Guilty on all 7 counts....

Quote :

"A jury has found Sen. Ted Stevens guilty on all seven counts of making false statements on Senate disclosure forms."

10/27/2008 4:10:39 PM

Congratulations Mark Begich. You are the next Senator from the State of Alaska.

10/27/2008 4:11:11 PM

I borrow furniture for 10 years all the time.

Why didn't the jury understand this?

10/27/2008 4:21:28 PM

series of tubes

10/27/2008 4:22:52 PM

[Edited on October 27, 2008 at 4:44 PM. Reason : ]

10/27/2008 4:41:31 PM

10/27/2008 4:54:01 PM

damn, i just laffed. series of tubes, indeed.

poor Ted.

well, at least he'll get the executive suite at whatever country club min-sec fed prison they send him to.

10/27/2008 4:55:19 PM

I heard they get conjugal visits.

10/27/2008 4:58:42 PM

If there's any justice, Rangel's next.

Mr. Rangel's mess

http://washingtontimes.com/news/2008/oct/11/mr-rangels-mess/

10/27/2008 5:02:49 PM

Further proof that there is such thing as karma.

10/27/2008 5:29:16 PM

internet was sent by my staff at 10 o'clock in the morning....I GOT IT YESTERDAY!

10/27/2008 6:55:27 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nTX-oJUCaU

Sarah Palin pals around with criminals?

10/27/2008 7:05:06 PM

Quote :

"There's one company now you can sign up and you can get a movie delivered to your house daily by delivery service. Okay. And currently it comes to your house, it gets put in the mail box when you get home and you change your order but you pay for that, right. But this service is now going to go through the internet* and what you do is you just go to a place on the internet and you order your movie and guess what you can order ten of them delivered to you and the delivery charge is free. Ten of them streaming across that internet and what happens to your own personal internet? I just the other day got, an internet was sent by my staff at 10 o'clock in the morning on Friday and I just got it yesterday. Why? Because it got tangled up with all these things going on the internet commercially. So you want to talk about the consumer? Let's talk about you and me. We use this internet to communicate and we aren't using it for commercial purposes. We aren't earning anything by going on that internet. Now I'm not saying you have to or you want to discrimnate against those people [ø] The regulatory approach is wrong. Your approach is regulatory in the sense that it says "No one can charge anyone for massively invading this world of the internet". No, I'm not finished. I want people to understand my position, I'm not going to take a lot of time. [ø] They want to deliver vast amounts of information over the internet. And again, the internet is not something you just dump something on. It's not a truck. It's a series of tubes. And if you don't understand those tubes can be filled and if they are filled, when you put your message in, it gets in line and its going to be delayed by anyone that puts into that tube enormous amounts of material, enormous amounts of material. Now we have a separate Department of Defense internet now, did you know that? Do you know why? Because they have to have theirs delivered immediately. They can't afford getting delayed by other people. [ø] Now I think these people are arguing whether they should be able to dump all that stuff on the internet ought to consider if they should develop a system themselves. Maybe there is a place for a commercial net but it's not using what consumers use every day. It's not using the messaging service that is essential to small businesses, to our operation of families. The whole concept is that we should not go into this until someone shows that there is something that has been done that really is a viloation of net neutraility that hits you and me."

10/27/2008 7:38:28 PM

This is really an opportunity for Republicans. Unfortunately I doubt they'll take it up.

Look -- when Larry Craig was convicted of soliciting sex in a bathroom, a misdemeanor, the guy was practically lynched. Ted Stevens has been convicted of seven felony counts of corruption, having already been infamous for his Bridge to Nowhere.

Republicans -- and I especially mean John McCain -- need to loudly, in harmony, say "RESIGN, TED STEVENS" on the top of their lungs. Now. Without hesitation. None of this "I'm confident Senator Stevens will do what is right for the people of Alaska" crap from Sarah Palin's press release. Why the fuck is she confident he'll do the right thing? He's a CONVICTED FELON.

Loud, firm conviction on good, pragmatic, open government is the only thing that will revive the Republican party's prospects. Here's an opportunity to get a great start on it, and let that dominate the media spin cycle instead of Ted Stevens's ignominious campaign for the next week.

[Edited on October 28, 2008 at 2:25 AM. Reason : foo]

10/28/2008 2:24:38 AM

because republicans dont really care if you cheat or steal or embezzle or take bribes.

just dont get caught being a homo.

mmkay?

10/28/2008 2:55:48 AM

Ya kinda like how democrats don't care if you cheat or steal or embezzle or take bribes (William Jefferson comes to mind, as does John Murtha)

just don't get caught being a racist.

mmkay?

10/28/2008 3:25:03 AM

What is even worse about this is Partisan hacks in Alaska are still voting for him, even after all these corruption hearing, just because he has a -R next to his name.

This is what i hate about bi-partisan politics and people's ignorance in this country. Alaskans would rather re-elect a lying corrupt official than someone who is *gasp in the democratic party. The election should not even be close but oh knowz the democrat is going to take all our money and give it to welfare moms! Even if this was the case I would rather LaTika to be buying 40's with my taxes than paying for Ted Stevens to build another add-on to his mansion.

By the way if you look at Ted Stevens history as a senator and his Pork Earmark allocations for AK; he makes even the most Liberal "Tax N Spender" look like a fiscal conservative.

[Edited on October 28, 2008 at 12:15 PM. Reason : a]

10/28/2008 12:08:40 PM

Quote :

"What is even worse about this is Partisan hacks in Alaska are still voting for him, even after all these corruption hearing, just because he has a -R next to his name."

Here's the thing - it's like the way everybody hates everyone else's corrupt little hack but loves theirs.

And it all comes down to a simple answer: Stevens isn't getting votes because of the "R" next to his name. He's getting them because of all that bacon he continues to bring home.

It's the same reason every other corrupt asshole stays in Congress. Party affiliation isn't really the metric of interest - it's how effective one butters up just enough of the constituency.

Why else do you think Chicago is still ruled by a family of crime lords?

10/28/2008 12:13:46 PM

Didn't Powell endorse Stevens? And he endorsed Obama? oh snap.

10/28/2008 12:16:21 PM

Democracy Freedoms #1!!

10/28/2008 12:16:41 PM

^^^

I don't see how he can continue to bring home the pork after this. The Senate can definitely make his life difficult, and even expel him outright (ever heard of William Blount)?

[Edited on October 28, 2008 at 12:17 PM. Reason : foo]

10/28/2008 12:17:06 PM

Quote :

"He's getting them because of all that bacon he continues to bring home."

Exactly. $250k isn't that big of a deal in the grand scheme of things when he's bringing home millions of dollars and thousands of jobs.

^ They're not necessarily thinking about what he can do in the future, but what's he done for them in the past.

[Edited on October 28, 2008 at 12:18 PM. Reason : .]

10/28/2008 12:17:26 PM

Quote :

"I don't see how he can continue to bring home the pork after this. The Senate can definitely make his life difficult, and even expel him outright (ever heard of William Blount)?"

On the practical point, you are correct. I don't think most voters think about it in this sophisticated of a manner, though.

10/28/2008 12:19:42 PM

Quote :

"It's the same reason every other corrupt asshole stays in Congress. Party affiliation isn't really the metric of interest - it's how effective one butters up just enough of the constituency."

That is the truth. And that is why we need term limits in Congress. But that will never happen...

10/28/2008 12:33:41 PM

Quote :

"That is the truth. And that is why we need term limits in Congress. But that will never happen..."

We need one and done term limits for congress and the president. But that will never happen of course.

10/28/2008 12:35:15 PM

Quote :

"We need one and done term limits for congress and the president."

What?

10/28/2008 12:38:39 PM

one and done = one term, and get out.....


yea, i don't see that being any better than the current system.


reasonable term limits (like 2 or three in the senate, a little more in the house) would be better imho

10/28/2008 12:43:03 PM

DrSteveChaos wins

10/28/2008 1:43:04 PM

Quote :

"Didn't Powell endorse Stevens? And he endorsed Obama? oh snap."

yeah.

hmm.

uh...

















i got nothin'

10/28/2008 3:04:34 PM

Palin has called for Stevens to resign.

10/28/2008 4:06:06 PM

And apparently so has McCain....

what a mess!

10/28/2008 4:12:32 PM

Is resigning really an option? Is he going to serve out his term in Congress from prison?

10/28/2008 4:16:12 PM

if he were to loose the election, his term would only be through january anyways (and since the congress isn't in session it doesnt really matter anyways)

if he were to resign, palin would get to pick who runs in lieu of stevens, even though steven's name would remain on the ballot...

many think she'd pick herself.

10/28/2008 4:17:59 PM

What if he kept a firm grip on the election?

10/28/2008 4:19:03 PM

he doesnt have that now, but if he won the election, he would be able to keep his seat.

rules on convicted felon holding federal office:

Quote :

"The issue of whether one is permitted to run for and hold office in the House of Representatives either after a felony conviction, and/or while incarcerated in prison, specifically involves a question of the qualifications, or disqualifications, to be a Representative in Congress. There are three, and only three “positive” qualifications for Representative in Congress set out in the United States Constitution: (1) age (25 years); (2) citizenship (7 years); and (3) inhabitancy (one must be an “inhabitant” of the State from which chosen “when elected”). It is now well-settled that these three qualifications for office in the Constitution are the exclusive qualifications for Congress (and are not merely “minimum” qualifications), and that they are fixed and may not be supplemented by Congress nor by any State unilaterally. Specifically, there is no qualification in the Constitution that one not be a convicted felon (nor a “disqualification” for offenses other than in the14th Amendment for certain treasonous conduct by those who have taken an oath of office). Similarly, there is no qualification in the Constitution that a person, when elected to Congress, not be in prison. Furthermore, no State could permissibly implement such additional qualifications for federal office through election laws or ballot procedures. The Framers of the Constitution intentionally implemented a representative scheme whereby significant discretion is given and deference provided to the judgment and choice of the people as to whom they wish to have represent them in Congress. In this respect, the adage of the French political philosopher Joseph de Maistre might apply: “Every nation has the government it deserves.”"

http://lugar.senate.gov/services/pdf_crs/Congressional_Candidacy_Incarceration_and_the_Constitutions_Inhabitancy_Qualification.pdf

[Edited on October 28, 2008 at 4:32 PM. Reason : .]

10/28/2008 4:25:45 PM

Quote :

" if he were to loose the election... -What if he kept a firm grip on the election?"

I was just being a smartass, but that's very interesting. If I were him I'd keep those paychecks coming.

10/28/2008 4:47:21 PM

it's utterly incomprehensible to me that Ted Stevens, A CONVICTED FELON, cannot be forced out of the senate.

He can no longer vote to elect public officials, but he can still vote on public policy as a U.S. Senator

un-fucking-believable

10/28/2008 6:09:52 PM

he can be forced out...he can be impeached, but that takes a 2/3 majority and someone to bring about the impeachment.


^ although I agree that it's crazy that there aren't any rules against a felon holding federal office.

10/28/2008 6:12:19 PM

the wisdom of the founding fathers was to prevent the very real possibility fabricated charges pursued by zealous partisans could be used to silence political opponents.

the senate therefore will judge their own peers, unless the electorate gets there first.

the senate is waiting for AK voters to get rid of him. if that fails, im quite certain that the senate will move to impeach and remove him.

10/28/2008 7:25:51 PM

Quote :

"the wisdom of the founding fathers was to prevent the very real possibility fabricated charges pursued by zealous partisans could be used to silence political opponents."

This man speaks wisdom.

I just find it incomprehensible that within his electorate he has a fucking CLOSE race to win...

10/28/2008 8:52:29 PM

he's still responsible for millions of jobs and millions of dollars coming back to that state.

stevens is arguably the only reason for alaska's consistent surplus over the years.

people aren't going to dismiss him easily.

10/28/2008 9:26:31 PM

The notion that the state that spawned Ted Stevens is about to vote for McCain and his Pen makes my brain hurt.

10/28/2008 9:55:24 PM

really didn't think this was gonna happen:

Quote :

"WASHINGTON (CNN) – Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, while campaigning in his home state of Kentucky Tuesday, told a reporter that convicted Sen. Ted Stevens should resign, McConnell's spokesman Dom Stewart told CNN."

10/28/2008 11:04:33 PM

ITS ALL THE LUBERAL MEDIA TRYING TO MAKE US THINK EVIL THOUGHTS ABOUT REPUBLICANS BEFORE GOING TO THE BOOTH TUESDAY!!!

10/28/2008 11:11:13 PM

he can and will be expelled from the Senate if he wins...takes 2/3rds....last time it happened was during the Civil War.

10/29/2008 12:24:57 AM

every single democrat will vote to impeach. many republicans will also.

i think there are very good odds that if he somehow wins reelection, he will be impeached.

10/29/2008 1:26:48 AM

That "Prison" motivational is awesome.

10/29/2008 1:35:42 AM

"There is a 100 percent certainty that he would be expelled from the Senate."

— Senate Min. Leader Mitch McConnell, on Sen. Ted Stevens' fate if he doesn't "resign immediately," Lexington Herald-Leader, 10/29.

10/29/2008 12:53:09 PM

Alaska Dept. of Elections just called the race for Begich

Quote :

"AP NewsAlert 7 minutes ago ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens has lost his re-relection bid to Democrat Mark Begich."

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ijDA5bgxiHlTvS_r-SSjskS1Tq1wD94HMTV00

[Edited on November 18, 2008 at 8:46 PM. Reason : .]

11/18/2008 8:39:54 PM

... and "Palin 2012" is now officially in the dirt. she cant promote herself to the US Senate, after all.

11/18/2008 8:55:56 PM