Senator Ted Stevens Enters Not Guilty Plea to Federal Corruption Charges
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Sen. Ted Stevens pleaded not guilty on Thursday to federal corruption charges that allege he falsified Senate documents to cover up roughly $250,000 gifts from a powerful Alaska oil contractor. Stevens is the Senate’s longest-serving Republican, and was indicted this week on seven counts of lying on Senate disclosure forms about a major renovation to his ski-community house and other items. He has claimed, of course, that he did not “knowingly” falsify any forms.
It remains to be seen, of course, whether or not Sen. Stevens is guilty. We as the American public have largely already found him guilty in our own minds. Here we have a man who has been in the Senate for 40 years now. He has undeniably made more money than most of us will see over the course of our lifetimes. We look at that, and then look at his “ski home”… and automatically assume he is guilty. We get enraged over the fact that he has so much, yet felt he had to take more. It’s happened so many hundreds of thousands of times over the years… so that makes him guilty as well, right?
Wrong. How can we assume that he’s guilty? Yes, it’s a fact that his ski home was renovated. Yes, it’s a fact that something… somewhere… was misappropriated. But does that mean he knowingly falsified documents, or that he knew the misappropriation was going on?
We as a whole are too quick to jump to conclusions, too quick to judge. Just because there have been many bad apples in the barrel over the years, does not mean they all are. Chew on that for awhile, and let’s hear what you have to say.
2 Comments
Urban Underbrink
August 1st, 2008
at 4:27am
I think most Politicans are are guilty of abusing the Law. This case would not even be in the News if he were a Democrat.
mike
August 1st, 2008
at 5:40am
I disagree completely. This govt quickly becoming a very corrupt as are the representatives within it. They seem to have forgotten who they are working for and this attitude is pervasive.
No one is saying is he is guilty without his day in court but the fact remains politicians, like this Stevens, always seem to get rich in these positions of public service. I know I sound naive but let’s face it…most, if not all, politicians seem to let even slight power go to their heads. Absolute power corrupts absolutely…that’s damn right!!
Again, I still believe one HUGE change that is needed across the board in government and courts is TERM LIMITS. Let’s NOT give them a lifetime to bilk us out of anything or take bribes, or succumb to their perverted desires, etc.. Make their time short and sweet so that ONLY those who truly want to make their communities, States, and Country better will apply.
This lifelong ticket to riches has got to stop and limiting how long they can “serve us” will resolve many of these issues. Think about it–if someone knows they will only be in office, say, 4 years, they won’t have to constantly pander and woo the special interests for campaign monies and would actually be able to focus 100% on the issues affecting all of us.
As it stands now, politicians are constantly campaigning for their next election and this process begins almost immediately after an election is won…that’s what brings us all down. Lack of focus and dedication to their public service.
Just my .02….he may or may not be guilty but the fact that ANYTHING is in question should tell you something. Charges aren’t filed by authorities for the hell of it…as far as I am concerned, where there is smoke there is fire and I would be willing to bet if HE didn’t actually falsify anything he had someone else do it for him…politicians aren’t stupid.
Peace!