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Stevens: We might have to pay a fine and spend a little time in jail

In Audio Played In Federal Court Today, Stevens Coaches Allen To Be Cautious And Not Expose Stevens' Illegal Activities

Today the jury and Alaskans heard from Senator Ted Stevens directly in phone conversations with former VECO Chief Executive Bill Allen. Three audio recordings were played in federal court this morning where Stevens spoke about the corruption investigation in his own words. When reading the transcript of the phone conversations, it becomes clear that Stevens is coaching Allen to be cautious and not expose Stevens' illegal activities.

Alaska Governor Sarah Palin

"Only a guilty person speculates about whether they are going to prison," said Bethany Lesser, spokeswoman for the Alaska Democratic Party. "Stevens sounded quite nervous while talking to Allen about what he could be charged with. Not only did Senator Stevens know what he did was wrong, but he understood the consequences. Stevens had his chalet remodeled for free by VECO, and didn't disclose it. Stevens' comments are in stark contrast to what his defense team is claiming."

Stevens Tells Allen The Worst That Could Happen Is They Pay A Fine And Spend A Little Time In Jail. ".Stevens said investigators 'can't really hurt us.' 'They aren't going to shoot us,' Stevens said. 'It's not Iraq . Hell, the worst that can happen to us, is that we run up a bunch of legal fees . . . might pay a fine, may spend a little time in jail.' [Jury Hears Phone Tapes in Stevens Corruption Trial, Washington Post, 10/6/08] Audio Clip Attached

Stevens Acknowledges His Dealings Look Suspicious. "'It may be what we've done leaves the impression we've done something wrong,' Stevens told Allen in October 2006. Stevens maintained his innocence to Allen, but added that 'the appearance of what we're doing leads them to this conclusion.'" [Phone calls show Stevens's concern with FBI scrutiny, The Hill, 10/6/08]

Stevens Knew That VECO Employees Remodeled His Girdwood Chalet. "I think we ought to be very careful about this - besides that a lot of things that are involved are corporate as far as you're concerned - they're not individual, they're corporate and you own the corporation. Some of the things you may have done yourself, but basically the things that have been done have been done by your corporate employees. So you're in a different world in terms of this corporate thing. And it may well be that the corporation is going to get fined or something but you ought to be careful not to get yourself into the point where you're involved in it." [Department Of Justice Court Documents for Criminal No. 1:08-cr-00231-EGS, Exhibit Number GX0650.001]

Stevens Tells Allen To Lay Low And Let The Federal Investigation Pass Over. "Sen. Ted Stevens told wealthy businessman Bill Allen they needed to stick together and 'really lay low'' to beat an FBI investigation into their cozy relationship, according to audiotapes played Monday at the senator's corruption trial. 'Screw them, if they prove we did something wrong,' the senator says in one of a series of secretly recorded telephone calls in the fall of 2006. [Jury hears audio of Stevens fretting about inquiry, AP, 10/6/08]

Stevens Became Nervous About The Federal Investigation. "Stevens, on trial now, told Allen in one of the conversations that he wasn't getting much sleep when he thought about 'all this (expletive) is going down. Why these (expletive) are doing this thing to friends?'" [Stevens to Allen: "I don't think we've done anything wrong," Anchorage Daily News, 10/6/08]

To hear more audio from the phone conversations and for the latest updates on Stevens' corruption trial check out http://RetireTed.com.

From a Alaska Democratic Party press release

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