I would never have believed this could happen, but bless Judge Sullivan. If the prosecutors are found guilty, I hope they get the maximum prison time in Alaska, maximum fines and permanently disbarred . Even if this happens, cynic that I am, Holder will put them in one of the federal country club prison where they can play golf and tennis all day: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090407/ap_on_re_us/stevens_18 By NEDRA PICKLER and MATT APUZZO, Associated Press Writers Nedra Pickler And Matt Apuzzo, Associated Press Writers – 11 mins ago WASHINGTON – A federal judge dismissed the corruption conviction of former Sen. Ted Stevens on Tuesday and took the rare and serious step of opening a criminal investigation into prosecutors who mishandled the case. "In nearly 25 years on the bench, I've never seen anything approaching the mishandling and misconduct that I've seen in this case," U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan said. Sullivan appointed a special prosecutor to investigate Justice Department lawyers who repeatedly mishandled witnesses and withheld evidence from defense attorneys during the monthlong trial that ended with Stevens' conviction in October. The case cost Stevens a Senate seat he had held for 40 years. Once the Senate's longest-serving Republican, he narrowly lost to Democrat Mark Begich shortly after the verdict. "Until recently, my faith in the criminal system, particularly the judicial system, was unwavering," Stevens told the court Tuesday, his first public comments since Attorney General Eric Holder announced he would drop the case. "But what some members of the prosecution team did nearly destroyed my faith. Their conduct had consequences for me that they will never realize and can never be reversed." Sullivan appointed Washington attorney Henry Schuelke as a special prosecutor to investigate contempt and obstruction by the Justice Department team. He said the matter was too serious to be left to an internal investigation by the department, which he said has dragged its feet looking into the misconduct. In a criminal case, the prosecutors could face prison time and fines. The decision raises the question of whether the prosecutors, who include the top two officials in the department's public corruption unit, can remain on the job while under criminal investigation.
They should be then. I don't like Uncle Steve one bit but prosecutors have to be honest when prosecuting cases. This win at any cost mentality stinks.
You're right, but the investigation should be thorough with strict adherence to the criminal codes of misconduct. If Stevens had been a Democratic senator, there would be no end of howls for a new election on this board. That's not provable -- and it is harsh -- but we all know deep down that my statement is the truth.
if he were a democrat, you'd be up in arms that he's getting away with getting free crap and again as in the other thread, this is the bush admin's prosecuters
Not true. Up until all this came out, I thought Stevens was getting his just "reward." My concern is the inconsistency of political prosecution. Look at the payoffs Congress folk have been getting (example, Dodd) without being indicted. This goes for Republicans and Democrats alike.
You do understand that despite the prosecutorial malfeasance, Stevens was still guilty as hell, right? Holder is doing him a big favor.
I do not know this now because I am not sure exactly what was withheld. That evidence could have exonerated him. A person cannot be "guilty" until he has a fair trial. Is that not true, ACLU folk? So, no, unless Holder calls for a new election, he has not done Stevens any favors.
LOL, yes the AG is empowered to stage Alaskan Senatorial elections whenever he wants, he just has to call for it. It's in the Consti-ration of Inter-dependence, Article 69.
Holder does not believe he is innocent of the charges. There is a big difference. Think OJ "not guilty" difference. Why do you think you are standing nearly alone in your quest for justice and not surfing some huge Republican Senatorial groundswell of support to rehabilitate his tarnished name?
BTW, this is NOT about the guilt or innocence of Stevens but rather the guilt or innocence of the justice department prosecutors. The ACLU should be fiercely climbing into the ring to fight against government injustice -- but they won't. It's not about liberal justice.
LOL, what's there to fight, they're being investigated, the conviction was overturned. do you think the ACLU has a way back machine so we could do the election again.
You're dating yourself with the way back machine. The ACLU should be raising its voice as a champion of justice -- at least to show "outrage" over a severe governmental abuse, one severe enough to require overturning a conviction.
Thank you thumbs for calling out people to raise their voices. That calls attention to the most obvious silence of all, Ted's one-time protege Sarah Palin? Where is the Godmother of Alaskan Politics? The Head of the Republic of Alaska, and the head of the state government that is empowered to hold elections for his senate seat? Where was she? She was offering a few words of congratulations and otherwise STONE COLD SILENT. What a traitorous Jezebel - obviously she sees Uncle Teddy coming back to claim his corrupt kingdom and is going to fight tooth and nail to protect her free plane rides and per-diem fraud. What Justice demands is ACTIONS not words. As the chief executive of the Republic of Alaska - her voice is not just needed, but her strong meddlesome hands.
Wrong. She already has stated for the record she believes a new election should be conducted. http://www.adn.com/news/politics/fbi/stevens/story/746047.html Palin, Republicans call for special Senate election With Stevens case dismissed, some want Begich to depart. By ERIKA BOLSTAD and SEAN COCKERHAM ebolstad@adn.com Published: April 2nd, 2009 01:06 PM Last Modified: April 3rd, 2009 10:13 PM "Alaskans deserve to have a fair election not tainted by some announcement that one of the candidates was convicted fairly of seven felonies, when in fact it wasn't a fair conviction," Palin said in a Thursday interview with the Daily News. The governor said she does not want to "split hairs" on whether Begich should resign or not but agrees with the Republican Party's call for a special election. The Republican Stevens represented Alaska in the U.S. Senate for 40 years before Begich, a Democrat, narrowly beat him last fall. The election came just a week after a Washington, D.C., jury convicted Stevens of lying about gifts that he'd received.
Why would she do that Lois Lane? She can force the current senator to resign then appoint Uncle Teddy in his place. But instead the painted hussey ignores him and tosses him under the bus like she did last year, trying to force a draining election campaign. What a Machiavellian backstabber. Justice DEMANDS that the Witch of Wasillia respond more forcefully. Stop being such lily-livered wimp and admit it Lois.
