Ted Stevens is the first sitting U.S. Senator convicted of a crime in 27 years.
A Washington, DC jury found him guilty of all seven counts of lying on his financial disclosure forms. The government said Stevens covered up gifts including the renovation of his Girdwood home.
Stevens testified at the trial that he didn’t know about or want the gifts — and that the government’s main witness, VECO CEO Bill Allen, was lying. Allen said he gave Stevens many of the gifts simply because he liked him and that Stevens asked for some items while others were surprises. Either way, prosecutors said Stevens never declared the gifts on his forms — and lied about them.
Each conviction carries a maximum sentence of 5 years. Stevens is on the ballot in next week’s U.S. Senate race in Alaska, and his name will stay there. If he wins, only the Senate can remove him by a two-thirds vote.
Libby Casey, APRN – Washington, DC
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