October 19 20 21 News Clippings Packet - US v. Stevens

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October 19, 20, 21 News Clippings Packet - US v. Stevens Page 1 of 30 pages

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http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2008/10/will_dems_get_a_brakefree_sena.html

Alaska (R - Stevens) -- Justice Department prosecutors who havesucceeded in making the judge in Ted Stevens' corruption trialfurious, and it's clarified one truth about Stevens' bid for anotherterm: If he's acquitted, Stevens is the favorite. If he's convicted,Democrat Mark Begich will be a U.S. Senator. This race couldeither shoot up the list or drop off completely in the next two weeks.RCP Average: Begich +3.2.

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95913039

Defense, Prosecution Rest In Sen. Stevens' Trial

by Nina Totenberg

Listen Now [2 min 55 sec] add to playlist

All Things Considered , October 20, 2008 The jury has heard the cases of federal prosecutors anddefense attorneys in the corruption trial of Sen. Ted Stevens of Alaska. The Republican is charged withseven counts of failing to report a quarter of a million dollars in gifts and services provided by an oilindustry executive and other friends.

Related NPR Stories Oct. 18, 2008

Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens Takes The Stand Oct. 16, 2008

Sen. Stevens To Testify At His Corruption Trial Oct. 9, 2008

Judge In Stevens Trial: Some Evidence Tainted


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http://blogs.kansascity.com/crime_scene/2008/10/meanwhile-at--2.html

Monday, October 20, 2008

Meanwhile, at the Ted Stevens trial

Stevens, a Senator from Alaska, is accused of accepting gifts and then failing to report them on hisfinancial disclosure forms. (Stevens says his family paid every bill that was sent to them.) Closingstatements are expected tomorrow.

I really liked this exchange between the prosecutor and Stevens, who disagree on the meaning of "gift"...

Stevens has said he never sought gifts and wouldn't even accept a free lunch, much less expensiveremodeling services. But prosecutors say he had a history of accepting gifts including an expensivemassage chair from a friend and omitting them from the financial disclosure forms.

He said he considered that chair a loan.

"And the chair is still at your house?" prosecutor Brenda Morris asked.

"Yes," Stevens said.

"How is that not a gift?"

"He bought that chair as a gift, but I refused it as a gift," Stevens said. "He put it there and said it wasmy chair. I told him I would not accept it as a gift. We have lots of things in our house that don'tbelong to us."

Posted by James Hart on Monday, October 20, 2008 at 02:23 PM in Frauds and hoaxes | Permalink

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Defense Rests in Alaska Senator Ted Stevens's Trial (Update2)

By Cary O'Reilly and Nadine Elsibai


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Oct. 20 (Bloomberg) -- U.S. Senator Ted Stevens 's lawyers rested their defense to charges he hid morethan $250,000 in gifts, after the senator said improvements to his home in Alaska ``just happened''without his knowledge or consent.

The 84-year-old senator, seeking election on Nov. 4 to an eighth term, is accused of failing to reporthome improvements and other gifts from Veco Corp., an Alaska oil-services company, and Bill Allen ,the company's founder and chief executive officer.

Stevens, testifying for a third day at the close of the four-week trial, said his family never used a gasgrill or two hot-water faucet attachments that he said were installed at his home in Girdwood, Alaska,without his knowledge. He also said he didn't ask for heat tape that was installed on the roof to meltsnow.

`Ì didn't call anybody to come out and put heat tape on in the first place,'' Stevens said under cross-examination by prosecutor Brenda Morris. `Ìt just happened.''

Jurors will hear closing arguments tomorrow. U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan said he will givefinal instructions the following day before the jury begins deliberations.

Prosecutors say Veco and Allen provided free labor and materials to install a new first floor, garageand other improvements to the home in Girdwood. Defense lawyers say Stevens paid every bill he wasaware of and believed his Senate financial disclosure forms were accurate.

Stevens said that while he knew Allen had Veco employees working on his home, Veco itself wasn'tproviding the work.

Òne's a Corporation'

`Òne's a human, one's a corporation, ma'am,'' Stevens told Morris. ``Veco was not involved inworking on my house.''

David Anderson, Allen's nephew, told the jury Oct. 9 that he performed hundreds of hours of work onthe house over many months, and that Veco paid his salary and for all materials. Other Vecoemployees also worked on the house, he said.

Catherine Stevens, the senator's wife, testified last week that she gave Veco employee Robert ``Rocky''Williams a bonus of $2,000 and two domestic airline tickets for his efforts, even though she believedhis salary and expenses were covered by the project's general contractor, Christensen Builders Inc.

Stevens also is accused of not reporting other gifts on his Senate financial disclosure forms, including a$2,700 massage chair that a friend testified he gave to the senator as a ``loan'' because he wanted toavoid Senate disclosure rules.

``We have lots of things in our house that don't belong to us,'' Stevens said today when Morris askedhim about the chair.

`Stole My Furniture'


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When asked why Stevens hadn't removed the chair that's still in his Washington, D.C., home, Stevenssaid Allen ``stole my furniture'' in Girdwood and that he and his wife decided not to send anythingback to Alaska.

`Ìt never crossed my mind to call the police at that time'' to report the theft, Stevens said. `Ìt mightnow.''

He also said a small power generator that Allen had installed at the Alaska home at this request was``not a gift.''

`Ìt was not a gift for me,'' Stevens said. `Ì asked him to rent one and not buy one'' for temporary useover the New Year's weekend in 2000, in case a widely predicted computer problem with themillennium changeover caused power blackouts, he said.

Stevens said he asked for the generator to be removed and then asked Allen for a bill when it was nottaken out.

`Ìs it your testimony that because Bill Allen put in a much nicer generator than you asked for, youdidn't have to pay for it?'' Morris asked.

``Yes, at that time, Y2K, that's correct,'' Stevens said. He later said he thought the generator wasincluded in billing done for other work on his home in Alaska.

The case is U.S. v. Stevens, 08cr231, U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

To contact the reporters on this story: Cary O'Reilly in Washington at [email protected] ;Nadine Elsibai in Washington at [email protected]

Last Updated: October 20, 2008 15:03 EDT

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=avU1ymwZg4R4&refer=home


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Jurors get conflicting views of Stevens

By MATT APUZZO and JESSE J. HOLLAND 2 hours ago

WASHINGTON (AP) Jurors were offered conflicting views of Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens during afour-week corruption trial: a cantankerous but credible senator who didn't know he was being lavishedwith free gifts, or a sour-faced, scheming one who thought he knew how to quietly get undisclosedfreebies.

Stevens completed three days of testimony Monday with lawyers still trying to convince jurors of theirportrait of the longtime Republican lawmaker, who has been charged with lying on financial disclosureforms about $250,000 in renovations and other gifts he received from oil services contractor VECOCorp.

Closing arguments were scheduled for Tuesday and jurors were to begin deliberating Wednesday.

Stevens has said he never sought gifts and wouldn't even accept a free lunch, much less the expensiveremodeling services that changed his A-frame Girdwood, Alaska cabin into a large, modern home witha sauna, wine cellar and wraparound porches. He and his wife Catherine paid for everything they knewof, Stevens insisted.


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"Catherine paid for the work that was done at our house, she paid the bills and that's all there is to it,"said Stevens, the last words he left the jury with before leaving the stand.

But prosecutors say he had a history of accepting gifts including an expensive massage chair in hisWashington, D.C. home and omitting them from the financial disclosure forms. Stevens has insistedrepeatedly that the chair was a loan from a friend, although it has been in his house for seven years.

"How is that not a gift?" prosecutor Brenda Morris asked.

"He bought that chair as a gift, but I refused it as a gift," Stevens said. "He put it there and said it wasmy chair. I told him I would not accept it as a gift. We have lots of things in our house that don'tbelong to us."

Playing to the jury, Morris appeared confused. "So, if you say it's not a gift, it's not a gift?" she said.

"I refused it as a gift," Stevens replied. "I let him put it in our basement at his request."

Once an untouchable political force, Stevens faces a tough re-election fight and he's hoping for anacquittal before Election Day. Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich, a Democrat, has sought to capitalize onStevens' legal woes in the tight race.

Morris grilled Stevens repeatedly about things VECO founder Bill Allen added to the senator'sGirdwood residence, including a new porch, a balcony, a fully stocked tool chest, a gas grill, a steelstaircase, rope lighting, a generator and leather furniture.

Stevens has said he didn't ask for those things, and even tried to get Allen to take them away. Stevensadded Monday that Allen, who has pleaded guilty to bribing state lawmakers, "stole" the furniture outof his cabin and replaced it with the leather furniture.

"Why didn't you call the police when Bill Allen stole your furniture?" Morris quickly asked.

"It never crossed my mind to call the police at that time. I might now," Stevens said.

The gifts and the Girdwood renovations are at the heart of Stevens' corruption trial. The AlaskaRepublican appeared as his own star witness, trying to convince jurors that he paid every bill hereceived for his 2000 home renovation project and didn't know he was getting any freebies from the oilservices corporation.

Stevens said he saw a clear difference between getting help from Allen and getting help from VECO."One's a human, one's a corporation, ma'am," he said.

"You're saying you don't have to disclose gifts from a human?" Morris replied. Stevens replied againthat he didn't get any gifts.

Though gruff, Stevens kept his temper in check despite needling from Morris. Through back-and-forth jousting with Morris, the senator did confirm for jurors the combative and cantankerous reputation of aman known in the Senate for his "Incredible Hulk" neckties.

"Now, you go right ahead with your questions, miss," Stevens shot at Morris once.


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And when Morris asked him why an expensive fish statue Stevens has said is intended for hismemorial foundation is sitting on his front porch, Stevens replied icily: "Ms. Morris, I have not diedyet."

On the Net:

Justice Department documents: http://www.usdoj.gov/criminal/us-v-stevens/

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5je6Pw1sViz24JRo9F0PNhoqMtzTwD93UEJS80

Artist rendering from the trial of Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, Monday, Oct. 20, 2008, at U.S. DistrictCourt in Washington. Top row, from left are: Defense attorney Brendan Sullivan, prosecutor BrendaMorris, Judge Emmet G. Sullivan, at the bench, and Sen. Stevens, at right on the witness stand. Atbottom, from left are: Robert Cary, FBI Special Agent Mary Beth Kepner, Joe Terry, Nicholas Marsh,Joe Bottini, and Grace Williams. (AP Photo/Dana Verkouteren)


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Testimony ends in Sen. Ted Stevens corruption trial

Jose Luis Magana / Associated PressDaughter Beth accompanies Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens to court. Tapes indicate that his friends wereconcerned about billing records for work they paid for on his house.Prosecutors say he failed to report gifts received from friends and contractors. He says the items areloans, even though they're still in his homes.By Richard B. Schmitt, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer11:42 AM PDT, October 20, 2008WASHINGTON -- Testimony in the corruption trial of Sen. Ted Stevens concluded today, with aJustice Department attorney trying to undermine the credibility of the Alaska Republican byquestioning why he didn't return items of value that friends had left at his homes in Washington andAlaska.

U.S. District Judge Emmet G. Sullivan said closing arguments by the government and Stevens' lawyerswould be heard Tuesday; Sullivan indicated that the federal jury would begin deliberationsWednesday. Stevens is charged with failing to disclose more than $250,000 in home improvementsand gifts, including a gas grill, bronze art work and a reclining massage chair, to the Senate.

Stevens on offensive in his own defense

Ted Stevens takes the stand at corruption trial Senator's vote of confidence: Inouye testifies on Stevens'

behalf

Public integrity attorney Brenda Morris repeatedly challenged Stevens


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on the witness stand today, saying his explanation that the items in question were not gifts, eventhough they remained at his homes, was not plausible.

Morris asked Stevens about a $2,700 Brookstone massage chair that was delivered to his home inWashington in 2001. Stevens has taken the position that the chair was a loan from a friend. But heacknowledged on cross-examination that it remains in his home to this day.

"How is that not a gift?" Morris asked.

"We have lots of things in our house that don't belong to us, ma'am," Stevens replied. Asked later whatthese things included, Stevens said they included items owned by his daughter and friends of his wife,Catherine. Stevens also said it was not practical to ship the chair back to the owner, who lived inAlaska.

Stevens said the status of the massage chair was not unlike that of a Viking gas grill that an Alaskanoilman, Bill J. Allen, had delivered to the Stevens home in Girdwood, Alaska, after the renovation wascomplete in 2001. The government alleges that the grill was a gift to Stevens. The lawmaker says thegrill is still owned by Allen, even though it remains on the deck of the home; he has also said that he

and his wife never use it.

Allen and Stevens were long-time social companions, although Allen, who is alleged to have made thefree home improvements and other gifts that Stevens failed to report, was the star prosecution witnessat the trial.

Morris also asked Stevens today about other furniture that Allen delivered to the Alaska home. Stevenshas said that he was unaware that he was getting the furniture, and that in any event, he did not like it.He has testified that Allen also removed the existing furniture in the home.

"Why did you not call the police when Bill Allen stole your furniture?" Morris said.

"It never crossed my mind to call the police at that time," Stevens replied. "It might now."

Catherine Stevens previously testified that she wrote $160,000 in checks for the home makeover, but

the government contends that tens of thousands of dollars in labor done byemployees of Veco Corp., Allen's now-defunct oil servicescompany, were never paid for.

She and Ted Stevens have testified that they believed those labor costs were included in the bills theyreceived and which they paid to their contractor.

Both have conceded that Allen may have withheld some billswithout their knowledge . The government contends that they turned a blind eye to thefact that Allen was doing them a favor.

"If Bill Allen gives you something," Morris said, "you don't have to report that on your financialdisclosure forms?"


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"No, that is not my testimony," Stevens responded.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-stevens21-2008oct21,0,3251682.story

http://www.abcnews.go.com/TheLaw/story?id=6074270&page=1

Stevens Grilled About Gifts, Home Remodeling

Alaska Republican Senator Faces Prosecution in Corruption Trial


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By JASON RYAN

Oct. 20, 2008

Prosecutors grilled Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, at his federal corruption trial Monday, attempting toprove that the lawmaker concealed gifts and a major home renovation project.

Lead prosecutor Brenda Morris went through a series of e-mails and memos with Stevens that he'd sentto a friend and a former oil services company executive.

The prosecution has claimed in court that Stevens, 84, concealed $250,000 worth of gifts and homerenovations by not reporting them on financial disclosure forms required by the U.S. Senate. A now-defunct oil services firm, Veco, and its ex-CEO Bill Allen paid for the overhaul to the senator'sGirdwood, Alaska, home, according to the prosecution.

The defense has countered that the Stevenses paid more than $160,000 for the renovation project, butprosecutors attempted Monday to establish a solid connection between Stevens and Veco.

Morris noted that Stevens never once referenced another firm, Christensen Builders, which the defensehas said was the general contractor on the Stevens' home renovation project. Instead, Morris said,Stevens referred numerous times to a project foreman who was employed by Veco.

The prosecution questioned Stevens about his wife's communications with Veco employees.Prosecutors entered into evidence a FedEx package receipt from 2001 sent to Bill Allen "attentionRocky Williams," a company employee who had worked as the foreman on the project.

During his testimony, Stevens maintained that the foreman had been employed by Veco at times andworked for Allen on other projects. While he was working on his house project, the foreman was notthere with Veco.

Morris said to the senator, "Your wife knew ... your staff knew but you didn't."

Stevens was also shown a January 2006 invoice for plumbing work done at his house for $1,118,which was addressed to him but noted that Allen clearly paid for the labor with "Labor paid by Bill" onthe invoice.

Stevens maintained that he'd asked for a bill from Allen in writing and told the prosecutor, "I didn'tknow what it cost. ... I tried to get Bill Allen on the phone and via e-mail."

Morris zeroed in on gifts that the senator had been given that the government claims he nevermentioned on his financial disclosure forms. Concerning a $2,695 massage chair that a friend boughtfor Stevens in 2001, Morris asked Stevens, "And the chair is still at your house?"

"Yes," Stevens said, adding that it was a loan.

"How is that not a gift?" She pressed the senator. "He bought that chair as a gift, but I refused it as agift. ... I told him I would not accept it as a gift. We have lots of things in our house that don't belong tous," Stevens said.


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Morris said to the senator, "You better be careful. ... So, if you say it's not a gift, it's not a gift?"

Stevens said, "I refused it as a gift. ... I let him put it in our basement at his request."

Stevens said he only used the chair a few times and had been in pain after a series of medicalprocedures and a bout of bronchitis.

Asked about the $29,000 giant fish statue on the deck of the home, which was given to him after acharity event, Stevens testified that it was destined for the Ted Stevens Foundation. Morris pointed outthat the foundation does not have a building yet, to which Stevens said, "I have not died yet. ... You goright ahead with your next questions, miss."

As the prosecutor continued questioning him about the large bronze statue of three salmon, Stevensreverted to his defense of blaming his wife: "Catherine decides what goes to the foundation."

The senator concluded testifying in his defense Monday, appearing more subdued than during hisfeisty testimony last week. Stevens' third day on the witness stand completed testimony in the four-week trial; both sides will present closing arguments before the jury of 11 women and 5 men Tuesday,which are expected to take the entire day.

The jury is expected to begin deliberations in the case as early as Wednesday.

Copyright 2008 ABC News Internet Ventures

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2008/10/20/ST2008102002520.html

Sen. Stevens Wraps Up Testimony in His Trial


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By Del Quentin WilberWashington Post Staff WriterTuesday, October 21, 2008; A15

In his final appearance on the witness stand, Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) yesterday denied lying onfinancial disclosure forms to hide gifts including a lavish massage chair and hot-water faucets.

The senator, who testified earlier that he never received free home renovations, told jurors in hisfederal corruption trial that he wished he had called police when a business executive replacedfurniture in his Alaska home with bulky items damaged by cigarette burns.

Stevens, 84, one of the most powerful Republicans in the Senate, added that he tried to refuse the$2,700 massage chair as a gift from another friend in 2001. The Brookstone chair remains in thebasement of his Washington home -- on loan, Stevens said.

"We have lots of things in our house that don't belong to us," said Stevens, who is seeking reelection toa seventh full term. "I let him put it in our basement at his request."

Although dour at times, Stevens was less confrontational than he has been in previous testimony. Hewas the last witness in his month-long trial on charges that he lied on financial disclosure forms to hidemore than $250,000 in gifts and renovations to his house in Girdwood, Alaska, from 1999 through2006. The Justice Department alleges that many of the gifts and renovations were financed by an oilservices company or its top executive, Bill Allen, the government's chief witness.

Closing arguments are scheduled for today, and jurors could start deliberations as early as tomorrow.Prosecutors have not introduced any evidence that appears to be a "smoking gun." Instead, they haverelied on a treasure trove of e-mails and handwritten notes and on testimony from Allen to build acircumstantial case that the senator tried to hide gifts and renovations from public scrutiny.

Though e-mails between Stevens and a family friend from 2000 to 2002, prosecutors have tried toshow that Stevens was aware of the progress of renovations on his home. In the e-mails, the friend,who lived in Girdwood and kept an eye on the job for Stevens, lauded Allen and one of his Vecoemployees for their efforts.

Veco employees testified that they performed extensive work on the house, which Stevens calls "thechalet," and said they were paid by their company, not the senator. Veco records estimated that thefirm spent tens of thousands of dollars on the project, which doubled the size of a small cabin byadding a new first floor, two wraparound decks, a garage and a whirlpool.

Prosecutors also presented handwritten notes in which the senator requested bills from Allen forremodeling work. They argue the notes show that Stevens was trying to create a paper trail, pointing toAllen's testimony that a mutual friend told him to ignore the lawmaker's requests because the lawmakerwas just "covering" himself to avoid ethics problems.

Jurors heard tape recordings of calls between Stevens and Allen in 2006. On one call, Stevens toldAllen that, at worst, they could expect a fine and maybe some jail time if convicted.

Stevens's attorneys contend the evidence supports their argument that the senator paid every bill hereceived, that he requested invoices and that he was not aware Veco played a role in the work.


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Stevens testified that he paid all of the laborers through a contractor, brought onto the job by Allen. Hiswife wrote that contractor about $132,000 in checks, records show. The couple paid other contractorsabout $30,000, the senators' attorneys have said.

Stevens testified that he never sought free gifts and tried to return many of them.

Defense lawyers also have pointed out that Stevens repeatedly denied any wrongdoing on tape-recorded phone calls. They have attacked Allen's credibility, noting he pleaded guilty to federal briberycharges in a broad probe of Alaska political corruption.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2008/10/20/ST2008102002520.html

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Mr. Stevens is facing seven felony counts charging that he deliberately concealed on Senate ethicsforms some $250,000 in goods and services he received, largely from a friend, Bill Allen , and Mr.Allens company, Veco, to remodel his home in Girdwood, Alaska.

Brenda Morris, the prosecutor, sought to take apart Mr. Stevenss assertions that he was unaware that avariety of expensive goods and services he received were gifts from Mr. Allen, an Alaskan oil servicestycoon, and other friends.

Ms. Morris confronted Mr. Stevens with several e-mail messages and notes he had written or receivedthat praised Mr. Allens contributions to the renovation of the Stevens home. She concluded eachreading with a variation of this question: So, is it still your testimony to this jury that you did notknow that Mr. Allen and his company were showering you with gifts?

Mr. Stevens, 84, insisted each time that although he had known that many of the workers at his homewere employees of Veco, he had not known that Veco played any role in the renovation. Veco wasnot involved in renovating my house, he said angrily. He thought the workers were employed by adifferent contractor who had been paid by his wife, he said.

Although he was testy, even hostile, with Ms. Morris in their first encounter last week, he was moresubdued Monday as he seemed to be laboring to keep his temper in check. Lawyers for both sides willmake closing arguments Tuesday, and the jury is set to begin considering its verdict Wednesday.

Mr. Stevens and his wife, Catherine, have testified that they paid $160,000 to contractors other thanVeco for the renovation and thought that covered the entire cost.

Prosecutors had apparently decided not to play a tape of a telephone conversation recorded by theF.B.I. in which Mr. Stevens tells Mr. Allen that all the money Mr. Allen put into the house could landthem in legal trouble.


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But Ms. Morris did highlight two other issues intended to damage Mr. Stevenss credibility. Shechallenged Mr. Stevens about his possession for seven years of an expensive massage chair bought forhim in 2001 by another friend, Bob Persons.

Mr. Stevens did not list the chair on his Senate disclosure forms as a gift, he said, because it was aloan.

That chair, its still at your house? Ms. Morris asked.

Yes, Mr. Stevens replied.

How is that not a gift? she then asked.

Mr. Stevens said Mr. Persons bought the chair as a gift but I refused it as a gift. He said he agreed tohave the chair stored in his home for Mr. Persons.

So, if you say its not a gift, its not a gift? the prosecutor asked. She then confronted Mr. Stevenswith a note he had written to Mr. Persons thanking him for the chair, saying how much he loved usingthe chair and even sometimes fell asleep in it.

Ms. Morris also challenged testimony by Mr. and Mrs. Stevens that furniture placed in the Girdwoodhome by Mr. Allen was of little value because it was used and damaged. On the stand, Mrs. Stevenshad pronounced it tasteless. But Ms. Morris noted that the Stevenses had wanted to give it to a recentlymarried son to furnish his new home.

Arent you trying to regift to your son the furniture you found so hideous? she asked.

Mr. Allen, who was the prosecutions chief witness, had once been close friends with Mr. Stevens. Hehas already been convicted in Alaska for bribing state lawmakers and is still awaiting sentencing. Mr.Allens sentence could depend on a recommendation from prosecutors as to how cooperative he is inthe Stevens trial.

The chief defense lawyer, Brendan Sullivan, suggested in his cross-examination of Mr. Allen that hehad turned on his longtime friend Mr. Stevens to please prosecutors who had also agreed not toprosecute his grown children nor Veco itself.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/21/us/21stevens.html?ref=politics

Sen. Stevens Wraps Up Testimony in His Trial Washington Post, United States - 1 hour ago By Del Quentin Wilber In his final appearance on the witness stand, Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) yesterday denied lyingon financial disclosure forms to hide ...


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Testimony ends in Sen. Ted Stevens corruption trial Los Angeles Times, CA - 3 hours ago Jose Luis Magana / AP Daughter Beth accompanies Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens to court. Tapes indicate thathis friends were concerned about billing records for ...

Senator Is Challenged Over Gifts New York Times, United States - 5 hours ago By NEIL A. LEWIS WASHINGTON Members of the Senate have long tread gently and respectfully around TedStevens, the dour Alaska Republican whose ferocious ...

Closing Statements Set for Stevens Trial Alaska's SuperStation, AK - 53 minutes ago By Jason Ryan The jury deciding the future of Sen. Ted Stevens will begin deliberations in the case as early as Wednesday.The Senior Alaska Senator ...

Stevens Grilled About Gifts, Home Remodeling ABC News - 4 hours ago By JASON RYAN Prosecutors grilled Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, at his federal corruption trial Monday, attempting toprove that the lawmaker concealed gifts ...

Final arguments set to begin in Stevens trial The Miami Herald, FL - 4 hours ago By RICHARD MAUER AND ERIKA BOLSTAD WASHINGTON -- In its four-year probe into corruption in Alaskapolitics, the Justice Department has secured five guilty ...

Prosecutors grill Stevens as trial comes to a close CNN - 7 hours ago WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Prosecutors grilled Sen. Ted Stevens on Monday about whether he accepted gifts as a lawmaker.Sen. Ted Stevens and his daughter Beth ...

Jurors get conflicting views of Stevens The Associated Press - 6 hours ago WASHINGTON (AP) Jurors were offered conflicting views of Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens during a four-week corruption trial: a cantankerous but credible senator ...

Cool reunion as Sen. Stevens' ex-friend testifies Kansas City Star, MO - 6 hours ago By TOM HAYS AP Writer It was a time when he and Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, would retreat together to a desertlocation where they gave up hard liquor and ...

Defense Rests in Alaska Senator Ted Stevens's Trial (Update1) Bloomberg - 9 hours ago By Cary O'Reilly and Nadine Elsibai Oct. 20 (Bloomberg) -- Lawyers for US Senator Ted Stevens of Alaska rested theirdefense on charges he hid gifts valued ...

Sen. Stevens testifies in his own defense USA Today - Oct 16, 2008 By Jose Luis Magana, AP By Matt Kelley, USA TODAY WASHINGTON Sen. Ted Stevens onThursday became the first sitting senator to testify in his own defense ...

What's a gift? Sen. Stevens testifies on freebies The Associated Press - 7 hours ago WASHINGTON (AP) A combative Sen. Ted Stevens sparred curtly with prosecutors over hisdefinition of gifts as he concluded his third day of testimony at ...


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A Showdown, and Some Final Evidence, Before a Senators Case Goes ... New York Times, United States - Oct 19, 2008 By NEIL A. LEWIS WASHINGTON The ethics trial of Senator Ted Stevens heads to what should be a dramatic climaxon Monday: a courtroom confrontation between ...

Ted Stevens takes the stand at corruption trial Los Angeles Times, CA - Oct 17, 2008 Jose Luis Magana / AP Catherine Stevens, a Washington lawyer who married Sen. corruption trialTedStevens in 1980, arrives to testify in her husband's ...

Senator Stevens Testifies About Disclosure Forms New York Times, United States - Oct 16, 2008 By NEIL A. LEWIS WASHINGTON Senator Ted Stevens took the witness stand in his own defense on Thursday,asserting that he had never engaged in any scheme ...

Stevens Says All His Bills Were Paid New York Times, United States - Oct 17, 2008 By NEIL A. LEWIS WASHINGTON In his second day on the witness stand in his own defense, Senator Ted Stevenstold a jury that, as far as he knew, ...

Ted Stevens testifies that he always paid his own bills Los Angeles Times, CA - Oct 17, 2008 The Alaska senator says at his corruption trial that he took out a mortgage to pay for renovations on his house. His lawyersintroduce e-mails in which he ...

Stevens on offensive in his own defense Los Angeles Times, CA - Oct 18, 2008 The longtime Alaska senator challenges his questioner as he stands by his innocence on corruption charges. By Richard B.Schmitt, Los Angeles Times Staff ...

Sen. Stevens Testifies Oil Services Firm Did Not Renovate House ... Washington Post, United States - Oct 18, 2008 By Del Quentin Wilber A feisty Sen. Ted Stevens sparred with a federal prosecutor yesterday, testifying at his corruptiontrial that he always paid his ...

Sen. Stevens insists his family paid for all chalet renovations CNN - Oct 17, 2008 WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens returned to the stand in his corruption trial Friday and described howhe paid for home renovations that ...

Stevens Faces Cross-Examination Wall Street Journal - Oct 17, 2008 By BRENT KENDALL WASHINGTON -- Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens, on trial for his political life, faced a withering cross-examination from prosecutors Friday and at ...

Sen. Ted Stevens Testifies in Corruption Trial Washington Post, United States - Oct 16, 2008 By Del Quentin Wilber Sen. Ted Stevens of Alaska, taking the stand in his own defense, denied this afternoon that he liedon financial disclosure forms to ...


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On Stand, Stevens Flashes Temper ABC News - Oct 17, 2008 By JASON RYAN In a defiant and occasionally testy appearance in court today, Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, forcefully denied charges that he had accepted ...

Stevens: Government Witnesses Lied ABC News - Oct 17, 2008 By JASON RYAN Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, and his daughters Beth Stevens, left, and Susan Covich,arrives at federal court in Washington, Friday Oct. 17, ...

Stevens's Wife Claims Oversight of Renovations Washington Post, United States - Oct 16, 2008 A courtroom sketch depicts Catherine Stevens, wife of Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), being questioned by defense attorneyRobert Cary as Judge Emmet G. ...

Stevens takes the stand in his corruption trial CNN International - Oct 16, 2008 WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Sen. Ted Stevens took the stand in his corruption trial Thursday afternoon and denied that hefiled false financial forms with the ...

Stevens' Wife: Family Paid for Renovations ABC News - Oct 16, 2008 By JASON RYAN At her husband's federal corruption trial, Catherine Stevens said today she paid morethan $140000 to cover the massive home renovation ...

Accused US senator calls key witness a liar Reuters - Oct 17, 2008 By James Vicini WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Veteran US Sen. Ted Stevens of Alaska called theprosecution's star witness a liar on Friday at his corruption trial ...

Sen. Stevens' wife testifies on his behalf Reuters - Oct 16, 2008 By James Vicini WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The wife of US Sen. Ted Stevens testified in his defense at his corruptiontrial on Thursday and said she had been in ...

Stevens Takes Stand in Corruption Trial ABC News - Oct 16, 2008 By JASON RYAN Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens took the stand at his federal corruption trial Thursday, telling

jurors that he never deceived anyone and did not lie ...

Sen. Ted Stevens: Lots of Stuff in Our House That Doesnt Belong ... The BLT, DC - 5 hours ago Sen. Ted Stevens: Lots of Stuff in Our House That Doesnt Belong to Us It was a line that caused government prosecutorBrenda Morris to pause. ...


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October 20, 2008

Sen. Ted Stevens: Lots of Stuff in Our House That Doesnt Belong to Us

It was a line that caused government prosecutor Brenda Morris to pause. Morris was grilling AlaskaSen. Ted Stevens about the expensive massage chair in his D.C. home. A Stevens friend bought thechair as a gift. Stevens accepted it as a loan. Six years later, he has not returned it.

We have lots of stuff in our house that doesnt belong to us, maam, Stevens told Morris in courttoday during cross-examination. Really? Morris asked. Stevens is accused of accepting more than$250,000 in gifts and home renovations and not reporting the items on Senate financial disclosureforms.

Morris asked Stevens to rattle off the other things in his home that he does not own. He mentionedstuff his daughter owns and then said his wife Catherine, a Mayer Brown partner in D.C., would bebetter to answer the question. Stevens has testified that his wife was the bill-payer and home decorator.


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Catherine Stevens testified last week. Catherine paid the bills and thats all there is to it., Stevenssaid today.

Stevens vowed he did not ask for anything and the stuff he gottools, artwork, and a dog, amongother thingswere not gifts. If you say its not a gift, its not a gift? asked Morris, principal deputychief of the Justice Departments Public Integrity Section. Stevens said he asked a friend to install asmall generator at the Stevens home in Alaska before New Years Eve in 1999 in case Y2K fears cametrue. Stevens ended up with a giant, expensive generator. I requested a generator, Stevens testified,not that generator. Stevens recalled telling his friend to remove the generator. He didnt.

U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan has dedicatedTuesday to closing argumentsgiving each sidethree hours to argue the case to jurors. JudgeSullivan will give jury instructions Wednesday. But

the judge has not ruled on whether to grant adefense motion for judgment of acquittal. Andtheres a Williams & Connolly motion to dismiss theindictment pending. The lawyers argue governmentprosecutors presented false evidence to the grand

jurors that indicted Stevens. Prosecutors call the

allegation baseless.For more on todays action in the Stevens trial go to legaltimes.com .

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NEWS SPOTLIGHT

Now, It's All About Stevens

By Joe Palazzolo and Mike Scarcella

After 40 years in the Senate, Ted Stevens is more accustomed to commanding respect than betrayinghumility, and that showed as he challenged the government's chief prosecutor for more than an hour oncross-examination Friday afternoon.

http://www.law.com/jsp/dc/index.jsp

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Closing Statements Set for Stevens Trial

Chad news

Story Created: Oct 21, 2008 at 1:49 AM AKDT

Story Updated: Oct 21, 2008 at 1:49 AM AKDT

Sen. Stevens Grilled about Massage Chair and $29,000 Fish StatueBy Jason Ryan

The jury deciding the future of Sen. Ted Stevens will begin deliberations in the case as early asWednesday. The Senior Alaska Senator concluded testifying today in his defense, appearing moresubdued than his feisty testimony last week. Stevens third day on the witness stand finished testimonyin the 4 week long trial; both sides will present closing arguments before the jury of 11 women and 5men Tuesday which are expected to take the entire day.

Under continuing cross examination by lead prosecutor on the case Brenda Morris went through aseries of e-mails and memos with Stevens that he sent to his friend Bob Persons and former VECOCEO Bill Allen. Morris noted in the messages that Stevens never once referenced that ChristensenBuilders was the general contractor on the Stevens home renovation project but referred numeroustimes to Rocky Williams, one of the foreman, who was employed by VECO.

The prosecution questioned Sen. Stevens about why his wife was sending items to people at VECOsoffices if VECO was not involved in the project including a FedEX package from 2001 sent to BillAllen attention Rocky Williams. http://www.usdoj.gov/criminal/us-v-stevens/exhibits/oct/16/GX0463-001.pdf

During his testimony Stevens has maintained that Williams had been employed by VECO at times andworked for Allen on other projects but that while he was working on his house project he was not therewith VECO. Morris said to the Senator, Your wife knewyour staff knew but you didnt. Stevensonly responded about Williams, Thats where his office was

Stevens was also confronted with a January 2006 invoice for plumping work at his house for $1,118which was addressed to him but noted that Allen clearly paid for the labor with Labor paid by Billon the invoice. Stevens maintained that he asked for a bill from Bill Allen in writing and told theprosecutor I didnt know what it costI tried to get Bill Allen on the phone and via e-mail.

Morris zeroed in on gifts that the Senator had been given that the government claims he nevermentioned on his financial disclosure form. Concerning a $2,695 massage chair that Bob Personsbought for Stevens in 2001 Morris asked the Senator, "And the chair is still at your house?"

"Yes," Stevens said citing that it was a loan."How is that not a gift?" She pressed the Senator."He bought that chair as a gift, but I refused it as a gift...I told him I would not accept it as a gift. Wehave lots of things in our house that don't belong to us." Stevens said.


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October 19, 20, 21 News Clippings Packet - US v. Stevens Page 30 of 30 pages Morris said to the Senator, You better be carefulSo, if you say it's not a gift, it's not a gift?"

Stevens said, "I refused it as a gift... I let him put it in our basement at his request."

Stevens said he only used the chair a few times and had been in pain after a series of medicalprocedures and a bout of bronchitis.

Asked about the $29,000 giant fish statue on the deck of thehome which was given to him after a charity event Stevenstestified that it was to be for the Ted Stevens Foundation.Morris pointed out the Foundation does not have a buildingyet to which Stevens said, I have not diedyetyou go right ahead with your nextquestions, Miss. As the prosecutor continued questioning him about the large bronze statue of 3 salmon Stevensreverted to his defense of blaming his wife, Catherine decides what goes to the Foundation.

Closing Arguments are set for 9:30am on Tuesday. The lawyers have a procedural hearing later thisafternoon to review final evidence that will be submitted to the jury when then deliberate.

Find this article at:http://www.aksuperstation.com/news/local/31407079.html

October 19 20 21 News Clippings Packet - US v. Stevens

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