Trial of Ted Stevens

Last updated
Mug shot of Stevens taken in July 2008 Ted Stevens mug shot.jpg
Mug shot of Stevens taken in July 2008

United States v. Senator Theodore F. Stevens [1] [2] was a criminal trial spanning from 2007 to 2009 of long-time U.S. Senator Ted Stevens as part of the Alaska political corruption probe. Stevens was the main source of coverage of the probe, being indicted by a jury on July 29, 2008 [3] [4] and convicted on 7 felony charges of corruption on October 27, 2008 [5] which cost him re-election in the Senate race a week later. [6] [7]

Contents

Stevens pled not guilty, publicly declaring "I'm innocent." Stevens asserted his right to a speedy trial and requested that the trial be held before the 2008 election. [8] [9] U.S. District Judge in Washington, D.C. Emmet G. Sullivan, on October 2, 2008, denied the mistrial petition of Stevens's chief counsel, Brendan Sullivan, that made allegations of withholding evidence by prosecutors. Thus, the latter were admonished and would submit themselves for an internal probe by the United States Department of Justice. Brady v. Maryland requires prosecutors to give a defendant any material exculpatory evidence. Judge Sullivan had earlier admonished the prosecution for sending home to Alaska a witness who might have helped the defense. [10] [11]

In February 2009, FBI agent Chad Joy filed a whistleblower affidavit, alleging that prosecutors and FBI agents conspired to withhold and conceal evidence that could have resulted in acquittal. [12] As a result of Joy's affidavit and claims by the defense that prosecutorial misconduct had caused an unfair trial, Judge Sullivan ordered a hearing to be held to determine whether a new trial should be ordered. [13] At the hearing, Judge Sullivan held the prosecutors in contempt for having failed to deliver documents to Stevens's legal counsel. [14]

On April 1, 2009, on behalf of U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, Paul O'Brien submitted an order to set aside the case. Federal judge Emmet G. Sullivan soon signed the order. Since it occurred prior to sentencing it had the effect of vacating Stevens's conviction. Holder was reportedly very angry at the prosecutors' apparent withholding of exculpatory evidence and wanted to send a message that prosecutorial misconduct would not be tolerated under his watch. After Sullivan held the prosecutors in contempt, Holder replaced the entire trial team, including top officials in the public integrity section. The final straw for Holder was the discovery of a previously undocumented interview with Bill Allen that raised the possibility prosecutors had knowingly allowed Allen to perjure himself. [15]

On April 7, 2009, judge Sullivan formally accepted Holder's motion to set aside the verdict and throw out the indictment, declaring "There was never a judgment of conviction in this case. The jury's verdict is being set aside and has no legal effect," and calling it the worst case of prosecutorial misconduct he'd ever seen. [16]

Stevens' house remodeling and VECO

Stevens's home in Girdwood, Alaska Senator Ted Stevens Girdwood Alaska house.jpg
Stevens's home in Girdwood, Alaska

On May 29, 2007, the Anchorage Daily News reported that the FBI and a federal grand jury were investigating an extensive remodeling project at Stevens's home in Girdwood. Stevens's Alaska home was raided by the FBI and IRS on July 30, 2007. [17] The remodeling work doubled the size of the modest home. Public records show that the house was 2,471 square feet (230 m2) after the remodeling, and that the property was valued at $271,300 in 2003, including a $5,000 increase in land value. [18] The remodel in 2000 was organized by Bill Allen, a founder of the VECO Corporation (an oil-field service company) and was alleged by prosecutors to have cost VECO and the various contractors $250,000 or more. [19] However, the residential contractor who finished the renovation for VECO, Augie Paone, "believes the [Stevens's] remodeling could have cost –if all the work was done efficiently –around $130,000 to $150,000, close to the figure Stevens cited last year." [20] Stevens paid $160,000 for the renovations "and assumed that covered everything". [21]

In June, the Anchorage Daily News reported that a federal grand jury in Washington, D.C., heard evidence in May about the expansion of Stevens's Girdwood home and other matters connecting Stevens to VECO. [22] In mid-June, FBI agents questioned several aides who worked for Stevens as part of the investigation. [23] In July, Washingtonian magazine reported that Stevens had hired "Washington's most powerful and expensive lawyer", Brendan Sullivan Jr., in response to the investigation. [24] In 2006, during wiretapped conversations with Bill Allen, shortly after the VECO offices were searched and Allen agreed to cooperate with the investigation, Stevens expressed worries over legal complications arising from the sweeping federal investigations into Alaskan politics. "The worst that can happen to us is we run up a bunch of legal fees, and might lose and we might have to pay a fine, might have to serve a little time in jail. I hope to Christ it never gets to that, and I don't think it will," Stevens said. [25] [26] Stevens continued, "I think they might be listening to this conversation right now, for Christ Sake." [27] On the witness stand, Allen testified that VECO staff who had worked on his own house had charged "way too much", leaving him uncertain –that he would be embarrassed to bill Stevens for overpriced labor. [28]

Trial

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ted Stevens</span> American politician (1923–2010)

Theodore Fulton Stevens Sr. was an American politician and lawyer who served as a U.S. Senator from Alaska from 1968 to 2009. He was the longest-serving Republican Senator in history at the time he left office. Stevens was the president pro tempore of the United States Senate in the 108th and 109th Congresses from 2003 to 2007, and was the third U.S. Senator to hold the title of president pro tempore emeritus. He was previously Solicitor of the Interior Department from 1960 to 1961. Stevens has been described as one of the most powerful members of Congress and as the most powerful member of Congress from the Northwestern United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wally Hickel</span> American politician (1919–2010)

Walter Joseph Hickel was an American businessman, real estate developer, and politician who served as the second governor of Alaska from 1966 to 1969 and 1990 to 1994 and as U.S. Secretary of the Interior from 1969 to 1970. He worked as a construction worker and eventually became a construction company owner/operator during Alaska's territorial days. Following World War II, Hickel became heavily involved with real estate development, building residential subdivisions, shopping centers and hotels. Hickel entered politics in the 1950s during Alaska's battle for statehood and remained politically active for the rest of his life.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark Begich</span> American politician (born 1962)

Mark Peter Begich is an American politician who served as a United States senator from Alaska from 2009 to 2015. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as mayor of Anchorage from 2003 to 2009.

VECO Corporation was an American oil pipeline service and construction company until its purchase in September 2007 by CH2M Hill. As of that date, the VECO Corporation ceased to exist. Founded in 1968 as Veltri Enterprises by Wayne Ray Veltri, renamed VE Construction after being bought in 1970 by Bill Allen and in 1979 changed to VECO Corp. The company grew to become a major player in the Alaskan oil industries' support. VECO also was a worldwide player in the oil industry, having divisions in many major oil markets.

Benjamin Aavan Stevens was an American politician and political advisor who served as the Chief of Staff to the Governor of Alaska, Mike Dunleavy. He previously served as the President of the Alaska State Senate as a member of the Republican Party. Stevens was the son of the late United States Senator Ted Stevens, who represented Alaska from 1968 to 2009.

The Alaska political corruption probe refers to a 2003 to 2010 widespread investigation by the Public Integrity Section of the U.S. Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Internal Revenue Service into political corruption of nine then-current or former Alaskan state lawmakers, as well as Republican US Representative Don Young and then-US Senator, Republican Ted Stevens. Sometimes referred to as "The Corrupt Bastards Club" or the "Operation Polar Pen", the investigation focused on the oil industry, fisheries and for-profit prison industries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bill Allen (businessman, born 1937)</span> American chief executive (1937–2022)

William James Allen was an American businessman who was the CEO of the Alaska oilfield services company VECO Corporation. VECO was an Alaska-based oil pipeline service and construction company founded by Wayne Veltri. Bill Allen was born in Socorro, New Mexico, and at the age of 16 left for the oil fields of Alaska to become a welder to help support his family. VECO began as a one-truck welding and repair operation that grew to become a major player in the Alaskan and worldwide oil industries' support services business. He built a for-profit prison in Barbados as well. VECO also was a worldwide player in the oil industry, having divisions in many major oil markets, including Sudan, Russia, Mexico, Venezuela, and Syria. VECO had a major impact on the economy of Alaska and employed over 5,000 people worldwide. Allen was later prosecuted for sexually assaulting minors, a crime he had been protected from prior after lying under oath during Ted Stevens's corruption trial, costing the Senator re-election in 2008.

Peter Kott is a former Republican state representative for District 17 serving Eagle River, Alaska, in the Alaska Legislature for seven terms, from 1993 until 2007. He was Speaker of the House during his sixth term in 2003–2004.

Thomas T. Anderson is a partner at Optima Public Relations in Anchorage, Alaska and also a radio talk show host of "Tom Anderson Show" (www.TomAndersonShow.com) on KVNT 92.5 FM and 1020 AM in Anchorage and Mat-Su Valley Alaska. Anderson is a former Alaska state representative for District 19 representing northeast Anchorage, Alaska. Anderson, a Republican, served in the Alaska Legislature for two terms, from 2003 until 2007, and became known for his sponsorship of legislation which expanded Alaska's DNA database to assist in forensic identification of criminal suspects through DNA testing.

Victor H. Kohring was an American politician who was a member of the Alaska House of Representatives.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2008 United States Senate election in Alaska</span>

The 2008 United States Senate election in Alaska was held on November 4, 2008. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator and former President pro tempore Ted Stevens ran for re-election for an eighth term in the United States Senate. It was one of the ten Senate races that U.S. Senator John Ensign of Nevada, the chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, predicted as being most competitive. The primaries were held on August 26, 2008. Stevens was challenged by Democratic candidate Mark Begich, the mayor of Anchorage and son of former U.S. Representative Nick Begich.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wendell P. Kay</span> American lawyer and politician

Wendell Palmer Kay Jr. was an American lawyer and Democratic politician active in the territory and state of Alaska.

Although in its early years of statehood, Alaska was a Democratic state, since the early 1970s it has been characterized as Republican-leaning. Local political communities have often worked on issues related to land use development, fishing, tourism, and individual rights. Alaska Natives, while organized in and around their communities, have been active within the Native corporations. These have been given ownership over large tracts of land, which require stewardship. The state has an independence movement favoring a vote on secession from the United States, with the Alaskan Independence Party, but its membership has shrunk in recent decades.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emmet G. Sullivan</span> American judge (born 1947)

Emmet Gael Sullivan is an American attorney and jurist serving as a senior United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.

Brendan V. Sullivan Jr. is an American lawyer who is currently a senior partner in the law firm Williams & Connolly. Sullivan is a white-collar criminal defense attorney best known for his defense of U.S. Marine Lieutenant Colonel Oliver North in the wake of the Iran-Contra scandal in the late 1980s. He is known for his combative style and several prosecutors have been fired, disbarred, or jailed for prosecutorial misconduct Sullivan had uncovered.

James Franklin Prewitt was an American attorney and government affairs consultant. He was a confidential source upon whom the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) relied to help prosecute "Operation Polar Pen," the Alaska political corruption probe that eventually ensnared United States Senator Ted Stevens. Prewitt was the author of Last Bridge to Nowhere, a creative non-fiction book that describes his involvement as an FBI source.

Bruce Weyhrauch is an attorney in Juneau, Alaska, United States. He is also a former representative in the Alaska State House representing Juneau's District 4. Weyhrauch has practiced at his own law office in Juneau for nearly three decades. His regulatory and government affairs-focused practice handles a wide variety of matters, including labor relations and natural resources.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dan Sullivan (U.S. senator)</span> American politician and lawyer (born 1964)

Daniel Scott Sullivan is an American politician and attorney serving as the junior United States senator from Alaska since 2015. A member of the Republican Party, Sullivan previously served as the commissioner of the Alaska Department of Natural Resources from 2010 to 2013, and as the Alaska Attorney General from 2009 to 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014 United States Senate election in Alaska</span>

The 2014 United States Senate election in Alaska took place on November 4, 2014, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of Alaska, concurrently with the election of the governor of Alaska, as well as other elections to the United States Senate in other states and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 United States Senate election in Alaska</span>

The 2016 United States Senate election in Alaska was held on November 8, 2016, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of Alaska, concurrently with the 2016 U.S. presidential election, as well as other elections to the United States Senate in other states and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections.

References

  1. ↑ "NACDL - Prosecution of Senator Ted Stevens". NACDL - National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. Retrieved 2023-07-12.
  2. ↑ https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2560956
  3. ↑ "Department of Justice Press Release, "U.S. Senator Indicted on False Statement Charges"". Usdoj.gov. July 29, 2008. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  4. ↑ "Findlaw: "Indictment of Alaska Senator Ted Stevens on False Statement Charges". News.findlaw.com. July 29, 2008. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  5. ↑ Alaska Senator Found Guilty of Lying About Gifts [ permanent dead link ], New York Times, October 27, 2008.
  6. ↑ "Alaska's Sen. Ted Stevens Loses Re-Election Bid". NPR . Archived from the original on 2023-05-29.
  7. ↑ Goldenberg, Suzanne (2008-11-19). "Alaskan senator Ted Stevens loses fight for re-election". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 2023-07-12.
  8. ↑ "Stevens pleads not guilty in corruption case". NBC News. Associated Press. July 31, 2008. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  9. ↑ "Stevens Pleads Not Guilty, Seeks Early Trial". Anchorage Daily News. July 31, 2008. Archived from the original on November 20, 2010. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  10. ↑ (October 3, 2008), www.nytimes.com, Judge Berates Prosecutors in Trial of Senator Archived October 17, 2015, at the Wayback Machine
  11. ↑ "Judge Denies Mistrial Request in Stevens Case". ABC News. October 2, 2008. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  12. ↑ The Criminal Lawyer "More Allegations of Prosecutorial Misconduct in Sen Ted Stevens Case" Archived May 1, 2016, at the Wayback Machine
  13. ↑ "Judge Holds Prosecutors in Contempt in Stevens Case". The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times. Retrieved 2020-12-01.
  14. ↑ Pickler, Nedra (2009-02-14). "Justice Dept. Lawyers in Contempt for Withholding Stevens Documents". Washington Post. Retrieved 2010-05-25.
  15. ↑ "U.S. attorney general ends Stevens prosecution: Former Sen. Ted Stevens". Anchorage Daily News . Archived from the original on January 23, 2010. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  16. ↑ United States of America v. Theodore F. Stevens No. 1:08-cr-00231-EGS Document 324 Filed 04/01/2009 @ "District of Columbia live database". Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2010-12-01.
  17. ↑ Shenon, Philip (July 31, 2007). "Alaska Home of Senator Is Raided by U.S. Agents". The New York Times. Retrieved August 11, 2010.
  18. ↑ "Stevens is under political attack". Fairbanks Daily News Miner. August 13, 2008. Retrieved August 13, 2008.[ dead link ]
  19. ↑ Mauer, Richard (May 29, 2007). "Feds eye Stevens's home remodeling project". Anchorage Daily News . Archived from the original on August 19, 2007. Retrieved August 21, 2007.
  20. ↑ "Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure: The dark side to Alaska's political corruption scandal". Alaska Dispatch. Archived from the original on January 16, 2009. Retrieved October 28, 2008.
  21. ↑ Hays T, Holland JJ, "Judge refuses to end Stevens trial", North County Times, October 8, 2008 accessed online 11/5/2008 Archived December 9, 2008, at the Wayback Machine . originally quoted in Forbes' Associated Press feed, September 26, 2008.
  22. ↑ Mauer, Richard (June 17, 2007). "Grand jury examines Stevens's ties to Veco". Anchorage Daily News. Archived from the original on April 21, 2008. Retrieved August 21, 2007.
  23. ↑ Apuzzo, Matt (June 19, 2007). "Sen. Stevens aides questioned in probe". Associated Press. Retrieved August 21, 2007.[ dead link ]
  24. ↑ The Stevenses paid $160,000 for the renovations. Eisler, "Sen. Ted Stevens Hires Super-Lawyer Brendan Sullivan" Archived August 14, 2016, at the Wayback Machine , Washingtonian Magazine, July 1, 2007. Retrieved July 18, 2016.
  25. ↑ Alaska_Politics. "adn.com | Alaska Politics Blog : Stevens/Allen phone calls (Updated with transcripts)". Community.adn.com. Archived from the original on October 10, 2008. Retrieved October 28, 2008.
  26. ↑ Mikkelsen, Randall (October 6, 2008). "Sen. Stevens on tape: "might serve time in jail"". Reuters. Retrieved October 6, 2008.
  27. ↑ Taped Phone Conversations Played At Stevens Trial, NPR , Nina Totenburg, October 7, 2008. Retrieved August 9, 2020.
  28. ↑ "Jury hears Sen. Stevens curse on wiretapped call". CNN. October 6, 2008. Retrieved October 28, 2008.
Flag of Alaska.svg

This Alaska-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.