Stevens Sunk by His Own Testimony

Catherine Stevens says she thought oil workers were part of construction crew

(NEWSER) - Ted Stevens’ wife, testifying at the Alaska senator’s Washington corruption trial today, said she didn’t know that two men working on a home renovation were oil-company employees, the Anchorage Daily News reports. Catherine Stevens, herself a lawyer, often spoke directly to the jury as the defense pushed its case that the senator paid all relevant bills, and is innocent of lying about gifts. More»

(NEWSER) - After 5 hours of deliberations, a federal jury found Ted Stevens guilty today on all seven corruption counts against him. Coming just before Election Day, the felony convictions cloud the political future of the 84-year-old Republican, who has represented Alaska in the Senate since 1968. As the foreman read the verdict, Stevens slumped slightly, the Anchorage Daily News reports. He later told his wife, "It's not over yet." More»

Senator's third day on stand includes usual measure of barbed encounters

(NEWSER) - The prosecution got tough, and Ted Stevens testy, on the senator’s last day of testimony in his Washington corruption trial, the Hill reports. The prosecution challenged Stevens with emails that seemed to undercut assertions he knew nothing of gifts allegedly given to him by oil boss Bill Allen. At one point, Stevens was remonstrated by the judge for trying to evade a question. More»

Sen. testifies that he asked for all renovation bills, and thought he paid for everything

(NEWSER) - Ted Stevens was out of the loop on his home renovation, preferring to let his wife handle financial details, the Hill reports. In testimony today in Washington, the senator said he was only at the cabin for two days in 2000 while renovations were ongoing. He also said he thought all bills were paid, detailing loans and cash he obtained to pay for the work. More»

Alaska senator curses, claims innocence in talks with key witness

(NEWSER) - Jurors heard tapes yesterday of Ted Stevens cursing federal investigators and declaring his innocence in conversations he did not know were being recorded, reports the Anchorage Daily News. Stevens was speaking with former Veco CEO Bill Allen, the prosecution’s chief witness in the Alaska senator’s corruption trial. "I'm developing the attitude that I don't think I did anything wrong,” Stevens says in one of the recordings. More»