Alaska Sen. Stevens has wide support, despite indictments
Published Thursday, July 31, 2008
Digg
delicious
Facebook
Mixx
Reddit
Stumble It!
ANCHORAGE — Whatever they might think about Sen. Ted Stevens’ honesty or lack thereof, many folks in Alaska aren’t ready to see their Uncle Ted go.
Indictment or not, they are grateful for the bounty of federal dollars he has delivered in the nearly 40 years he has represented them in Washington. And they worry about how Alaska would fare on Capitol Hill without him.
“As I told the senator, he can do more in six years that any of his opponents can do in 20,” said Joe Williams, mayor of the Ketchikan Gateway Borough and one of many Alaska residents who have rallied to the Republican senator’s defense after his indictment this week.
Stevens, 84, pleaded not guilty Thursday to federal charges of concealing more than a quarter-million dollars in home renovations, furnishings and other gifts from an oilfield services company.
Anchorage resident Robert Mellin, retired from the Alaska Air Guard and the state’s Transportation Department, displayed a Stevens campaign sign in his yard Thursday and said it would stay there until the entire story on the senator had played out.
“I’ve lived in Alaska all my life,” he said. “I think he’s done a great job for us.”
Homebuilder Chuck Spinelli picked up some Stevens yard signs Thursday and planned to display them at his home, his office and on his trucks.
“People of Alaska have hired him to bring money back to this state,” Spinelli said. “He has done that over and over and over again. Whatever these charges are, he deserves the respect and our admiration. We should wait to see what actually happens before there’s a call to do anything.”
Alaska has been a big beneficiary of the federal government’s largess, largely because of Stevens’ leadership role on the Senate Appropriations Committee and his skill at inserting earmarks into budget bills.
In 2005, the latest year for which figures are available, Alaska received $1.84 in federal spending for every $1 the state paid in taxes to Washington, according to the Tax Foundation, a nonpartisan organization. The state ranked third, behind New Mexico and Mississippi.
According to Taxpayers for Common Sense, Stevens helped bring $3.2 billion home in earmarks in the past four years. That amounts to $4,873 per Alaskans, more than 18 times the national average.
One-third of all jobs in Alaska are tied to the federal government, according to state economist Neal Fried.
Stevens and Rep. Don Young, Alaska’s 18-term congressman, boldly defend their skill at obtaining money, citing needs in Alaska for basic infrastructure that were addressed long ago in older and less spacious states.
Labor officials and trade associations that have benefited are reaffirming their support for another term for Stevens.
“He’s brought projects to the state. He’s put our people to work. He’s protected the labor agreements,” said Tim Sharp of Fairbanks, business manager of the state Laborers Union. As for the allegations against the senator, Sharp said: “It’s hard to fathom or believe that a guy who’s given his life to public service ... would jeopardize that for a Viking stove and a good deal on a car and rebuilding his house.”
Stevens, a Harvard-trained lawyer, helped Alaska become a state when he was an attorney with the Interior Department in the late 1950s. After a stint as a legislator, he in 1968 replaced the late Bob Bartlett in the Senate.
In a state sometimes divided by urban and rural interests, Stevens transcended the divide. He obtained millions for village health care centers, airports and sewage systems, giving low-income rural residents the chance for indoor plumbing.
“How huge is that?” said Kodiak Borough Mayor Jerome Selby said. “Think of all the thousands of families whose lives suddenly got better. Most folks in the Lower 48 have no concept of that. That seems like old news to them.”
Jim Rowe, executive director of the Alaska Telephone Association, said Stevens has been the No. 1 supporter of the right of every American to have affordable telephone access. Washington Beltway regulators who thought “rural” meant the Shenandoah Valley were invited by Stevens to see remote Alaska, Rowe said, and sometimes came away speechless.
“He’s a hero to us,” Rowe said.
Rowe said he expects Stevens to win the primary Aug. 26 and the general election in November.
“He’s not God, but he’s the best we’ve got up here,” Rowe said. “I revere the gentleman.”
Community Discussion
Newsminer.com doesn't necessarily condone the comments here, nor does it review every post. Read our full user's agreement.
Senator Stevens is innocent until proved guilty in a court of law. I hope he is successful in defending himself in court. He is a very influential person in Congress and he transcended the Rural and Urban divide by taking care of everyone regardless where they came from. I wish him the best.
At least the trial is set for September and the judgment will be in before November. That is if he does make it through to the general election.
Senator Stevens is legally presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law....however that does not mean that he isn't guilty right now, he just hasn't been to court yet.
of course even if he is found not guilty in court doesn't mean he isn't actually guilty eithier, just that there might not be enough legal evidence to find him guilty beyond a shadow of a doubt..
big difference?.
Looking for a big federal handout? Uncle Ted is your man.
Does your mortgage lender need a bailout? Uncle Ted is your man.
Feeling completely unashamed to be a ward of the federal government? Uncle Ted is your man.
He's 84. Uncle Ted is going to go sometime.
How much money does one have to make or bring to the state before the law is not applicable to them? If Senator Stevens was indicted for manslaughter (hypothetically) would people be singing the same tune? It's a good thing most can't circumvent the law, even if they do bring home the bacon. And Alaskans love their bacon.
Part of me hopes he is not guilty, because it would be a nasty ending to a good run.
Ted has been a good advocate for Alaska. key word has........
I hope he is found innocent however I'm NOT confident that he will....
I think that even though Senator Stevens has brought alot of money to the state he has been there long enough and with the winds of change blowing through congress, he will be largely ineffective with the Democrats in control of both the Senate and the House and quite possibly the Presidency this fall. How effective will Senator Stevens be in bringing home the bacon then? With the indictments hanging over his head and with the changing of the guard? I have talked with many people from different parts of the country, most of them are long time Federal or State employees and they all have the perception of corruption within the State of Alaska and they all assume that we have benefitted too much from Uncle Ted and they feel that will change and it will change soon. Just my 2 cents. Feel free to bash my statements, but its a pretty scary scenario either way. Peace.
I like this story, exactly the way I feel about Uncle Ted. Mostly only the outsiders critize Ted. And there is a lot who are new or outside AK who stick their nose in our business, too bad you couldn't be only true Alaskan to comment we could do without the other trash talk.
He did not wrong, wait it will come out. Feds only charged with with this? they couldn't find anything with any proof I guess and didn't want to lose face.
"Stevens helped bring $3.2 billion home in earmarks in the past four years. That amounts to $4,873 per Alaskans, more than 18 times the national average."
Traditional Conservative.
rrrrright.
"You limp-wristed libbies are biting your nails and twisting in the wind after reading those flimsy charges against Uncle Teddy."
i'm sure Al Capone thought the same thing.
you realize this isn't actually a partisan issue right? that there isn't a vast liberal conspiracy? and that you don't actually need to root for the jersey?
why would "liberals" be "biting their nails" and "twisting in the wind"? ... just want you to expound a bit more on why liberals would do either of those thing concerning the Stevens charges.
You're probably right. They're not "biting their nails". "Dancing in the streets" and "singing praise in the media" is probably more accurate.
If he's not in jail or dead I'm voting for him.
And not for the pork. He supports missile DEFENSE. I'm tired of our only defense being "We'll blow you up more" (MAD).
"""why would "liberals" be "biting their nails" and "twisting in the wind"?"""
Yeah, X23. I don't understand that myself. Seems to me Senator Stevens is the kind of gentleman most liberals would take a right shine to; given his uncanny ability to procure and spend billions of dollars the federal government doesn't really have and make national welfare cases(as well as laughing stock) of his constituents.
Liberals want Alaskans to behave as sheep, remain obedient, and be forever dependent on a nanny state federal government. Liberals do not want Alaskans to chart their own destiny. Few have done more to help them achieve these goals than Senator Stevens.
This derogatory evil neocon vs. sheeple libbie crap . . .
STOP IT already!
Personally, I believe absolute power corrupts absolutely. If Uncle T. chose to look the other way while special interest groups were stocking his coffers, well, he wouldn't be the first, nor will he be the last to do so.
I'm not going to judge the man. Not until I find myself in his shoes, which will be never.
He's done a lot of good for this state. Advocated for us, made sure that this so very young state got the recognition it needed in jaded ole D.C. I don't even know how many people his efforts have employed over the years, how many people and businesses have directly benefited from the monies he brought home to improve infrastructure, how many people can directly attribute their ability to survive here, economically, to this single individual. All I know is that, it's many, many people. In a sense, all of us who have lived, or who do now live in this state.
I will not judge the man.
But I will note his advanced years. 84 years old. IMHO, that should be of far more relevance to us Alaskans than any federal indictments of corruption.
It's pretty much irrelevant to me whether he leaves the US Senate due to corruption charges, getting ousted by his own party, or advanced age. The point is, he'll be leaving. Soon. For any of the above reasons, or others yet unnamed.
Indictments or not, he has served a very valuable function for Alaskans for decades. Indictments or not, he will not physiologically able to continue serving such a valuable function for Alaskans.
We're pretty much forgotten up here. Probably one of the reasons the state flower is the forget-me-not. Too many people in the lower 48 *still* think we all live in igloos, and get around to our grocery shopping on dog sled teams. The lower 48 is *still* generally clueless about how we live our lives up here. (Yet another reason for secession from the Union in my book, but that's another blog posting.)
Uncle T. put us on the political map. I don't think it nearly matters *how* his political career is ending, more than *that* his political career is ending, at the tender age of 84.
Man, he's fought so long and so hard for us, jeez, all I hope is that he's got the remainder of his years just for himself and those he loves.
In the meanwhile . . .
Who's going to replace him? Who's got the chutzpa, the balls, to stand up for us the way he has in Washington, D.C.?
Who's been his mentor? The beneficiary of his political prowess? Or not. Who has done for us what Uncle T. has done?
Corruption charges? Yeah, whatever. I could give a flying fajita about all that. Goes with the territory, so let's all move on, shall we?
Who can we trust to take his place? In my opinion, that's what we really ought to be focusing on, now.
I suspect the other candidates for senate are in a tissy now that Senator Stevens will go to trial in September. All of them are waging campaigns of innuendo. The trial will determine fact from fiction. If Senator Stevens is found guilty, he goes to jail and Junior wins. If he is found not guilty, there goes the campaigns of his opponents. Angry Alaskans will flock to the polls to re-elect Senator Stevens.
To make this even more partisan; which is exactly what this witch hunt is: Let's see...
Senator Ted Kennedy ran off the road drunk and killed a girl and is still in office, didn’t even go to jail!
Representative Gerry Studs had sexual relations with a page and kept his office.
President Clinton perjured himself in his sexual harassment trial ("I did not have sexual relations with that woman", hey! wipe that stain off would ya!), and kept his office.
Representative Patrick Kennedy wrecked his car while intoxicated, in the national capitol no less, and is still in office.
Representative Cynthia McKinney assaulted a police officer, and is still in office.
William “Freezer” Jefferson got caught with $90,000 in his ice box and is still in office.
Etc., etc., ad nauseam. All Dems by the way, not that any other party doesn’t have their share of black sheep. It just seems to me that if any party should be ostracized for not immediately resigning their posts for conduct unbecoming it should be a democrat and don’t forget the presumption of innocence.
Enough said. Show the guy the respect he deserves after 40 years in office serving Alaskans and wait until the case is adjudicated. He’s got my vote for now.
Ted Stevens and our state legislators,have been influenced By big money VECO,a non-union company that hires from the lower 48, We need local hire and Uncle Ted has not Helped workers in the state of Alaska, Get rid of Stevens, And Bill Allen !!!
The plethora of crooked Democrats means we should support crooked Republicans?
I suppose in a weird and twisted way, that makes sense.
I'd just as soon toss 'em all in the Potomac, regardless of party, and start from scratch. Can't do any worse than what we have in there now.
(Of course, I've said that prior to every presidential election in my adult life, and other than one exception I've been wrong every time. Now, what was that exception? Any guesses?)
showell, I don't see how this is a witch hunt. Bill Allen and Rick Smith have pleaded guilty to bribery and extortion. Investigators are looking into whether politicians, including Stevens, allowed these guys to illegally influence them. That's a serious charge, and unlike the unsavory actions of the Democrats you listed (with the exception of Jefferson, whose case has not yet gone to trial), is directly related to the duties of Stevens' public office. Having said that, I agree that he should be presumed innocent and allowed to continue serving Alaska for the time being.
Come on Aric, Justice, as much as you'd like to think, is not blind. 98 days or so before an election and it's grand jury time for the senior republican in the senate. Koolaid drinkers everywhere must be ecstatic.
I guess that people see him as some sort of Alaskan Robin Hood.
I still think that he needs to go.
Curmudgeon: Which one was it? Roosevelt or Hayes? j/k
What business in Alaska does not get government money in some shape or fashion? Or phrased another way; What business or person in Alaska has not benefitted from Senator Stevens' 40 years in office? I gave him a handshake and a salute. He returned the favor. I'll put that on my 1040 next year.
Wanted State Senator: Responsible for representing 700,000 Alaskans and 5 million annual seasonal workers and tourists that "know" a better way to run your State. Manage billions of dollars in federal spending and serve on numerous congressional committees. Benefits of doing a good job for 40 years include being indicted on seven counts of not reporting gifts. Apply during the Alaska primary election.
The Feds spent two years investigating this and that's the best our DOJ can come up with? Sounds like either the Senator is hard up for cash to the tune of $250K, damned clever at concealing gifts, or innocent. A man of his experience and talent, could write a book and make ten times that with out even putting a pen to paper. So I find it hard to believe that he would throw away his integrity for so little.
Many Alaskans are ready for him to go. That's a fact. He may have created the illusion of caring about all Alaskans but he also has complained publicly about Native people. Many of us see how he truly feels about Native people, he only cares when it's to his advantage. More than likely there's more corruption than he's being charged with and he's got the connections to cover them up. So long Teddy boy, so long.
ONAPA: Ouch! I may be old, but I'm not that old!
No, history proved Bonzo's bedmate an improvement over the peanut farmer. Took me awhile to admit it, though. Reagan didn't make a Republican out of me, but he did cure me of being a Democrat. He was the first president to decide he didn't want to manage the Cold War, he wanted to end it. And he pulled it off. He made plenty of mistakes along the way, some of which we're still grappling with, but in regards to the big picture, his vision was clearer than most.
Anyone looking for details there should read "The Fifty-Year Wound" by Derek Leebaert, best Cold War history I've thus far encountered. Leebaert critiqued American actions in that period from the perspective of cost/benefit rather than left/right politics. He spares no one, but Reagan and Eisenhower do come out looking a bit better than anyone else.
LadyNYC- I agree, very well said, flying fajita & all. =)
Post a comment
Commenting requires registration.