Oct 27, 2008 6:58pm

Stevens to Continue Re-election Campaign; Will the Convicted Criminal Be Able to Vote for Himself?

Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, issued a statement tonight, saying, "I am obviously disappointed in the verdict but not surprised given the repeated instances of prosecutorial misconduct in this case. The prosecutors had to report themselves to the Justice Department’s Office of Professional Responsibility during the trial for ethical violations. Exculpatory evidence was hidden from my lawyers. A witness was kept from us and then sent back to Alaska. The Government lawyers allowed evidence to be introduced that they knew was false. I will fight this unjust verdict with every ounce of energy I have."

Continued Stevens: "I am innocent. This verdict is the result of the unconscionable manner in which the Justice Department lawyers conducted this trial. I ask that Alaskans and my Senate colleagues stand with me as I pursue my rights. I remain a candidate for the United States Senate."

Our Senate reporter, Z. Byron Wolf, asks a pertinent question…Can Stevens vote for himself Tuesday given his criminal status?

Jonathan O’Quinn, program manager of the Alaska elections division, says, "The State of Alaska Division of Elections is currently reviewing this issue with the Department of Law to determine if the crimes are considered felonies involving moral turpitude under Alaska law. Voting rights in Alaska are only removed when a person has been convicted of a felony involving moral turpitude."

"Moral turpitude" is a vague term, however, already creating confusion when it comes to voting rights in Alabama.

– jpt

User Comments

ROFLMAO

Posted by: Ryan C (the actual real one) | October 27, 2008, 7:04 pm 7:04 pm

I’m sure if he were to switch to the dem side, that Obama could have ACORN find a way to register him.

Posted by: samhiguchi | October 27, 2008, 7:05 pm 7:05 pm

“I’m sure if he were to switch to the dem side, that Obama could have ACORN find a way to register him.”
Let’s see, registering Tony Romo to vote In Nevada vs, Republican firms using outright fraud with fake petitions and destroying legitimate Democratic registrations.
How soon until Palin is indicted?

Posted by: Ryan C (the actual real one) | October 27, 2008, 7:09 pm 7:09 pm

Palin said about the same thing after having been proven guilty of power abuse and unethical behavior!
I guess this is the Real Alaska? Corruption and then denial, even after a conviction??
And of these Alskan politicians if now planning to “”reform”" Washington? As a “”maverick”"?
OMG – who ARE those people who trust Sarah Palin?
And the MSM? It’s already as if Troopergate never happened. Amazing.

Posted by: jeanie | October 27, 2008, 7:15 pm 7:15 pm

Don’t forget Mickey Mouse!

Posted by: samhiguchi | October 27, 2008, 7:15 pm 7:15 pm

samhiguchi,
Thanks for shining a light on the willingness of conservatives to spout hate at a moment’s notice. Here’s a question for you:
Is John McCain today willing to come out against all forms of ‘redistributing the wealth’, including:
A) the progressive tax code
B) Social Security
C) Medicare
D) unemployment insurance
E) all local property taxes
F) all local sales taxes
FOLLOW UP QUESTION:
Is John McCain a socialist?
EXTRA FOLLOW UP QUESTION:
Is Sen. McCain less a Christian for his willingness to knowingly bear false witness regarding whether a fellow citizen?

Posted by: John | October 27, 2008, 7:16 pm 7:16 pm

I bet Palin will vote for him. He’s her kind a man, dishonest.

Posted by: JR | October 27, 2008, 7:16 pm 7:16 pm

He should just carve a backwards “B” in his face and blame Obama for his troubles.
THAT SHOULD WORK, RIGHT?

Posted by: Ed from MA | October 27, 2008, 7:17 pm 7:17 pm

EXTRA FOLLOW UP QUESTION:
Is Sen. McCain less a Christian for his willingness to knowingly bear false witness regarding whether a fellow citizen a socialist, a label intended to discredit his target?

Posted by: John | October 27, 2008, 7:17 pm 7:17 pm

Wow, I thought Bush had audacity. Stevens has no shame. Convicted of a felony of all things – repeat: this is a supposed guardian of the people’s welfare who is convicted of a felony – and the guy still won’t give up his corrupted seat in the US Senate. Is all this any wonder why Americans are sick of Republican criminals and are turning to Democrats for a renewal of decency in government? A pox on Stevens.

Posted by: buzziea | October 27, 2008, 7:20 pm 7:20 pm

“I will fight this unjust verdict with every ounce of energy I have.”
Re-elect me and I’ll spend all my energy fending off prison time! Not exactly a winning campaign promise a week out from the election.

Posted by: big truck | October 27, 2008, 7:24 pm 7:24 pm

If you would like to continue the re-distribution of your wealth to Iraq and the rich then Mccain is your man!
If you want 95% of America to get tax cut and for the rich to pay the same rate they paid under Clinton then Obama is you man!

Posted by: Mike NC | October 27, 2008, 7:25 pm 7:25 pm

Any word on a Palin or McCain endorsement of Stevens?

Posted by: Danny | October 27, 2008, 7:29 pm 7:29 pm

ET TU TEDDY?!

Posted by: JOHNLIOUS CEASAR | October 27, 2008, 7:39 pm 7:39 pm

Hmmmm……. If this was me I would be in Federal prison right now and would not be able to vote.
The Law and order party, the one standing up to corruption, going to change the corrupt Washington DC, and Wall Street, forgot Alaska

Posted by: Thinking | October 27, 2008, 7:41 pm 7:41 pm

No wonder so many in Alaska want to secede from America, the don’t live in the US, they’re all living in “denial”.

Posted by: JR | October 27, 2008, 7:42 pm 7:42 pm

John: Is Sen. McCain less a Christian for his willingness to knowingly bear false witness regarding whether a fellow citizen?
___________________________________
HUH?????
What does being a Christian have to do with the price of tea in China?

Posted by: samhiguchi | October 27, 2008, 7:45 pm 7:45 pm

John: EXTRA FOLLOW UP QUESTION:
Is Sen. McCain less a Christian for his willingness to knowingly bear false witness regarding whether a fellow citizen a socialist, a label intended to discredit his target?
_________________________________
Regardless of how you phrase it, what does being a Christian have to do with the price of tea in China?
As far as being a socialist, if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck…it must be a duck. One only has to look at Obama’s associations going back to Hawaii and Frank Marshall Davis, and then the long lineage of socialist friends he has associated with (and his policies) to answer that question.

Posted by: samhiguchi | October 27, 2008, 7:49 pm 7:49 pm

If you would like to continue the re-distribution of your wealth to Iraq and the rich then Mccain is your man!
If you want 95% of America to get tax cut and for the rich to pay the same rate they paid under Clinton then Obama is your man!

Posted by: Mike NC | October 27, 2008, 7:50 pm 7:50 pm

samhiguchi: Then you agree that John McCain is a Socialist.
Guess he picked that up during his Stockholm Syndrome experience in Vietnam.
EXPLAINS WHY HE’S A HAPPY ‘PRISONER’ OF THE GOP RIGHT-WING.

Posted by: Ed from MA | October 27, 2008, 7:52 pm 7:52 pm

Another McCain voter bites the dust.

Posted by: bubba | October 27, 2008, 8:02 pm 8:02 pm

Imagine for a minute that the Republicans really thought that Obama is a socialist.
Thier man is trailing Obama in the polls, and the electoral college seems to be Obama’s as well.
What do the Republicans make of the fact that socialism seems to be so popular in America?

Posted by: Mike | October 27, 2008, 8:05 pm 8:05 pm

Let’s see how this sounds: Palin is a liar, McCain is a traitor, and Steven’s is a crook. Sounds like the Republican party to me.

Posted by: democratic | October 27, 2008, 8:11 pm 8:11 pm

Colin Powell spoke as a character witness at Steven’s trial. This is the same Colin Powell that recently endorsed Barack Obama. Hmmm, endorses felons, endorses Chicago politicians…..hmmmm, show me the money.

Posted by: WestCoastMessenger | October 27, 2008, 8:23 pm 8:23 pm

after john edwards nothing shocks me any more.

Posted by: nevada 2 | October 27, 2008, 8:42 pm 8:42 pm

So Sen. Ted “Moral Turpitude” Stevens still proclaims his innocence, eh? I’m shocked, I tell you, SHOCKED! (With all due apologies to Claude Rains’ immortal Captain Renault in “Casablanca.”)

Posted by: chuck | October 27, 2008, 8:47 pm 8:47 pm

jake while we are talking about voting rights, in my community the long term hospitalized (state hospital mentally ill patients) were bussed to the polls. witnesses reported that many could barely walk, or stand. it goes without saying that our secretary of state is a democrat.

Posted by: krysten | October 27, 2008, 8:55 pm 8:55 pm

stevens needs to talk to obama about acorn helping him vote-thousands of other felons are voting what the heck.
the acorn falls close to the tree.

Posted by: nevada | October 27, 2008, 9:01 pm 9:01 pm

samhiguchi,
According to the ten commandments, thou shall not bear false witness.
John McCain is knowingly bearing false witness against Barack Obama since Obama is not a socialist by ANY DEFINITION that excludes John McCain.
No person who claims to be a Christian can vote for John McCain without violating the commandments.

Posted by: John | October 27, 2008, 9:11 pm 9:11 pm

STILL WAITING FOR ANY MCCAIN SUPPORTER WHO HAS THE BALLS TO ANSWER THIS QUESTION:
Is John McCain today willing to come out against all forms of ‘redistributing the wealth’, including:
A) the progressive tax code
B) Social Security
C) Medicare
D) unemployment insurance
E) all local property taxes
F) all local sales taxes
FOLLOW UP QUESTION:
Is John McCain a Socialist?

Posted by: John | October 27, 2008, 9:13 pm 9:13 pm

did i say that after our little DARLING JOHN EDWARDS nothing shocks me anymore!

Posted by: nevada 2 | October 27, 2008, 9:13 pm 9:13 pm

john redistribution of REVENUE which we (tax payers ) contribute to and we-the contributor reap the benefits from as in ssi, and redistribution of WEALTH-from the rich (profit earnings due to hard work and smart planning) are distinctly different.
sorry i don’t have time to explain this further, off to class.

Posted by: krysten | October 27, 2008, 9:33 pm 9:33 pm

Why didn’t former Phil Gramm get charged with crimes for his role in the Enron scandal? He did not run for reelection, but the Republican Congress gave Gramm a pass, including his good friend John McCain

Posted by: Linda | October 27, 2008, 9:41 pm 9:41 pm

Wow. Those Alaskan Republicans really got it made. Free designer clothes ($150K!) and free home renovations, too. Wow.
Obama/Biden 08!

Posted by: Common Sense | October 27, 2008, 9:46 pm 9:46 pm

Silly SaraH Socialist takes you gas money from 49 lower states and gives an “oil dividend” to drinking and fornicat–Alaskans who still have the highest sex crime in Alaska. Good to live in Socialist State.

Posted by: rufus | October 27, 2008, 10:03 pm 10:03 pm

Silly SaraH Socialist takes you gas money from 49 lower states and gives an “oil dividend” to drinking and fornicat–Alaskans who still have the highest sex crime in us Good to live in Socialist State.

Posted by: rufus | October 27, 2008, 10:05 pm 10:05 pm

OK, since my last post below WestCoastMessenger has a new announcement. It’s official. It’s over. We have vote by mail in my state and I cast my final vote for…….. Barack Obama!! Yep, for a fact. I know you people have heard me rail on about Obama week after week. I never said anything about the man that was not true. In fact, he’s just another politician, contrary to his claims otherwise. At the end of the day, though, I voted for Obama to not just be a part of passing history, but to be a living part of history. I believe there are just as many racists in the Democratic Party as in the Republican Party. The Democrats put up a mediocre candidate as did the Republicans. Neither is qualified for the office, and neither offers the true leadership that we need at this time in history. Nonetheless, Barack Obama is barely OK and as such, I’m participating in the election of the first black man in history to the office of the President of the United States. It is time for change and that is a change, and perhaps the only change that can be proven. So my vote becomes an in your face vote to any and all racists out there. At the same time I don’t like the age-based hate that has been directed towards McCain, it’s equally unfair, but I only have one vote to get in your face about. I pray to God that I get a chance to make history later by voting for Hillary Clinton when you jerks are saying she’s too old to run!!! Now let’s go for sixty in the Senate!

Posted by: WestCoastMessenger | October 27, 2008, 10:17 pm 10:17 pm

Any lawyer who has a clue about criminal law — and I’m one such — will tell you that your question is a silly one, Tapper.
There hasn’t even been a JUDGMENT OF CONVICTION entered against Stevens yet. Unless and until that happens, he’s not a “convicted felon.”
If his post-verdict motions succeed, a judgment of conviction may not ever be entered against him, or at least not until after another trial.
This has nothing to do with Stevens’ particular situation, and I’m not arguing that he’s a good guy or a bad guy or anything of the sort. I’m just telling you some very, very basic criminal law.

Posted by: Beldar | October 27, 2008, 10:21 pm 10:21 pm

Sarah Palin loves money. Sell her skin to Playboy? Not surprising! Starting off with little, she is now worth $1.2 Million.
She created a new Republican “no-tax but spend & spread the wealth” model:
–no taxes in Alaska (no sales tax, no income tax),
–hundreds of millions in “socialist welfare” (including thousand dollar checks to all),
–including the “Bridge to Nowhere” (flip-flopping for it before she was against it!),
–even hiring a D.C. lobbying firm to get millions while small-town mayor of Wasilla (pop. 7,000!),
–paying for this “spreadin of the wealth” by boondoggling taxpayers from the “other 49” for hundreds of millions (“I spend, you pay!”)
–and slyly covering her trail by babbling on about “government get out of my way” in the debate with Biden!
Sarah got creative with her wardrobe, too, spendin lavishly on herself:
–$4,716.49 on hair and makeup just through September,
-$22,800.00 on makeup Oct. 1-15,
–$5,102.71 at Bloomingdale’s New York,
–$9,447.71 at Macy’s in Minn.,
–$49,425.74 at Saks Fifth Avenue in St. Louis and NY
–$75,062.63 in a whopping’spendin spree at Neiman Marcus in Minneapolis (doggone it, she’s goin upscale on us real fast!).
Then there’s $21,012. for her three daughters’ 64 one-way and 12 round-trip commercial flights (paid by the state of Alaska, admirably provin Palin’s credentials as an equal-opportunity biller)!
Republicans used to belittle former Sen. John Edwards’ $400 haircut, but compared to Palin, that’s chump change!

Posted by: aix1805 | October 27, 2008, 10:35 pm 10:35 pm

Beldar,
Who cares? He will be convicted — probably serve time, to. Sarah’s next. Alaska’s about to get cleaned up!
Most people did NOT know that Alaska was the alcoholic rape capital of the world until Palin put them on the map. Sort of puts Exxon Valdez in perspective a bit.
Obama/Biden 08!

Posted by: Common Sense | October 27, 2008, 10:37 pm 10:37 pm

Another corrupt republican. I’ll pretend to be surprised.

Posted by: ed | October 27, 2008, 10:59 pm 10:59 pm

He is a disgrace and should resign.

Posted by: MyFellowAmericans | October 28, 2008, 10:23 am 10:23 am

Psssssssst Jake?? McCain has called for Stevens to resign. Will that be satisfactory to you? Or do you need a personal note?

Posted by: Michelle | October 28, 2008, 10:36 am 10:36 am

Let’s not forget…one of the folks that Stevens called in as a character witness: Colin Powell.
Hmm. Is he still a great judge of character? Just asking?

Posted by: Michelle | October 28, 2008, 10:49 am 10:49 am

There is nothing at all vague about Ted Stevens’ conviction and what it will mean. If he is not pardonned by Bush, he will be disbarred in Alaska,California and DC. He will lose his right to vote. He will likely be impeached by a 2/3 vote of the Senate and he will have his name removed from our Airport. Republicans who would vote for a felon are, as Wagner would put it, “real poodle noodles.” They have made a pact with the devil.

Posted by: Robert E. Lee | October 28, 2008, 4:48 pm 4:48 pm

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