THE ESTEEMED SENATOR FROM ALASKA - TED STEVENS
SO, HOW DO YOU LIKE YOUR BACON, CHEWY OR EXTRA CRISP SENATOR STEVENS FROM ALASKA?
Alaska Sen. Stevens indicted; 'I am innocent'
A federal grand jury in Washington, D.C., indicted long-term U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens Tuesday on seven counts of filing false financial disclosures, each a felony charge that carries a penalty of five years in prison and an unspecified fine.
With the indictment, Stevens, an icon in Alaska politics, becomes by far the most powerful politician charged in the broad, four-year federal investigation into public corruption in the state.
The press release says Stevens received $250,000 in things of value during ?the eight year scheme.? The gifts included new and used furniture, a new stationary tool storage cabinet with new tools, and a new professional Viking gas grill. Stevens used these things at his home in Girdwood, Alaska.
Thanks to Senator Stevens, the republican party as reported by Senator Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has reported that the formely 'safe' seat in Alaska is now in play and will now guarantee that the GOP will not gain control of the Senate for the new legislative term starting in 2009.
And to make Ted Stevens Corruption Charges relevant to the NOREAST FISHERIES MANAGEMENT FORUM, a old story from 2 years ago:
Kodiak, Alaska - The Anchorage Daily News ran a story titled, "Attorney selection steams Stevens." The appointment of Nelson Cohen as the new United States Attorney General for Alaska has greatly upset U.S. Senator Ted Stevens (R-AK). Ted's probably upset for good reasons: Adak Pollock, real estate deals, earmarks, and legislative end-runs in fisheries management and rights allocations (crab rationalization and other nefarious giveaways).
To give all of you some idea about the 'STINK' coming from TED STEVENS office with his fingerprints all over this:
The NOAA Office of Law Enforcement soon began a criminal investigation regarding Adak. Eventually, the largest fine in NOAA history was levied against Icicle Seafoods, Adak Fisheries and related parties, yet the $3.44 million Notice of Violation and Assessment has still not been finalized. We are awaiting word from the government, after an appeal occurred this past January before an administrative judge, in Seattle. What was remarkable, though, was the number of counts left on the table when only the crab cap violation (breaking rules under the American Fisheries Act) was handled. And you've read from John Enge's pieces that crab fishermen have talked with federal agents who were upset, too, that the other counts went nowhere.
In the same article this little tidbit was added.....
Groundswell's advice is that Ted should be out buying new stationary, and the return address should say Cellblock 666, Leavenworth County, Kansas.
Who is GROUNDSWELL?
Groundswell is Groundswell Fisheries Movement
'a public watchdog and advocate for fishermen and their coastal communities. Steven Taufen is an "insider" who blew the whistle on the international profit laundering between global affiliates of North Pacific seafood companies, who use illicit accounting to deny the USA the proper taxes on seafood trade. The same practices are used to lower ex-vessel prices to the fleets, and to bleed monies from our regional economy'.
Mike, Senator Stevens is a politican who ran the 'money train' in Alaska, allowing and I shall add taking oil company money to dictate big corporate interests which hurt the smaller independent fishermen in Alaska.
Now getting back to the Alaskan Fisheries and Ted Stevens along with Groundswell Steven Taufen and I directly quote from a article:
For many years, Groundswell has been asking federal special agents from multiple agencies for assistance in ensuring that Alaska gets a new US AG who is not part of the Alaska crony and political damage control system. We suspected something was seriously wrong when former U.S. attorney general Timothy Burgess failed to prosecute the Adak Crab Allocation perjury charges, after Larry Davison and I filed a federal petition in 2003. And amazingly, Burgess soon got a judgeship.
So what bearing does this have with Senator Stevens?
In a article from the Blog SIMPLY APPALLING talking about the republicans in Alaska and what has been termed the 'The Corrupt Ba*t*rds Club' in that state, in which a attorney general from outside the borders of Alaska was installed in office because of the slimy practices, lack of legal oversight, and the pay for play attitude that exists between republican politicians and big corporate interests.
By the way, some of the names being brought up from a few years back when the FBI initially started to take a look at what was going on up in Alaska.....
Drum roll please....
BEN STEVENS- silver spooned son of Ted
VECO- an Anchorage-based oil field services and construction company whose executives are major contributors to political campaigns...
Don't these names sound familiar again?
Mike no amount of spin will save Senator Stevens of Alaska and the corruption charges brought against him. This was not a case brought about by the whims of the Democrats looking to get rid of a powerful member of Congress. This is a case about systemic politican control by extremely powerful big corporate interests who propped up Senator Stevens for years and his crony like rule over the office holders and businesses that received OUR tax dollars because they fed Senator Stevens campaign war chest.
For your viewing pleasure:
As Tony Montana said to Mel the corrupt cop in Scarface,
'Goodbye Mel, have a nice life'.
The same should be said for the esteemed King of Pork from Alaska.
EC NEWELL MAN<>
