| Topic: |
Politics > Politics-USA |
| User: |
"Harry Hope" |
| Date: |
29 May 2007 10:32:34 AM |
| Object: |
FBI and federal grand jury investigate Republican Senator Stevens |
From The Anchorage Daily News, 5/29/07:
http://www.adn.com/news/politics/story/8928969p-8829178c.html
Feds eye Stevens' home remodeling project
By RICHARD MAUER
The FBI and a federal grand jury have been investigating an extensive
remodeling project at U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens' home in Girdwood that
involved the top executive of Veco Corp. in the hiring of at least one
of the key contractors.
Three contractors who worked on the project said in recent interviews
with the Daily News that the FBI asked them to turn over their records
from the job.
One said he was called to testify about the project before a federal
grand jury in Anchorage in December.
The remodeling work, which more than doubled the size of the house,
occurred in the summer and fall of 2000.
The four-bedroom home, about two blocks from the day lodge parking lot
at the Alyeska ski resort, is Stevens' official residence in Alaska.
An old friend of Stevens in Girdwood, longtime Double Musky restaurant
owner Bob Persons, has been questioned by the FBI about the project.
He monitored the remodeling for Stevens and his wife while they were
in Washington, D.C.
"I will be testifying. That's all I can tell you," Persons said in a
brief interview last week.
"It is an ongoing investigation that I'm not supposed to talk to or
see anybody about it."
Persons would not elaborate on whether he meant that he would testify
before a grand jury, at a trial, or both, or for whom.
He said he believed Stevens did nothing wrong.
Ted Stevens and his wife, Catherine, declined to answer questions
about the Girdwood house.
In a prepared statement issued by his office, Stevens said:
"While I understand the public's interest in the ongoing federal
investigation, it has been my long-standing policy to not comment on
such matters. Therefore, I will withhold comment at this time to avoid
even the appearance that I might influence this investigation."
The FBI and the U.S. Justice Department's Public Integrity Section,
which are in the midst of a broad investigation of corruption in
Alaska, would not comment.
"This is a pending investigation and we're just not going to confirm
or deny any aspect, any rumors, any allegations out there," said FBI
spokesman Eric Gonzalez.
Ted Stevens, the most senior Republican in the U.S. Senate and
Alaska's most famous political figure, has not been directly connected
with the corruption investigation.
The wide-ranging federal inquiry surfaced in August when agents raided
six legislative offices, including those of then-Senate President Ben
Stevens, one of Ted Stevens' sons.
The FBI said at the time that it also had executed a search warrant in
Girdwood, among other places, although the location of that search has
never been officially disclosed.
Veco, an oil-field service company that has long been a strong
lobbying presence in Juneau, was one of the early targets of the
agents, according to some of the search warrants that became public.
On May 7, the company's longtime chief executive, Bill Allen, and a
vice president, Rick Smith, pleaded guilty to federal conspiracy,
bribery and tax charges.
They are now cooperating with authorities.
The investigation spread to the commercial fishing industry, including
Ben Stevens' consulting clients and associates.
Federal subpoenas served on fishing companies in Seattle last year
sought records concerning both Ben and Ted Stevens.
Four current or former Alaska state lawmakers have been indicted and
are awaiting trial on corruption charges, and an Anchorage lobbyist
has pleaded guilty to federal corruption charges.
Ben Stevens has not been charged.
But the charges pleaded to by Allen and Smith alleged Ben Stevens
improperly accepted $242,000 from Veco for "giving advice, lobbying
colleagues, and taking official acts in matters before the
legislature."
How the Girdwood home fits in with the broader investigation, or what
possible crimes are being investigated, is not clear.
There was a brief, unexplained reference to residential remodeling in
the government's statement of facts that accompanied Allen's and
Smith's guilty pleas.
The sentence, preceded by a listing of a dozen Veco-related
enterprises around the world, said:
"Veco was not in the business of residential construction or
remodeling."
Asked whether that line related to the construction at Stevens'
Girdwood home, Persons first said, "I'm sure it does."
When pressed, he said he wasn't certain.
______________________________________________
Harry
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| User: "" |
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| Title: Re: FBI and federal grand jury investigate Republican Senator Stevens |
29 May 2007 10:40:42 AM |
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On May 29, 8:32 am, Harry Hope <riv...@ix.netcom.com> wrote:
From The Anchorage Daily News, 5/29/07:http://www.adn.com/news/politics/story/8928969p-8829178c.html
Feds eye Stevens' home remodeling project
By RICHARD MAUER
"Veco, an oil-field service company that has long been a strong
lobbying presence in Juneau, was one of the early targets of the
agents, according to some of the search warrants that became public. "
Stevens has always been the go-fer boy for big oil.
Nice to see that he is receiving appropriate compensation for his
efforts.
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