Stevens Says He Hasn't Yet Been Convicted

FAIRBANKS, Alaska — Sen. Ted Stevens says he is not a convicted felon, at least until the appeal process is over.

"I've not been convicted yet," the Alaska Republican insisted Thursday in a meeting with the editorial board of the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. "There's not a black mark by my name yet, until the appeal is over and I am finally convicted, if that happens. If that happens, of course I'll do what's right for Alaska and for the Senate ... I don't anticipate it happening, and until it happens I do not have a black mark."

A federal court jury on Monday convicted Stevens on seven counts of lying on Senate disclosure forms to conceal more than $250,000 in gifts and renovations to his home from VECO Corp. founder Bill Allen.

Stevens, the longest serving Republican in the U.S. Senate, is seeking re-election in Tuesday's election, and faces a formidable challenger in Democrat Mark Begich, the mayor of Anchorage.

There have been growing calls among Republican leaders for Stevens to resign, including from GOP presidential candidate John McCain and his running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.

Stevens dismissed that as "statements made on the trail, in the heat of battle."

Alaska's junior senator, Republican Lisa Murkowski, sat with Stevens in the editorial board meeting and was more critical of Republicans turning on Stevens.

"For all of them, it's a very close election. I think they're looking to their own political skin. If it helps them in their effort to gain re-election, they will, unfortunately, throw Ted under the bus," she said.

Comments

[Liberalrep1980]

I love these kinda guys. He's been convicted and is waiting on appeals. Yet he says he has no black mark by his name. What does that even mean? Oh well, I'm sure he will get along fine in prison with the last few who just went. What's even better, the idiots of Alaska reelected him. Now that's loyalty. One more neo-con bites it. WOOT!

[NoElephants]

Hey guys - he hasn't technically been "convicted" yet - he has been found guilty by a jury. That is not a final conviction. The guy is s c u m, but let's be fair.

[realspirited]

Listen up Stevens...if it walks like a duck...uh, oh forget about it. You make up your own rules as you go along, right? The last great frontier - unaswerable to the rest of the USA. But you like the perks, don't you? You betcha!! So much for going out on top of your game while you had a chance.

[BuickBoy57]

Alaska is such a unique place, with it's own, special secret-code alphabet (from top to bottom):

A *L *A *S *K *A
D*E *N *I *A *L

See what I mean? It's a great state for Stevens & Palin to call home.

[HoraceOvidson]

A lot of us believe in your innocence, Senator. By the way, you wouldn't happen to be able to recommend anybody that could do a little carpentry work at a reasonable rate, would you?

[MBLADY]

Ted and Sarah are in the same state of denial.

[gbw1954]

Now I see.. a guilty verdict by a jury on seven counts is just a practice guilty. You and Sarah must be related because you sure have an alternate interpretation of the constitution and the laws of our country. If you get time as a guest of the government I wounder if you will get a new pin stripe suit or if you will be sporting more of a bright fall colored collection.. orange would look good on you I think!

[avraamjack]

.
I do not know all the details of the case but he did pay 160K for the work done and his explanation sounded reasonable.
.
If that is the way he sees it, his determination to fight is understandable.
.

[jfor]

You do realize this case went to court, its not like Spongebob just declared Steven's guilty.

[avraamjack]

yes

[avraamjack]

yes, and 160K is a significant sum.

[avraamjack]

yes, and 160K is a significant sum for home improvements and someone unfamiliar with the cost of home improvements might not be able to discern the difference between cost and what was delivered.
.
maybe he stll thinks in circa 1990 dollard ?

[instarx]

At least Steven's will be guaranteed free health-care while he is in prison.

[instarx]

Well Ted, if you think you aren't a convicted felon, why dn't you just go and try to vote for yourself tomorrow? Good luck on that.

[instarx]

The old "thrown under the bus" defense. There sure does seem to be a lot of that bus-throwing going on in the Republican Party these days.

[JiminNC]

I'm a republican - the laws are different for me ... ask Mukasey

[ReelBusy]

What a sad deluded old man that doesn't understand the definition of "conviction".

Should he be allowed to make laws if he doesn't understand the words in them?

[marchamlin]

He kind of sounds like Sarah Palin. "The investigation found that I did nothing wrong."

[jemiltd]

What is it about Alaska that when someone is found guilty, she or he says that they are not?