So, as you no doubt know, two days ago, Alaska Senator Ted Stevens was convicted of multiple counts of making false statements about a quarter million dollars of gifts he received from his best cronies -- like Bill Allen of VECO Corp. -- that Stevens said he either forgot or didn't know about despite the fact that they included the tackiest statue of fish this side of the Lost City of Atlantis that sat on the man's front porch.
Stevens is going to get a few lawyers and fight the case, like he was Jay-Z or something, and, to that end, he's getting a boost from fellow Alaska Republican Don Young, who's looked at the facts and decided that the conviction is the fault of the residents of the District of Columbia. Let's follow his "logic":
"You have to understand that this was not a jury of his peers. It was in Washington, D.C. , which most people in Washington, D.C., don't look very favorably on the Congress because we run them. I don't know why anybody didn't bring that out. They're not a self-governing city like they say they are. We actually make decisions for them. Makes us very, very suspicious.
"... The real question comes, you know, about the venue. Was it, should have been, here or out there. ... And I'm sure he's paying enough for his lawyers, and he'll end up being vindicated ... and he will win the election."
Sommer Mathis, editor of DCist.com (full disclosure: I am a former contributor to DCist.com), didn't respond too well to the slight, as you might imagine:
Allow DCist to thank you, Rep. Young, on behalf of all D.C. residents for taking the time to let us know that we're petulant, ungrateful subjects. We're so glad someone of your level of moral superiority is here to tell us just where we stand in the eyes of the U.S. Congress. It's not like you're also under federal investigation over your ties to Bill Allen and VECO Corp. or anything. You're absolutely in a position to tell us who is capable of making an impartial verdict in the Stevens case, and we are not. Thanks for clearing that up.
Ahem.
Imagine the gall of this guy. Here he is, under federal investigation, part of what appears to be the most corrupt congressional delegation in history, and he's throwing mud at the 600,000 disenfranchised residents of the District of Columbia. Oh, and surprise, surprise, guess who voted against the D.C. Voting Rights Act? Rep. Don Young.
The last time a member of Congress decided to cast himself as the liege-lord of the District, it was Louis Gohmert, and DCist encouraged residents to take their complaints to his doorstep. Now that Young has relieved Gohmert from duty, residents of the District might want to be able to contact Young directly, so please direct your inquiries to 2111 Rayburn HOB, Washington, DC 20515. The phone number is (202) 225-5765. Act quickly! Young is in the midst of a tough fight with Democrat Ethan Berkowitz, and has been running behind the newcomer in the polls.