BREAKING, via McClatchy:
Sen. Ted Stevens, the longest-serving Republican in the U.S. Senate and one of the chamber’s most powerful members, was indicted Tuesday in Washington for failing to disclose more than $250,000 worth of gifts that he received from businessmen who were seeking his help on federal issues and projects.
That he is charged with false statements, as opposed to more substantive corruption charges, is a bit disappointing. Indeed, had he made the false statements about sex, who would even care?
Check in with Memeorandum for comprehensive reax from the Series of Tubes.
Maybe he and Jefferson can resign at the same time.
Sad to say I’m not sure this even affects his odds of winning re-election.
It’s a series of charges!
I’m sorry, this is the best I can do today.
Ratso,
Stevens was running behind already. Ironically, he will likely be pressured to resign, and he may get replaced by a better candidate.
Karl: “That he is charged with false statements, as opposed to more substantive corruption charges, is a bit disappointing. ”
Isn’t that almost always the given in DC — it isn’t the act that damns you, it is the subsequent cover-up? Likewise, I’m not all that sure I want the best legislation money can buy.
BB: “It’s a series of charges! I’m sorry, this is the best I can do today.”
Actually, it is probably one of your best posts –brief, factually accurate and without undue ornamentation. Keep up the good work.
It goes without saying that if he was a Democrat, we’d still be wondering about party affiliation.
I think the Republican party is going to have to rid itself of a load of this sort of baggage before it’ll be fit to run the legislative branch once again.
I mean, speaking of William “Cold Cash” Jefferson (D, La), Hastert protected him and then ducked out to make a couple of million of an earmark deal. Scum.
“Stevens was running behind already.”
From what I remember about the people up there I’m going to have to check on that because I was under the impression he’d be re-elected posthumously if it came to that. If you’re right it’s pretty pathetic the GOP up there didn’t put up someone against him.
I have no faith at all Stevens would resign unless he was convicted and I’m not sure even then. He just doesn’t give a shit.
“Indeed, had he made the false statements about sex, who would even care?”
1. I love that when a Repub senator gets called out on corruption charges, it gets spun about Clinton.
2. I love even more the child-like notion that what’s being lied about doesn’t matter – a lie’s a lie (unless context benefits a Republican, of course).
Ahhhh. to be a child again
Yay!
pan – Wasn’t pan a homosexual goat? NTTAWWT
“Ahhhh. to be a child again”
Lucky you. The rest of us had to grow up.
Ratso’s right I think, he won’t leave on his own, especially now that he’s seen what Craig (a man with far less pull in the club) could get away with and remain. Here’s hoping the DoJ brings down the hammer and smashes this old coot to bits.
Patrick Carroll: “I mean, speaking of William “Cold Cash†Jefferson (D, La), Hastert protected him and then ducked out to make a couple of million of an earmark deal. Scum.”
Comme ci, comme ca… Hastert was, among other things, defending the perogatives of the House and the balance of power between the executive and the legislative branches. Throw in his unwillingness to play hack politics with the Jefferson matter and I think “scum” might be over the top… On the other hand, he *is* (or at least was) an Illinois politician…
then perhaps you can go find it elsewhere, as I haven’t seen it here. so far.
I like that pan managed to contradict 1 with 2 and didn’t even notice.
Indeed, I hope the DoJ can manage to take down Alaska’s Rep. Don Young while they’re at it. The Coconut point off-ramp deal stinks to high heaven. Sic ’em DoJ, pile the (metaphorical) congressional corpses high.
Ratso,
Rasmussen had Stevens down by nine points.
Well now we know why he wanted that humongous bridge. It was going from Alaska all the way to a non-extradition country.
“Rasmussen had Stevens down by nine points.”
Unbelievable. So why isn’t Parnell doing better against Young I wonder?
Then again maybe this is the shot in the arm Parnell’s challenge needs.
So now we know that his series of tubes was clogged with free gifts. Good riddance to bad people.
Barrett Brown: I can appreciate the lack of meat for you in this story. Let me help you out with a provocative comment.
There you go, grist for the mill that should provide hours of moral equivalency statements and earnest condemnations.
I’m a giver that way. No need to thank me.
Turns out there is someone running against Stevens for the GOP nom: Dave Cuddy. He ran against Stevens years ago and lost big. If I still lived up there I would’ve been voting for Cuddy in the primary anyway.
If Alaska’s rules are as flexible as New Jersey’s, they should be able to put a fine candidate in his place.
They haven’t had the primary yet.
JD: New Jersey’s elections rules are so flexible they perform at Circe du Soleil on weekends.
Re-Elect McGreevey!
JD: New Jersey’s elections rules are so flexible they act as Bill Clinton’s ethics.
That he is a corrupt bag of blood warts and is Republican is beside the point.
What’s needed is for corruption charges to be pursued against so many others on both sides of the isle.
Good riddance.
I would love it when a Democrat gets called out on corruption charges.
At least I think I would, we will have to wait and see.
Dear Dread Cthulhu:
Ph’nglui mglw’nafh Cthulhu R’lyeh wgah’nagl fhtagn! So, eat me first!
As to the rest, well, at what point will prerogative yield to crime?
Patrick
—
Glad to see Sen. Bridge to Stalag 7 getting his …
I would love it when a Democrat gets called out on corruption charges.
Stay tuned for the indictment of John Conyers wife.
My anti-virus software tells me that PW is infected with the psyme trojan.
“I would love it when a Democrat gets called out on corruption charges.”
No such thing as a ‘corrupt Democrat.’ They’re ‘saving the planet’ you selfish, insensitive, gaia hating, don’t know your place, holocaust denying fascist.
However, Democrats CAN be misunderstood (but not mistaken), taken out of context, framed, rail roaded, victims of racial bias prosecution, or long suffering ‘disease’ victims who selflessly and humbly volunteer for rehab, thus completely absolving them of any responsibility and restoring sainthood and devine (but not the kind of ‘Devine’ you God-botherers are always on about) liberal moral authority.
Refering to them in any other fashion is a ‘distraction.’
Also, it kills children and poor people.
OT: You all heard from Darleen?
Stay tuned for the indictment of John Conyers wife.
I ain’t holding my breath. John Murtha is about as corrupt a sonuvabitch has ever been in Washington and they can’t seem to get him. Democrats are the tops at protecting their own.
As a New Orleanian, I hope both he & “Dollar” Bill Jefferson end up in the general population at Levenworth. Pity we can’t make political corruption a capital crime.
Sdferr – there is a bit of a difference between a charge from a cop on the vice squad and a charge from the DoJ. An order of magnitude or three of difference.
Sen. Stevens ought to hope that he shows the class of Warren Harding and just dies first.
Patrick, it *is* so good to hear the old slogans –consider yourself to be in possession of a low number.
As for the rest, it will never yield until most of the old crooks are thrown out — too many in that august body are liable, so they will fight it tooth and claw.
Politicians are like diapers and should be changed on a regular basis, for many of the same reasons.
What galls me BMoe is that his constituents can easily “get him” but have thus far chosen not to. (I gave money fruitlessly to Diana Irey so yeah, I’m holding a grudge.)
I wasn’t pointing to the “charge” Mikey, but the indication Craig gave that he was stepping down that he so easily walked back.
I see that Sarah Palin(R) is being investigated as well. I have a sudden craving for a moose burger.
#28 thor
Wow. You were on point with the post and I agree with you.
I guess it was bound to happen – now what we need is an amendment for federal term limits – and for staffers. And an amendment to put a ‘title-object’ provision for all bills and banning omnibus bills.
#41 – Ah; my bad.
Carry on.
One down, ninety-six to go.
What galls me BMoe is that his constituents can easily “get him†but have thus far chosen not to.
He doesn’t have a constituency he has hired goons, as long as he delivers the goods they deliver the votes. When Cynthia McKinney first started feeling the heat the second time she came back home to give a big pep talk, and all she could come up with was a big sidewalk project she had scored. I knew right then she was fucked, her “constituents” aren’t real impressed with sidewalks.
That’s just great news in a “the system works” kind of way I think.
Lord knows there is enough corruption to go around on both sides. But, try this out: This my be the first shot in a series of selected prosecutors going after the Republican label. Look for more of the same and the return of “Culture of Corruption”
…..The closer we get to the election that is.
“At the White House, press secretary Dana Perino said, “The president has been working with Senator Stevens for many years, and he appreciates his strong leadership on key issues. This is a legal matter that the Department of Justice is handling, and so we will not comment further on it.””
Consistent with the Presidunce’s policy of support for the legal system, I’m sure his personal gag order will preclude him from commenting on the crooked Octogenarian even after conviction. You see, he has the right to appeal, and we can’t talk about an ongoing case.
Just to level the partisan playing field I will say that all elected
OR appointed government officials guilty of corruption whether it be for war-profiteering, personal gain from earmarks, or any compromise of their public trust should be:(REGARDLESS of Political Stripe)
1)Serve some hard time in a real prison.
2)If given parole or probation, they must….
a)Work for minimum wages flipping burgers for their remaining time.
b)Must use public transportation
c)Must live in Section 8 Housing.
Take what they love most; money and power.
now what we need is an amendment for federal term limits – and for staffers.
That, and they should all be forced to wear little Nascar like jumpsuits with patches identifying who they get their money from in chambers. (Soylent Red’s idea)
Seriously though, there are a whole slew of state and local Democrats getting indicted for all myriad of bribery and corruption and stealing money – Pennsylvania, New Jersy, Texas, Ohio, Louisiana, New York, Michigan to name a few, that people are hearing on a day to day basis in their own towns.
The Dem brand isn’t in that great of shape.
Top, you gotta point, but the MSM will trumpet the evil scourge of Republicans and not the other way round.
That’s all fine and dandy ‘cleo, but I would be happy if the Democrats would just quit protecting the crooks and remove them from office.
At least he voted for oil drilling though. The ones that don’t are every bit as corrupt as this piece of shit I think. This one never got conufuzzled that his job was to save the stoopid planet. I’ll say that for him. But still, I hope is family is ashamed and no one sends them Christmas cards and people look at all of them with scorn when they go out to eat. Forever.
*confuzzled*
Hey! What Baldilocks said; has anyone heard from Darleen? They did have a 5.4 earthquake in LA today.
*his family* … sheesh. After the shakeyness we had to go to lunch with this person visiting from NY and she was shook up so she had wine and then some more wine and so then we all had wine and then some more wine cause she is more important than we are and if she wants to drink wine we can’t very well let her drink wine by herself. That would just be rude. But it sort of went on and on. Now we are all pretending to be productive for 29 more minutes.
haps – even a corrupt vicious idiot can have a few good ideas that don’t involve money. I’m not saying it happens often, but it is possible.
haps -pretending to be productive? And you are here?
That is some Disney-level-pretending, my line-of-thought friend!
N.B. – I do that too; but not the wine drinking during school hours. No dispensation for that!
Have some more wine would be a productive thing I think. It’s good for the vintners if for no one else. Oh, and the glass recyclers. Shouldn’t forget them.
T minus 14 minutes and counting.
BMoe;
Thanks for your BiPolarPartisan comment.
Article 1, Section 5: Each House shall be the Judge of the Elections, Returns and Qualifications of its own Members…
There is a very good reason for that provision, and I for one am not nearly disgusted enough by the bunch we have now to throw the baby out with the bath water.
Regards,
Ric
I see this is a popular thread.
Regardless, Hat Tip to Karl for posting it. Did you lose the coin-toss to Collins?
Dan’s computer is in the shop this week, so his access is limited.
Also, I did just e-mail Darleen to suggest she check in when she gets the chance.
Incidentally, Nancy Peolosi said that like all DEMOCRAT citizens, William Jefferson should be considered innocent until proven guilty.
Seman, how about regaling us with another cartoon analogy? That was great.
“regaling us with another cartoon analogy?”
I would but I might get convicted of contributing to your delinquency.
No, you are too unique to do that, cleo.
Oh, come on. I’d love to hear your thoughts on, say, the fall of the Roman Republic, quantum physics, or 18th century British mercantilism cast in terms of old Deputy Dawg episodes.
The funny thing about the leftards coming here to berate us — has anyone defended Stevens? Hell, the original posting says it’s a shame he wasn’t indicted on more serious charges. A sentiment I happen to agree with.
Rob, they just don’t get it, I don’t think.
They don’t believe in honesty, morals or ethics, only political expediency.
They don’t believe in honesty, morals or ethics, only political expediency.
They sure as hell don’t have no sense of irony. The Republicans get blasted for being the culture of corruption for kicking out and convicted their crooks, while the Democrats parade theirs around as heroes.
Right on cue, the latest douchebag to show his ass here,
https://proteinwisdom.com/?p=13019#comment-498427
puts up a post on his blog bemoaning the fact the Republicans are kicking Stevens ass:
http://nomoremister.blogspot.com/2008/07/stevens-indictments-good-for-gop-alas-i.html
These fuckers are loyal to nothing but the Democrat Party.
The difference, my friends, is there is no pretense of honor if one is a leftist. Its all about the start line………..the bar. Yet, what is the alternative? Scum are scum, but who wants to become scum in order to win? It is fitting that one party holds their members to an ethical standard and one does not. Instead of bitching about it, we should herald it as just one more example of why the democrat party is ruled by abject pieces of shit and the other one not so much.
Article 1, Section 5: Each House shall be the Judge of the Elections, Returns and Qualifications of its own Members…
There is a very good reason for that provision
There was good reason (originally thought) for the president to have unlimited terms too. Turns out the public isn’t producing men of the calibre required to have power continuously for as long as they do now. And the founding fathers never intended the federal government to be as big, rich, and powerful as it is. The bigger the government, the more money and corruption it produces, and the worse the effect on the people in power. Too much power, too much money, too many opportunities for corruption. They all eventually fall, if they serve long enough. Just ask former Senator Mark Hatfield from Oregon.
We need term limits.
d
That is the most coherent post Miss Cleo has ever graced us with.
NPR said this morning Republicans were circling the wagons around Stevens. I have their lies for breakfast.
Do those lies go well with Grape Nuts and a little sugar?
Green tea and brown rice. It’s a thing.
Sounds like dinner last night. Better Half’s mother is in town and she made some tea that is apparently called Colon Blaster. Also, these little shrimp things, wrapped in some odd Vietnamese meat (pork-ish) and then breaded and fried. Yummy.