Alaskan Republican Indicted in Corruption Inquiry
Ted Stevens has been under investigation by the FBI for more than a year
Alaskan Republican Indicted in Corruption Inquiry
Ted Stevens has been under investigation by the FBI for more than a year
Republican hopes in November's White House and congressional elections suffered a fresh setback yesterday when the party's longest-serving senator was charged with falsifying his financial records to hide gifts he received from an oil services company.
Ted Stevens, 84, a former chairman of the Senate appropriations committee, is accused of making false statements to conceal $250,000 (?125,000) in gifts and services he received from Veco, ranging from furniture and vehicles to a barbecue grill. In 2000, the renovations at his Alaska home were so extensive that they doubled its size.
In return, Veco sought funding and help with projects in Pakistan and Russia, as well as federal grant and contract requests, according to the charges. Veco officials are also alleged to have sought assistance to construct a natural gas pipeline on Alaska's north slope.
The charges follow a year-long FBI investigation into corruption in Alaska. The FBI raided Stevens' home at Girdwood, Alaska, a resort town about 40 miles south of Anchorage, last year and afterwards he told reporters that all the bills for the renovation of the building had been paid from his own pocket.
The former chief executive of Veco, Bill Allen, pleaded guilty in May last year to a role in the bribery of Alaskan officials.
Stevens, who has represented Alaska for 40 years, is standing for re-election but such a high-profile case threatens to damage Republicans standing elsewhere, as well as John McCain's presidential bid.
"Clearly it changes the political landscape," the former Democratic Senate majority leader Tom Daschle told NBC.
The case comes against a background of public disillusionment with George Bush and his party over the Iraq war and the economic downturn that has seen petrol prices double, unemployment rise and the housing market collapse. The Republicans fear they could lose 40 congressional seats in November.
Stevens has been one of the strongest advocates in Congress of opening up protected wilderness areas for oil drilling. He fought for decades to lift government protection of Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
By Guardian Unlimited © Copyright Guardian Newspapers 2008
Published: 7/29/2008
Ted Stevens has been under investigation by the FBI for more than a year
Alaskan Republican Indicted in Corruption Inquiry
Ted Stevens has been under investigation by the FBI for more than a year
Republican hopes in November's White House and congressional elections suffered a fresh setback yesterday when the party's longest-serving senator was charged with falsifying his financial records to hide gifts he received from an oil services company.
Ted Stevens, 84, a former chairman of the Senate appropriations committee, is accused of making false statements to conceal $250,000 (?125,000) in gifts and services he received from Veco, ranging from furniture and vehicles to a barbecue grill. In 2000, the renovations at his Alaska home were so extensive that they doubled its size.
In return, Veco sought funding and help with projects in Pakistan and Russia, as well as federal grant and contract requests, according to the charges. Veco officials are also alleged to have sought assistance to construct a natural gas pipeline on Alaska's north slope.
The charges follow a year-long FBI investigation into corruption in Alaska. The FBI raided Stevens' home at Girdwood, Alaska, a resort town about 40 miles south of Anchorage, last year and afterwards he told reporters that all the bills for the renovation of the building had been paid from his own pocket.
The former chief executive of Veco, Bill Allen, pleaded guilty in May last year to a role in the bribery of Alaskan officials.
Stevens, who has represented Alaska for 40 years, is standing for re-election but such a high-profile case threatens to damage Republicans standing elsewhere, as well as John McCain's presidential bid.
"Clearly it changes the political landscape," the former Democratic Senate majority leader Tom Daschle told NBC.
The case comes against a background of public disillusionment with George Bush and his party over the Iraq war and the economic downturn that has seen petrol prices double, unemployment rise and the housing market collapse. The Republicans fear they could lose 40 congressional seats in November.
Stevens has been one of the strongest advocates in Congress of opening up protected wilderness areas for oil drilling. He fought for decades to lift government protection of Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
By Guardian Unlimited © Copyright Guardian Newspapers 2008
Published: 7/29/2008
