Stevens Indicted in Corruption Probe
Former chairman of Senate Commerce Committee failed to disclose receiving up to $250,000 in products, services for renovation of house.
By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 7/29/2008 10:40:00 AM
As expected, Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), the senior Senate Republican, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Washington, D.C., for failing to disclose that he received up to $250,000 in products and services for the renovation of his house -- a gas grill, a new deck.
The indictment did not charge Stevens with accepting bribes, although it did say that at the same time Stevens received these gifts, the company, oil-services company Veco, had business before his committee. The company is one of the largest private employers in the state, according to the Department of Justice.
Stevens' lawyer was informed of the indictment Tuesday and arrangements are being made for the senator to turn himself in to authorities.
The government began its probe of Alaska corruption in 2004 -- a probe that led to seven convictions, including of a top Veco official, the former speaker of the Alaska House of Representatives, a state representative and a lobbyist.
Stevens is required by law to list gifts or liabilities (debts) above a certain amount on penalty of perjury. He is accused of not filing any of the gifts from Veco on those forms or listing them as debts.
He also did not pay Veco back for the work it did on his vacation home, the indictment alleged. That work included lifting the house to add a floor, providing furnishings and architectural planning.
While neither tax evasion nor bribery was charged, the investigation continues, according to a Justice spokesman.
Asked whether there was any politics involved in the timing of the indictment as Stevens begins his run at re-election, a Justice spokesman said absolutely not.
Almost one year ago to the day, Stevens’ home was raided as part of the probe.
Stevens was a key figure in the open-access debate, digital-TV-transition legislation and the indecency issue as chairman of the committee, and he has remained active on communications issues.
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