Cheney Linked To Ted Stevens Corruption Trial

Newsweek:

A two-year-old letter by Vice President Dick Cheney that push-ed a controversial Alaska natural-gas pipeline bill is getting renewed scrutiny because of recently disclosed evidence in the Justice Department's corruption case against Sen. Ted Stevens. In a conversation secretly tape-recorded by the FBI on June 25, 2006, Stevens discussed ways to get a pipeline bill through the Alaska Legislature with Bill Allen, an oil-services executive accused of providing the senator with about $250,000 in undisclosed financial benefits. According to a Justice motion, Stevens told Allen, "I'm gonna try to see if I can get some bigwigs from back here and say, 'Look ... you gotta get this done'." Two days later, Cheney wrote a letter to the Alaska Legislature urging members to "promptly enact" a bill to build the pipeline. The letter was considered unusual because the White House rarely contacts state lawmakers about pending legislative matters. It also angered state Democrats, who accused Cheney of pushing oil company interests. The executive director of Cheney's energy task force later worked as a lobbyist for British Petroleum, one of three firms slated to build the pipeline.

Read the whole story: Newsweek

Comments

[fignozzle]

how could we possibly be surprised at any newly revealed level of this mans contempt for the law.

[gladys46]

Not surprised ... just want justice for crimes against the public trust!

[stolidus]

Frankly, I am not that happy to see some of this stuff come out yet. Anything we hear about before our current pres leaves office will simply be another item in D*ck's "retirement package" coming up in January. (you know, pension, medical, pardon...)

[zippywpinhead]

must be time to pardon Stevens...

[gladys46]

I can't see any judge allowing such a thing prior to this case going forward .. that judge just denied his motion for change of venue!! That would really be tampering with government witness/defendant!

[Einstein44]

And the plot thickens for Cheney...Do not be surprise by the outcome..Republicans wil not allow him to be the sacrificial lamb for America.

[kellygrrrl]

I think they're going to make Alberto Gonzo the sacrificial lamb

I think Rice and Gonzo will be the first to sign a Plea Deal

those little birdies are gonna sing

[DixieMelody]

The closest we will ever see to a sacrificial lamb from this bunch of miscreants is Scooter Libby.

Rove thumbed his nose at being subpoenaed. Look for Cheney, et. al to follow his lead. After all, what can we do? They have received Carte Blanche thus far to carry on with their mercenary dirty deeds.

Pelosi won't even politely ask them to account for anything, let alone demand it. And as for punishment. . . forget it.

[gladys46]

Republicans seem to be jumping off the sinking ship lately!

[Kynn]

They're not jumping off the ship.

They're just telling you they are and throwing a dummy overboard hoping you'll believe it.

[DaOne]

Hang Cheney

[sangsue]

Cheney is involved? Stevens has just become part of Executive Privilege.

[gladys46]

Court has already ruled that motion inadmissible ... didn't it!!?

[alieninvader]

Ya gotta love the irony. The man commits trea-son, tears the con-sti-tution to shreds, and violates the Gen-eva Convention, with no retribution whatsoever, only to be brought down by good old fashioned cor-ruption charges.

[Bitsko]

Or as Laura Bush would say you gotta love the ironing. These fellows are nothing but war profiteers, if not war criminals. Let them be hounded to their last lonely days.

[kellygrrrl]

I don't care if they jail him on JAYWALKING charges - just get him in Prison

[aznurse]

kind of like Capone and Taxes

[Chillinout]

A Repug involved in corruption?

I'm shocked I tell you, shocked!

[Bitsko]

One of the first acts of the 0bama administration should be to release the records of the meetings between Cheney and the so-called "energy" lobbyists. The second act should be intensive investigations into the influence of the oil lobby.

[gladys46]

Agree. J.Biden would be most interested there ... he fought them as hard as he could damn near alone in the early term of GW.

[PierreLeClerke]

The swollen volcano of corruption and high crimes committed by this cabal of oil barons that remain at the helm of our Nation, is so immense, streams of super heated evidence are now erupting from every orifice. Neither Congress nor the Just us dept. need spend a dime on investigation. All one must due is submit Suskind's book, The Way Of The World along with the statements on the record from his sources as exhibits in support of the charges to any Grand Jury and an inditement for capital crimes will soon follow.
Go to the heart of the motive in all of this and the drunken lust for ever more money and power are crystal clear.
Good career Federal Prosecutors of the land, Do Your Duty Now! The People will protect you from the machine that has been constructed to shield these criminals.

[kellygrrrl]

it is essential that we all keep in mind that the ReThugs are not just fighting to stay IN POWER

they are fighting to stay OUT of PRISON

they will stop at nothing!!!

[gladys46]

Exactly!

[Chillinout]

Great point! And so true.

[timber2008]

all government corruption now days leads to Cheney.

[kellygrrrl]

with a layover at Gonzalez

[EricHayes]

And an inflight refueling from Mukasey.

[gladys46]

Just produce all documented undisputable evidence .... and, get that criminal!!!

[chronic]

That fu c k er is gonna get his.

[billrott]

Oh god. Stevens can not get a worse witness entered into his trial.

[DXM]

So? I'm not surprised by this at all nor should anyone else. And of course, nothing will ever happen to Cheney even if some of his actions were beyond unethical and definitely illegal. At very least, especially if Sen. Obama wins the election, I'm betting that Bush will grant Cheney (as well as all the other current and former-but-still-loyal big players in the Bush Administration) a blanket pardon for any potentially illegal activity just as President Ford pardoned Nixon for anything he MIGHT have done that was illegal.

[Bitsko]

Excellent point. Wouldn't be surprised if Bush pardoned any and all who worked for his criminal administration. He'll make Ford, Reagan, Bush I and Clinton look like pantywaists.

[robotfog]

I've been hoping that if bush himself ever gets indicted on any charge and proven guilty, that it would erase all of his pardons and immunities. You'd think it wouldn't count if a criminal in charge of other criminals is the one doing the pardoning.

Probably not though. It seems that all common sense and decency has been killed off over the past 10 to 15 years.