Sen. Stevens re-election bid just got tougher – not to mention that he’s become the punchline of late night tv. On Monday night, shortly after his conviction, Jay Leno said of the 84-year-old Senator’ sentence: “He could get three weeks or life, whatever comes first.”
Sen. Stevens/official photo
By Del Quentin Wilber
Washington Post Staff Writer
WASHINGTON — Sen. Ted Stevens of Alaska, one of Congress’s most powerful Republicans, was convicted yesterday of lying on financial disclosure forms to conceal his receipt of gifts and expensive renovations to his house, just eight days before he faces voters in a tight reelection contest.
The 84-year-old lawmaker, the first sitting U.S. senator to go on trial in more than two decades, sat quietly as a jury foreman in federal court read the verdict after less than a day of deliberations: guilty on seven felony counts, each with a maximum penalty of five years in prison.
The senator, who probably will face a less severe penalty under federal sentencing guidelines, left the courtroom without answering reporters’ questions.
In a statement issued by his office, Stevens maintained his innocence, accused Justice Department lawyers of “repeated instances of prosecutorial misconduct” and vowed to fight for reelection to a seventh full term.
For Full StoryRead Sen. Stevens’ Statement After The ConvictionRead Alaskans’ Reaction To Conviction (AP)
