Stevens Denied in Bid to Move Trial to Alaska
Former Senate Commerce Committee chairman, ranking member indicted for failing to disclose goods, services supplied to him by oil-services company.
By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 8/20/2008 10:54:00 AM MT
A judge denied the request of former Senate Commerce Committee chairman and ranking member Ted Stevens to move his trial to his home state of Alaska, according to various reports.
Republican Stevens had to step down from his leadership posts after he was indicted for failing to disclose goods and services supplied to him by an oil-services company.
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 is required by law to list gifts or liabilities (debts) above a certain amount on penalty of perjury. He is accused of not identifying 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.
Stevens has said he is innocent and will fight the indictment.
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.
Stevens has been a key figure in digital-TV-transition legislation, the network-neutrality debate and the push for the Federal Communications Commission's crackdown on indecency.
His trial is set for Sept. 22.
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