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Breaking: Sen. Ted Stevens of Alaska Guilty on all 7 counts
We’ll update you as more information comes in, but this will further muddle up the 2008 Senate races.
What is the fallout from that? Your open thread for the afternoon.
UPDATE: For those of you who think that all conservative, Right wing blogs are echo chambers who support every Republican, take a peek at the post and comments at Hot Air.
12 Responses to “Breaking: Sen. Ted Stevens of Alaska Guilty on all 7 counts”
It sucks the wind out of the media for a couple days. McCain was looking to change the discussion to his economic plan and attack on Obama. Now Stevens has taken over the spotlight.
Palin's every interaction with Stevens will be scrutinized too.
Won't make a difference, he will get reelected with 51 instead of 61%, and with this “clear mandate of the people in my state” will request and be granted a pardon by the outgoing president.
Not sure about that, Mu. He was already trailing Begich – though by a small margin. Lots of folks thought he'd get off.
Palin will completely sever her ties to Stevens and congratulate herself for taking on the corrupt GOP establishment in her state.
When the Marxist MSM points out her continued support of Stevens until a couple of weeks ago– we will hear about how they have targetted her unmercifully because they are so blatantly in the tank for Obama.
Stevens will be out on appeal, meanwhile his sentence will be commuted, then a blanket pardon will be issued.
kritt said: “Stevens will be out on appeal, meanwhile his sentence will be commuted, then a blanket pardon will be issued.”
Maybe not… a sentence cannot be commuted until it has been handed down AND if Stevens appeals he won't be sentenced until after a new President is sworn in. Even if Stevens doesn't appeal his conviction his sentencing is not likely to happen prior to January 20th.
FWIW – IMO neither Obama nor McCain would be willing to carry on as BushCo II.
Good point– Steve K- I'm a little fuzzy on how the legal system works. In any case, I seriously doubt Stevens will ever see the inside of a jail.
But- I wasn't far off on the first part of my comment. Here's Gov Palin's response to the verdict:
“. It’s a sad day for Alaska, and a sad day for Senator Stevens and his family. The verdict shines a light though on the corrupting influence of the big oil service company up there in Alaska that was allowed to control too much of our state. And that control was part of the culture of corruption that I was elected to fight. And that fight must always move forward regardless of party affiliation or seniority or even past service. And as governor of the state of Alaska, I’ll carefully monitor now the situation, and I’ll take any appropriate action as needed. In the meantime, I do ask that the people of Alaska join me in respecting the workings of our judicial system, and I’m confident that Senator Stevens, from this point on, will do the right thing for the state of Alaska.”
Courtesy of CNN. Also Palin would not tell reporters if she planned to VOTE for the convicted Senator.
kritt said: “I seriously doubt Stevens will ever see the inside of a jail.”
As he's 84 years old even this progressive liberals feelings wouldn't be hurt if he didn't do jail time.
He was wrong… He got called on it… And he was found guilty 'by a jury of his peers'. Let the old man go home, justice is served without him going to jail.
What exactly is the “right thing for Alaska?” Resign? Serve again? Does she vote for him?
Steve-
I just want him to admit it and resign, instead of proclaiming his innocence with that self-righteous air of his. According to him the conviction resulted from prosecutorial misconduct–the age old excuse used by corrupt pols.
Besides that he's the biggest earmark abuser in the Senate- I remember his hissy fit after the Bridge to Nowhere was rejected. (though Palin still spent the money) He should have been out years ago.
kritt11,
You'll get no disagreement from me… I think we're both saying the same thing with different words.
BTW- Palin's statement made me laugh. When she says” I'm confident that from this point on Sen Stevens will do the right thing for the state of Alaska”., it makes me wonder what she is basing her judgment on, since he obviously has not considered doing the right thing for a very long time.
Think Progress reported that his cohort in crime, Don Young believes that Stevens was wrongly convicted because the trial was held in DC not Alaska. Apparently Young thinks that DC residents resent Congress so much because of their oversight position, that 9 jurors would wrongly convict an innocent man. I've got news for him: Congress isn't that popular currently in any of the 50 states, either!