Alaska Senator Stevens Claims Investigation Enhances His Role

July 16, 2007

Anchorage, Alaska - Alaska Republican Ted Stevens claims that the FBI's criminal investigation of him enhances his role as a U.S. Senator.

From an Alaska Democratic Party press release: Sen. Ted Stevens' claim that the ongoing federal investigation into his ties to indicted VECO executives actually enhances his role as a U.S. Senator is a strange distortion of reality, Alaska Democratic Party Jake Metcalfe said today.

"Senator Stevens must think that Alaskans are very naive," Metcalfe said.

In an interview earlier this week with reporters in Ketchikan, Stevens said the corruption investigation enhances his role as a U.S. Senator.

"There's sort of a cloud out there but it's not harmed my role as a Senator for Alaska. If anything, strange thing, it's enhanced it, because Senators read papers too, and It's sort of a family, the Senate family comes around when someone's got a problem and they've all encouraged me, just don't get excited about this, because so many have been through it in their own states and it's not an easy thing," Stevens said.

Deanna Garrison of KRBD, Ketchikan, prepared the report that was broadcast July 5 on the Alaska Public Radio Network. You can listen to the podcast on the APRN website by clicking HERE.

"Sen. Stevens continues to refuse to answer questions about his actions," Metcalfe said. "He owes Alaskans more than the excuse that his lawyers have told him not to comment."

Metcalfe cited Stevens' non-participation in the no-confidence vote on Attorney General Alberto Gonzales that came before the Senate in June as an example of how the corruption investigation has prevented him from doing his job. When asked by reporters why he voted "present" and thus abstained on the Gonzales vote, Stevens said: "I did so because I have a conflict of interest in terms of the investigation that is ongoing."