Local coverage of Stevens' search warrant

[Blue_In_AK]

http://www.adn.com/news/politics/fbi/story/9181339p-9097204c.html



Warrant served at Ted Stevens' Girdwood home
FBI, IRS examine residence; remodeling job under scrutiny

By RICHARD MAUER and ERIKA BOLSTAD
Anchorage Daily News

Published: July 31, 2007
Last Modified: July 31, 2007 at 01:41 AM

Federal law enforcement agents raided U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens' Alaska home in Girdwood on Monday, hauling off undisclosed items from inside and taking extensive pictures and video. Officials wouldn't say what they were looking for or what they found.

"All I can say is that agents from the FBI and IRS are currently conducting a search at that residence," Dave Heller, assistant special agent in charge of the FBI's Anchorage office, said Monday.

Neighbors said agents showed up between 11 a.m. and noon and that a commercial locksmith was called to open the front door. Some two dozen agents were still there at 9:30 p.m.

Stevens, 83, has long been the most powerful political figure in Alaska and a major force in Congress. A swarm of federal agents serving a search warrant at his home is unprecedented in Alaska politics and is part of what appears to be a widening corruption investigation that first burst into view last August. That's when agents raided the offices of state legislators and oil field services company Veco, among others.

<snip>

"As a practical matter, I will tell you. We paid every bill that was given to us," Stevens told reporters. "Every bill that was sent to us has been paid, personally, with our own money, and that's all there is to it. It's our own money."

The remodeling involved lifting the house on stilts and adding a first floor. City records show the 10-room dwelling has 2,471 square feet and is assessed at $440,900.

[JeffR]

1. Thanks, Blue!

I cannot get enough of this story.

[Blue_In_AK]

6. JeffR, did you see THIS picture of Don Young's house??

:rofl:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=1476399&mesg_id=1476399

[JeffR]

15. Holy crow!

If the FBI raids that, the agents will have to go in two at a time, and they'll still be tripping over each other. Amazing!

[Blue_In_AK]

16. We've heard rumors

that he has a very sumptuous palatial mansion somewhere down around DC, Virginia or Maryland. This just shows how out of touch he is with us up here. At least Ted and Lisa try to give the appearance, at least, that they're real Alaskans, even if they are cutting some financial corners.

[napi21]

2. Yea, I cought that "every bill that was sent" too!

I worked around attorney's for a lot of years, and THAT my friend is CYA! Of course if things were "GIVEN" to you, or oops...the contractor "forgot" to send you a bill, how could THAT possibly be wrong! Ohhh Teddy, THAT was sooo obvious!

[MissB]

3. I haven't been to Girdwood in 10 years.

And yet, Stevens' home looks just like I imagined it would. :rofl:

[Blue_In_AK]

5. Yep, extremely Girdwoodian. :-)

[yellowcanine]

4. "We paid every bill that was given to us." Heh. When people bribe you they usually don't send you

the bill, Ted.

[KurtNYC]

7. "a commercial locksmith was called to open the front door"

I wonder how often that happens. 24 agents show up with a warrant and then they all wait around for an hour while a locksmith opens the door. How many times did the toilet flush while they waited?

[hiaasenrocks]

8. Oh, well that settles it. Sorry for the raid, Senator!

:sarcasm:

[tridim]

9. $440,900 for a 2500sf house in Alaska?

That doesn't sound right at all.

[MissB]

10. Well, it sits right at the foot of Alyeska resort

Which is a huge ski resort. So it really does make sense.

[tridim]

12. OK, I assumed it was in bumfuck Alaska..

Because ol' Ted is a bum and a fucking jerk.

[Blue_In_AK]

14. Definitely not bumfuck Alaska

Don Young's "house" is in bumfuck Alaska ... see my reply to JeffR above. Half a mil is about right for a house this size in Girdwood, which is just south of Anchorage about 30 miles or so and a very, very cute little world-class ski resort town.

[MissB]

17. True, very true.

[DS1]

11. Can I have it?

[MissB]

18. You'd handle the cold just fine.

But the darkness in the wintertime would drive you batty.

[Blackhatjack]

13. Doesn't everybody get a call from DOJ warning in advance of a raid? LOL

I know a few past defendants who would have appreciated the DOJ picking up the phone and letting them know the morning before the raid is to be conducted that they might want to 'prepare for it' in advance.