Alaska Sen. Stevens' trial on federal charges moved to Sept. 22
Originally published Thursday, August 7, 2008 at 3:05 p.m.
Updated Friday, August 8, 2008 at 6:39 a.m.
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Stumble It!FAIRBANKS -- Sen. Ted Stevens' trial for failing to disclose more than $250,000 in gifts and home remodeling from oil services company VECO Corp. and its chief executive Bill Allen has been moved up two days to Sept. 22 in Washington, D.C.
Federal District Court Judge Emmet Sullivan said the first day will be used to begin the process of screening 150 potential jurors. The defense and prosecution will jointly select 12 jurors and four alternates for the trail.
Stevens was indicted last week on seven counts of false statements on his Senate financial disclosures between 1999 and 2008. He has pleaded not guilty.
The 84-year-old Republican senator requested an expedited trial in order to attempt to clear his name before the Nov. 4 general election.
Federal prosecutors estimate it will take three weeks to present their case. The defense has said it needs about a week to make its case. The prosecution is expected to call between 30 and 40 witnesses.
Sullivan has set a hearing on Aug. 20 to consider Stevens' request to have the trial moved to Alaska, which his lawyer filed Monday.
Stevens' lawyer argued for the change of venue because the majority of the witnesses in the case will be coming from Alaska.
Prosecutors have said moving the trial is inappropriate and the judge has indicated that he is inclined to agree that the case should remain in Washington.
At a status hearing today, Sullivan rejected a request from prosecutors to send prospective jurors advance questionnaires along with summonses. Prosecutors said they wanted to speed up the selection process by pre-screening for unqualified jurors.
But Sullivan expressed concern that people would search the Internet for their answers and potentially taint the juror pool.
Jury summonses are likely to be mailed this week to residents of Washington, D.C.
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Another Republican going down. Good riddance. Maybe the Republican Party stood for something at one time but since grampa used to belong to it, it has changed.
First the Dixiecrats brought their greed, avarice and racism to the Republicans when they jumped over to it when the Democrats had a shot of remorse and embraced the American Civil Rights Act in the 1960's.
The greed, avarice and racism attracted the Neo Cons who outdid the Dixiecrats and took over the Republican Party without the Dixiecrats knowing it and rendered them irrelevant.
The Neo Cons had to get extra voters in order to consolidate their power so they created a series of wedge issues that attracted the hypocrisy and bigotry of the Religious Idiots.
Together the equally Corrupt, Conflict of Interest and Collusion challenged Neo Con Parasites infesting the Executive Branch and the Republican, Democratic and some Independent Legislators in Congress are prostituting their votes to pass laws, regulations and deregulations to financially benefit their Corporate Johns and theirselves as well as legally shielding themselves.
Together they are yanking hundreds of billions of American Taxpayer dollars a year from programs, especially social programs benefitting the vast majority of American Citizens and instead are giving the same monies to their Corporate Johns, themselves, and the rich and super rich who comprise 1--5% of Americans.. Taxation Without Representation!
I recall we had an American Revolutionary War against a King George, his Mercenary Armies and the few American supporters called Tories.
We have again, another King George who, with his many signing statements, putt hisslef above the law and accountable to no one, with his Neo Con Cronies Mercenary Armies masqerading as "Contractors" and the 11% of Americans comprised of fellow Neo Con Parasites, Republican Mushrooms and of course the Religious Idiots pushing their bastardized version of Christianity down our throats.
Revolution anyone?
Senator Stevens is determined to hand his office over to Mark Begich. It is so obvious that he should be ashamed of himself for that alone. Instead of resigning so the governor can appoint his replacement, he is going to force all of us to go to the polls while he is still in trial. I thought he was a lawyer. Perhaps his sense of entitlement trumps all other considerations. Or, maybe he is in cahoots with the Democrats.
This Spectacular Trial during the National Election could not be better for exposing all the ills of Alaska and the Republican Party.
Win or lose Ted, this is a mess of your creation which was caused by your very poor judgment. No telling what else will come out of this.
If you lose, we can expect a pardon from Bush, which will again dredge up the whole sordid story. If you win we will be subject to all sorts of persecution theories ad infinitum.
It going to be a long, long Fall for Alaska.
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