Ted Stevens GUILTY of all accounts

[Sarnstrom]

Just being reported

[Sarnstrom]

WASHINGTON – Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens has been convicted of lying about free home renovations and other gifts he received from a wealthy oil contractor.

The Senate's longest-serving Republican, Stevens was found guilty on all seven counts of making false statements on Senate financial documents.

The verdict throws the upcoming election into disarray. Stevens is fighting off a challenge from Democrat Mark Begich and must now either drop out or continue campaigning as a convicted felon.

The trial hinged on the testimony of Stevens' longtime friend, who testified that his employees dramatically remodeled the senator's home.

Stevens faces up to five years in prison on each count but, under federal sentencing guidelines, will likely receive much less prison time, if any.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081027/ap_on_re_us/stevens_trial_17

[Meeker]

Safe Dem

[© tweed]

wow, I wasn't expecting this.  I thought the prosecution had sufficiently bungled the case.

Safe Dem

well, theoretically, it should be...

[Wiz in Wis]

D+1

[Brittain33]

Stevens faces up to five years in prison on each count but, under federal sentencing guidelines, will likely receive much less prison time, if any.

Is this what that Rudy robocall was talking about?

Good for the Republic. Let's hope that corrupt members of both parties follow him out of Washington.

Having been in this position with Torricelli, though, I think it is a damn shame that Alaskan voters won't have a real choice for senator for the next six years and Begich wins by default. That is undemocratic.

[HardRCafé]

wow, I wasn't expecting this.  I thought the prosecution had sufficiently bungled the case.

Yeah, considering he checked the box.

[Keystone Phil]

Safe Dem

And before Harry explodes with glee, I had Stevens winning the race assuming there wasn't news from the trial before the election.

[Monty]

Will Governor Palin call on Senator Stevens to resign his seat??

[Lunar]

Predicted margin for Stevens?

Too late to change the ballot.

[TheresNoMoney]

Why does Sarah Palin "pal around" with a convicted felon?

[Nutmeg]

So what's the impact on the race?  Might Alaskans respond defensively to an attack by 'outsiders' on their senator?  Only in Alaska would that be possible.

[Brittain33]

So what's the impact on the race?  Might Alaskans respond defensively to an attack by 'outsiders' on their senator?  Only in Alaska would that be possible.

If Palin were an active governor without distractions, there would have been time for a "Punch Stevens for Parnell" campaign... but I don't see it happening now.

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

Well, that's that.

[Stranger in a strange land]

HOORAH!!!

unfortunately, there's a good chance he'll still be reelected

[Sam Spade]

Good riddance.

[HardRCafé]

What does "of all accounts" mean?

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Congratulations Senator Begich!

[GMantis]

Wonder if he'll hit zero?

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Wonder if he'll hit zero?

That's pretty much impossible on InTrade. Even people like Giuliani were able to stay about 4 after dropping out, though unlike in the case of Hillary this was more due to how InTrade works than ultra-delusional hacks (basically it was people who bid on him trying to collect back at least a small portion of their bet, and people who bet against it deciding it was better to cash in early even if paid a little less.)

Then again with only 8 days to go the early cash-in isn't a factor. Stevens would be a great buy at 3-4 though.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

HOORAH!!!

unfortunately, there's a good chance he'll still be reelected

Um, no.

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

Wonder if he'll hit zero?

When it closes trading shortly after election day, yes.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

He may be able to win the appeal though.

[J. J.]

HOORAH!!!

unfortunately, there's a good chance he'll still be reelected

Um, no.

In theory, at least, he could.  I've seen stranger things.

[bgwah]

I was kind of worried Palin coattails might let Stevens by slip by, but this is certainly a major blow to his campaign. This goes from toss-up to lean Dem, in my opinion. Alaska is too weird and Republican for it to be safe Dem.