Sen. Ted Stevens, Update

A Federal judge today tossed out the conviction of Senator Ted Stevens, the Alaska Republican who was convicted last fall of 7 counts of lying on financial disclosure statements. The dismissal came at the request of Eric Holder, US Attorney General.

"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

Sullivan appointed a special prosecutor to investigate the Justice Department lawyers who handled the prosecution, which may lead to criminal charges, fines, and jail time. The persons to be investigated include the top two officials in the Department's Public Corruption Unit.

Despite calls from Gov. Pailin and others in the State of Alaska, there is almost no chance of the Democrat who won Stevens' seat after his conviction last fall will step down and allow a special election to be held to fill the Senate seat. Although that would be the right thing to do, does anyone actually believe the Democrats would give up that seat?

Sen. Ted Stevens Conviction to be Tossed due to Prosecutorial Misconduct

Alaska's Republican Senator Ted Stevens, the longest serving Republican in the Senate, was convicted of 7 counts of lying on financial disclosure statements last fall, a week before the general election. Due to the conviction, he lost his bid for an eighth term.

The Justice Department is now seeking to throw out the convictions, with Attorney General Eric Holder citing gross misconduct by the prosecutors in the case.

"After careful review, I have concluded that certain information should have been provided to the defense for use at trial," - Eric Holder, Attorney General

"... justified by the extraordinary evidence of government corruption in the prosecution of Sen. Stevens... a sad story and a warning to everyone. Any citizen can be convicted if prosecutors are hell-bent on ignoring the Constitution and willing to present false evidence." - Brendan Sullivan and Robert Cary, Stevens' attorneys

Apparently, the prosecutors and FBI witnesses lied during the trial, and hid evidence from the defense.

I don't have much use for Eric Holder. However, he is doing the right thing here. Unfortunately, it is too late for the people of Alaska and the US Congress - the election was irrevocably tainted by the timing of the prosecution, and the apparently illegal actions of the office of the prosecutor. Democrats had targeted Sen. Stevens' seat as one they wanted badly in this past election, and they got it. I guess the ends justify the means, any means, for the Democrat Party.