Senator Ted Stevens Indicted on Seven Felony Corruption Charges

U.S. Senator Ted Stevens (R-AK), the longest-serving Republican senator in history and former President Pro Tempore, was indicted on seven felony counts of making false statements on his financial disclosure forms. The indictment alleged that Stevens knowingly failed to report receiving more than $250,000 worth of gifts and home renovations from Bill Allen, CEO of VECO Corporation (an Alaska oil services company), and other individuals between 2001 and 2006, as required by Senate ethics rules. The charges centered on extensive renovations to Stevens’ home in Girdwood, Alaska, which VECO employees performed, including a new first floor, garage, wraparound deck, and plumbing and electrical work.

On October 27, 2008, just days before the election, Stevens was convicted on all seven counts, making him only the fifth sitting senator to be convicted by a jury in U.S. history. He lost his re-election bid on November 4, 2008, by fewer than 4,000 votes. However, in a stunning reversal, Attorney General Eric Holder moved to dismiss the case in April 2009 after discovering that Justice Department prosecutors had intentionally hidden exculpatory evidence from the defense.

A special investigation found that two federal prosecutors concealed documents that would have helped Stevens defend himself, representing egregious prosecutorial misconduct. The case became a cautionary tale about the dangers of overzealous prosecution and raised questions about whether Stevens was wrongly convicted or whether powerful politicians can escape accountability through legal technicalities. The case damaged the Justice Department’s reputation and led to reforms in prosecutorial conduct. Stevens died in a plane crash in Alaska in August 2010, before his name could be fully cleared.