AK-Sen: Ted Stevens Indicted!

From the MSNBC ticker:

BREAKING NEWS: U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens indicted on criminal charges, U.S. officials say

Whoa. More as we get it.

Update: Reuters says that Stevens is being hit with seven counts; CNN reports that the seven counts are all related to false statements made to investigators. The New York Times clears it up:

Mr. Stevens, 84, was indicted on seven counts of falsely reporting income. The charges are related to renovations on his home and to gifts he has received. They arise from an investigation that has been under way for more than a year, in connection with the senator’s relationship with a businessman who oversaw the home-remodeling project.

Update II: Some have asked if Ted Stevens is in danger of losing his primary. He has five opponents in that race (the filing deadline was on June 2nd), none of them formidable. It’s important to note that Vic Vickers, who plans to spend $750K of his own cash against Stevens, is a total carpetbagger who just moved to Alaska from Florida in January. If he pulls off a miracle and beats Stevens in the primary, I like Begich’s chances against him. In fact, I like Begich’s chances against anyone the GOP nominates here, unless perhaps Sarah Palin (who has her own problems) pulls a switcheroo — and even then, I doubt that Stevens would let her. He’s a stubborn sumbitch with a big ego; would he really want to step down?

The most immediate takeaway I have from this is that Don Young is now absolutely doomed in his primary against Sean Parnell; the anti-incumbent sentiment will be running high next month, and I doubt that even vote-splitting with Gabrielle LeDoux could save Young’s hide. I still think Berkowitz would have a solid shot at the seat. These scandals are tainting not only Young and Stevens, but the GOP brand itself in Alaska. Sean Parnell is a blank page with no real accomplishments of his own, and he’s weakened in recent weeks due to Palin’s abuse of power kerfuffle and his desire to hide from cover rather than face voters.

31 thoughts on “AK-Sen: Ted Stevens Indicted!”

  4. How is Vickers allowed to run the primary if the deadline was 6/2.  Is this a write-in campaign?

  6. Even if Vickers were to somehow win the primary, I really don’t think that precludes Mark Begich from still running away with this thing.

  7. …. Stevens will be able to convince Alaska Republicans that these are just seven teeny little disagreements, and that the big bad liberal federal government was just out to get him and his family.  Unfortunately, I don’t think it’s going to work.  

    This really is tough for Alaska Dems.  First they get Sarah Palin instead of Frank Murkowski.  Then it looks like Don Young will probably lose the primary.  Finally, the Stevens seat now could slip away.

    Maybe Louisiana Democrats need to talk to Alaska Republicans about how to get rid of excess baggage!

  9. Palin gets in is if Stevens wins the primary and then drops out (or gets disqualified by being convicted, although the wheels of justice don’t turn that fast… or dies or gets declared incapacitated). Then she can be nominated by petition. But with the abuse-of-power mini-scandal (with the firing of the head state trooper who wouldn’t fire her screw-up brother-in-law who shot a moose and the subsequent replacement head trooper having a long history of sexual harassment) looming over head, the bloom is off her rose too.

    Here’s the statute:

    Sec. 15.25.110. Filling vacancies by party petition.

    If a candidate of a political party nominated at the primary election dies, withdraws, resigns, becomes disqualified from holding the office for which the candidate is nominated, or is certified as being incapacitated in the manner prescribed by this section after the primary election and 48 days or more before the general election, the vacancy may be filled by party petition. The central committee of any political party or any party district committee may certify as being incapacitated any candidate nominated by their respective party by presenting to the director a sworn statement made by a panel of three licensed physicians, not more than two of whom may be of the same political party, that the candidate is physically or mentally incapacitated to an extent that would in the panel’s judgment prevent the candidate from active service during the term of office if elected. The director shall place the name of the person nominated by party petition on the general election ballot. The name of a candidate disqualified under this section may not appear on the general election ballot.

    Note that the Republicans can’t bum-rush Stevens out by having their staff physicians declare him incompetent… one of the 3 doctors has to be a Democrat! Now, of course, if he drops out (or gets DQ’d, dies, etc.) before the primary, then this there’s no replacement by petition, just no Stevens on the primary ballot and a primary victory by Vickers, Cuddy, or whoever else.

  10. There’s no one in the AK GOP who has the heft to face Begich. Palin’s got her own issues. The only way they can get out of this is if Don Young wins the primary. If that happens they can put Parnell in the race, and while Parnell isn’t anywhere near as good a candidate as he was a few weeks ago, he’s the only one with the heft to face Begich.

  11. Stevens is 84. He wants the GOP to hold the seat, so my best guess it that:

    – He’s going to declare that this is all a misunderstanding.  

    -He’s going to announce his retirement and withdraw from the primary.

    -His retirement will not be until the end of the term.  Unless the wheels of justice get moving and convict him before that.  Or the Senate Ethics Committee gets some balls and votes to expel him from the Senate.  That would be a political spectacle to see.  

  12. The drama with Palin/Stevens/Young has to be pissing off AK voters. Both Young and Parnell have skeletons in their closet (admittedly Young’s being much bigger). Stevens is not doing any better and his primary challengers are a joke. I don’t any of them have the necessary drive to win in November let alone mount a serious campaign. Even if he does lose, anybody think Stevens would take it lightly? Somehow I doubt Stevens would raise even a finger to help whomever runs in the general. Maybe he would mount a Alaska Supporting Stevens (ASS) independent run or something.

    I don’t know about all of you but the drama in AK is getting a little tiring. I’ll be happy when the contests are finalized in August and we can have a better idea of what to expect from the GOP. Right now there is way to much uncertainty to make an accurate prediction.

    This indictment of Stevens is a blessing. I’m hoping that this has a Delay-like effect were the Dem candidate gets a huge boost from indictments. And in case any of the Obama campaign staff are reading – INVEST MORE RESOURCES IN ALASKA!!! Cheap media market, terrible Republican government, three of the four top jobs in the state under investigation….what else could a Dem want?

  13. The other Republicans smell blood. And who is assuming that Vickers and Cudding, two guys with a lot of money, will not also beat the shit out of each other to earn the right to topple Stevens?

  15. I assume that Hays polling will put out results on AK senate considering they polled for the AK house race.

    Hopefully Stevens can hand in there… This is going to blow if both the AK house and AK senate race implode on us…

  16. The Anchorage Daily News quotes local pollsters as saying that Stevens chances just “went up in flames.”  He has a 50 point lead in the last poll (70.4% to 20.4% to 4%)but the Alaka situation is amazing.  Prosecutors have already convicted three legislators and have two more awaiting trial.  Stevens is the big fish.  Heck, the biggest fish.

    Senator Tubes is hurting.  

Comments are closed.