had already ensnared several state lawmakers.

The recorded calls between Stevens and businessman Bill Allen were confirmed by two people close to the case who spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation is still under way. They declined to say how many calls were recorded or what was said.

Allen, a wealthy businessman and Stevens' political patron, agreed to the taping last year after authorities confronted him with evidence he had bribed Alaska lawmakers. ............

[L. Coyote]

42. Let's Have a "SERIES OF TUBES" Party on DU. Bring HUMOR = Ted Stevens VIDEOS

To celebrate the leak about the FBI secret surveillance of Sen. Stevens, I spent part of the afternoon
posting a "series of tubes" in the Political Videos forum, and built this compilation thread:

Let's Have a "SERIES OF TUBES" Party on DU. Bring HUMOR = Ted Stevens VIDEOS
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x1863092

The most humorous, based on the infamous "series of tubes" pronouncement, are at the top of the list.

Try to imagine who all else the FBI has just ensnared while taping
everything Sen. Stevens has been up to for the last many months!

Ted, are you wearing a wire today? Which Senator will be tomorrow? I have a new domino theory.
:rofl: Enjoy the tubes :rofl: as you prepare for another Senator's resignation. :rofl:

[Blue_In_AK]

43. I still don't know why this story

and the ongoing corruption trials here in Alaska aren't getting more play in the "mainstream media." Alaska's entrenched good ol' boys, oil patch Republicans are imploding at an astounding rate. Every day we wait for some new juicy tidbit to be revealed. There's almost too much to keep up with.

It's so refreshing that all of this is coming to light and Alaskans' eyes are beginning to be opened. It started last year with Frank Murkowski's trouncing by reformer, anti-establishment Republican, Sarah Palin, and Diane Benson's surprising 40 percent showing against Don Young (before the investigations were common knowledge). Diane. with her $200,000, almost 100% grassroots campaign, almost beat 34-year incumbent Don Young with his $3 million warchest.

Alaska is going to surprise you guys one of these days, I just feel it.

[L. Coyote]

44. Consider what the Commerce Comm. works on! The media, communications ...

No doubt, the Sen. has a lot of "friends" in the industry who know his temper.

[Blue_In_AK]

47. I hadn't thought of that angle. It makes sense.

In any event, I do appreciate your good work here. :)

[L. Coyote]

50. This angle deserves further inquiry. Note today the story has legs. Check this

FROM: Google http://news.google.com/news?q=Ted+Stevens&

AP: FBI taped Sen. Stevens' calls in corruption probe
Ted Stevens and a wealthy oil contractor as part of a public corruption sting that has nabbed several lawmakers. The AP attributes that to "two people close ...
FBI Secretly Taped Alaska Senator's Calls Washington Post
FBI Secretly Taped US Sen. Stevens' Calls Free Internet Press
FBI secretly recorded Sen. Stevens’s calls. Think Progress
WLOS - Earthtimes.org

all 314 news articles »

Hilarious how the press does not understand using the possessive Stevens' :rofl:

===================
AP: FBI Taped Sen. Stevens (R-AK) Calls
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLR--jn2kqo

[L. Coyote]

45. Video TPMtv: Senator Ted Stevens (R-AK) Muck Update

Sept. 19 VIDEO: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x56186

Senator Ted Stevens (R-AK) hasn't been kicked out of the Senate yet, but he's teetering ever closer to the edge. We've been intently covering his Byzantine dance of corruption involving former Veco CEO Bill Allen, his son former Alaska State Senator Ben Stevens (R), and a newly remodeled home. To save you from losing track of all the sordid details we bring you an update on where exactly Stevens stands and the surprising leniency of his fellow Senate Republicans in light of the Larry Craig scandal.

[L. Coyote]

46. VIDEO = CNN has this -- AP: FBI Taped Sen. Stevens (R-AK) Calls

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x56194

[L. Coyote]

48. TPM - FBI Listened in on Ted Stevens Phone Calls

FBI Listened in on Ted Stevens Phone Calls
TPMmuckraker, NY - 13 minutes ago
http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/004257.php

By Laura McGann - September 21, 2007, 9:52AM

The FBI is so interested in what Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK) says to former Veco CEO Bill Allen that they secretly taped (http://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/2007/09/fbi_taped_sen_stevens.php) his calls to hear. There is no word yet on the content of the conversations.

The recorded calls between Stevens and businessman Bill Allen were confirmed by two people close to the case .....

Allen pleaded guilty himself to corruption charges and is cooperating in the broad investigation. During the corruption trial of former state Rep. Pete Kott (R-AK) this week, prosecutors played a recorded phone conversation between Kott and Allen where Kott admits Allen tucked extra money into a payment for a legitimate flooring project. The Anchorage Daily News has the audio here(http://community.adn.com/adn/node/110527). (On the call, Kott and Allen also touch on Kott's dream of becoming a prison warden in Barbados. http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/004152.php)

The AP also reveals that Stevens, whose home was raided by the FBI in June(http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/003815.php), has been of interest to investigators long before that.

[rodeodance]

49. maybe it will be CRAIG type resignation?

[L. Coyote]

51. Contractor: I worked for Ted Stevens on Veco's dime

Contractor: I worked for Ted Stevens on Veco's dime
'SPECIAL PROJECTS': Ex-employee says jobs included Girdwood remodel and fundraiser help for U.S. senator.
By MATT APUZZO - AP - Sept. 20, 2007
http://www.adn.com/news/politics/fbi/stevens/story/9317486p-9231286c.html

WASHINGTON -- A construction worker who oversaw renovation of Sen. Ted Stevens' home said his company also paid him to help run fundraisers for the Alaska Republican, a practice that appears to violate federal campaign finance laws.

Contractor Robert Williams is a key witness in a bribery investigation ....

Williams said he was in charge of "special projects" for Veco ex-CEO Bill Allen, and the renovation of Stevens' home was one such project. Others included working three or four fundraisers for Stevens while on the clock with Veco. Federal elections laws prohibit candidates from accepting donations or free services from corporations.

Unlike other Veco employees, Williams did not itemize his time sheets with job codes so customers could be billed. When working on one of Allen's pet projects, Williams just logged his hours and Veco made sure he was paid.

"I never had any doubts about it until the FBI came down and served me with subpoenas," Williams said ............

[L. Coyote]

52. Beyond DeLay: Ted Stevens = by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington

Ted Stevens (R-AK) is a seventh-term senator, representing Alaska. Sen. Stevens was chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee from 1997 to 2005, except for an 18-month period when the Democrats controlled the Senate. He stepped down from this position in January of 2005 due to Republican six-year term limits on chairmanships. Sen. Stevens sits on the Commerce, Justice, Science, and related Agencies Subcommittee of the Appropriations Committee, which oversees the Justice Department’s budget. Sen. Stevens’ ethics issues stem from his ties to the VECO Corporation; earmarks he has inserted for companies that paid his son, Ben Stevens; his relationship with his brother-in-law, lobbyist William Bittner; his relationship with Alaskan real estate developers Jonathan Rubini and Leonard Hyde; as well as the activities of his non-profit, The Ted Stevens Foundation.

.............

[L. Coyote]

53. Gov. Palin (R-AK) Wants Stevens to Address Probe

Palin Wants Stevens to Address Probe
By STEVE QUINN - AP - Sept. 21, 2007
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/21/AR2007092101724.html


JUNEAU, Alaska -- Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin said Friday she wants some answers from U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens, a fellow Republican, who is under federal investigation.

...

As details of the investigation and Stevens' relationship with Allen continue to emerge, Palin said she wants Stevens to shed some light for the public.

"I can't guess what that information would be, but I think I join others in wanting to know of the senator's innocence," Palin said.

"Right now, we are not hearing anything," she said. "We are going to give him the benefit of the doubt because that's appropriate, and that's deserved."

Stevens' spokesman declined to comment Friday. Stevens has said he won't discuss the investigation for fear it will look as if he's trying to influence it.

...........