Alaska senator testifies, denies he accepted gifts

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

Alaska senator testifies, denies he accepted gifts
Friday, October 17, 2008
BY TOM HAYSAND JESSE J. HOLLAND
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

WASHINGTON — Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens denied scheming to hide $250,000 in home improvements and other gifts from a wealthy businessman, taking the stand Thursday in his own defense at a corruption trial blocks from the U.S. Capitol.

Asked by his lawyer, Brendan Sullivan, whether he thought his Senate financial disclosure forms were accurate when he signed them, the Alaska political patriarch replied, "Yes, sir."

Stevens, wearing an American flag pin on the lapel of his dark-colored suit, then responded with a soft "No, sir" when Sullivan asked whether he had engaged in any scheme with anyone to hide any gifts.

Stevens, 84, was the final witness in his defense against charges that he lied on the Senate forms to conceal improvements to his modest Alaska chalet and other gifts from Bill Allen, a longtime friend and former chief of the oil services company VECO Corp.



Read more: http://www.northjersey.com/news/nation/31152209.html

[JeffR]

1. "Senator, did you hide $250,000 in home improvements and other gifts?"

Ted: "No!"

[d_b]

2. my house is not a big truck!

[Judi Lynn]

3. Sen. Ted Stevens due back on witness stand Friday

Oct 17, 3:51 AM EDT
Sen. Ted Stevens due back on witness stand Friday
By TOM HAYS and JESSE J. HOLLAND
Associated Press Writers

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Sen. Ted Stevens is set to return to the witness stand to try to convince a federal court jury that he was largely in the dark about a major renovation project at his Alaska home that is at the heart of a corruption case that threatens his reputation and chances for re-election.

Stevens claims his wife paid every bill they got - $160,000 in all - and that Bill Allen, head of the pipeline services company VECO Corp., threw in expensive extras without telling him. Jurors were expected to hear Stevens make that case Friday when his criminal trial resumes in a courthouse only blocks from the U.S. Capitol.

Prosecutors say Stevens, the longest-serving GOP senator, lied on Senate financial disclosure forms to hide the fact that he received more than $250,000 in home renovations and gifts from Allen, his longtime drinking and fishing buddy.

The renovation turned Stevens' tiny A-frame cabin in Girdwood, Alaska, into a spacious two-story home.

~snip~
Prosecutor Brenda Morris later pressed her on why she never bothered to interview the VECO engineer who drew up the plans for the renovation. The witness also struggled to explain how, months after she paid her last bill, a new wraparound deck was put on the home.

"I don't know who built the deck," she said. "I assume we paid for it."

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/S/STEVENS_TRIAL?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2008-10-17-03-51-52

[Hubert Flottz]

4. Ted Stevens witless for his own defense...

How many people are rotting in prisons today who "Never Did It?"

If somebody did a quarter of a million dollars worth of work on my property, I think I'd notice it had been done.

If Ted or his friends, or family, lie on the witness stand and get caught, will the DOJ do anything about it?