Stevens arraignment set for Thursday

[babylonsister]

http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/stevens-arraignment-set-for-thursday-2008-07-30.html

Stevens arraignment set for Thursday
By Manu Raju
Posted: 07/30/08 09:59 AM


Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) will be arraigned Thursday in federal court, in the first proceeding of a corruption case that has ensnared the longest-serving Republican in history.

Stevens will be arraigned Thursday at 1 p.m. before Judge Emmet G. Sullivan, who was appointed to the court by President Bill Clinton in 1994. Sullivan had previously been appointed to other judgeships by President Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush.

Stevens, who is seeking an eighth term in November, is expected to plead not guilty to the seven felony counts he is facing for not disclosing more than $250,000 worth of gifts from an oil services company that did renovations on his Alaska home.

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http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/07/30/1232899.aspx

First thoughts: Rock bottom for GOPers?
Posted: Wednesday, July 30, 2008 9:32 AM by Mark Murray


*** Rock bottom for Republicans? OK, Hill Republicans, ask yourselves -- is this bottom? The indictment of Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK) is a BIG deal. This appears to be a case of a politician who just didn't think he could get touched. And also, he probably believed the favors he was receiving were favors he deserved (that's usually how these longtime lawmakers talk themselves into taking these favors). As for his re-election bid, realize that Stevens was in trouble BEFORE the indictment, and his seat was one of the Democrats top pick-up opportunities this cycle. This isn't a case where he was coasting to re-election, and NOW this indictment makes him vulnerable. By the way, the Stevens indictment is actually a potential opportunity for McCain, who has never been a fan of the pork-barrel senator and has had his share of clashes with the man. But so far, we haven’t heard a peep on this from McCain... And the indictment certainly doesn’t hurt Obama’s quest to put this ruby-red state into play. But Stevens represents everything McCain's been running against inside the GOP for a decade. He ought to embrace his downfall before the GOP's tarnished brand stains him with this. Meanwhile, NBC’s Pete Williams and Tony Capra report that Stevens will appear in federal court in Washington on Thursday at 1:00 pm ET for his initial appearance on the federal charges of filing misleading financial disclosure statements.

[FSogol]

1. McCain will make his VP announcement that day.

I predict.