Meanwhile, at the Ted Stevens trial

Stevens, a Senator from Alaska, is accused of accepting gifts and then failing to report them on his financial disclosure forms. (Stevens says his family paid every bill that was sent to them.) Closing statements are expected tomorrow.

I really liked this exchange between the prosecutor and Stevens, who disagree on the meaning of "gift" ...

Stevens has said he never sought gifts and wouldn't even accept a free lunch, much less expensive remodeling services. But prosecutors say he had a history of accepting gifts — including an expensive massage chair from a friend — and omitting them from the financial disclosure forms.

He said he considered that chair a loan.

"And the chair is still at your house?" prosecutor Brenda Morris asked.

"Yes," Stevens said.

"How is that not a gift?"

"He bought that chair as a gift, but I refused it as a gift," Stevens said. "He put it there and said it was my chair. I told him I would not accept it as a gift. We have lots of things in our house that don't belong to us."

Comments

[Tom K]

I guess Stevens thought it was worth a try.

[KC Cicero]

OK, I'm a yellow-dog Dem, and i ho0pe Stevens loses his election, BUT...

This is a pretty flimsey case against an *$ year old guy. If he was bribed, charge him with bribery (which the Feds did not do, since they did not have a case that would survive an Alaskan jury). Attempting to criminalize ethics vioaltions invites political abuse -- and, yes, you can politically abuse someone of your own party. Stevens is an Old Guard Rockefeller Republican that the Rapture Repubs wanted to get rid of. It's just that their timing was off, so he got renominated.

[US v Stevens Documents]

According to reports of earlier testimony in this trial by Persons, Stevens asked Persons -- who sent the chair -- to have it sent back to Alaska so that he could return it.

http://tiny.cc/stevens

http://usvstevensdocuments.synthasite.com/home.php

http://usvstevensdocuments.synthasite.com/video.php

[USA Citizens on Watch]

Anyone who knows about Federal Ethics and Financial Disclosures knows Stevens is GUILTY AS SIN! What I read was sorry:

Stevens who has been charged with lying on financial disclosure forms about $250,000 in renovations and other gifts he received from oil services contractor VECO Corp. has insisted repeatedly that the chair was a loan from a friend, although it has been in his house for seven years.

"I refused it as a gift," Stevens replied. "I let him put it in our basement at his request."

He bought that chair as a gift, but I refused it as a gift," Stevens said. "He put it there and said it was my chair. I told him I would not accept it as a gift. We have lots of things in our house that don't belong to us."

Prosecutor Brenda Morris grilled Stevens repeatedly about things VECO founder Bill Allen added to the senator's Girdwood residence, including a new porch, a balcony, a fully stocked tool chest, a gas grill, a steel staircase, rope lighting, a generator and leather furniture.

Stevens has said he didn't ask for those things, and even tried to get Allen to take them away. Stevens added Monday that Allen, who has pleaded guilty to bribing state lawmakers, "stole" the furniture out of his cabin and replaced it with the leather furniture.

"Why didn't you call the police when Bill Allen stole your furniture?" Morris quickly asked.

"It never crossed my mind to call the police at that time. I might now," Stevens said.

And when Morris asked him why an expensive fish statue Stevens has said is intended for his memorial foundation is sitting on his front porch, Stevens replied icily: "Ms. Morris, I have not died yet."

It is NO WONDER why Sarah Palin was convicted of ABUSE OF POWER in Alaska...it was common PRACTICE for the Republicans!

[Searching]

It depends on you definition of "gift"

[You're a Mean Drunk R2D2™]

Did Stevens consult with Clinton on strategy for this case?

"Can you define what the meaning of "Is" is?

[waste]

Stevens is a card-carrying member of the rapidly decaying monopolistic branch of politics known as the "old boy's network". These swine are like giant resource mosquitoes sucking away at the long empty coffers 'of the people'; sipping Glenlivet as they divvy the spoils amongst themselves. Normally, the rules don't apply to these guys, but this skeeter popped. This trial is a waste of taxpayer resources...but what isn't these days? Stevens is a corpse; a relic of an era overdue for demise. He could have gone out with some dignity by admitting guilt and stepping down, but he has no class. See you in Hell, Ted...you shriveled sucker of Satan's !@#$.

[Obama Peace Warrior]

"And when Morris asked him why an expensive fish statue Stevens has said is intended for his memorial foundation is sitting on his front porch..."

Well, something must've died because it sure smells real FISHY in here!

"He swims with the FISHES..."