Sen. Ted Stevens "$250,000+ in gifts" trial belongs in DC, prosecutors argue

[L. Coyote]

Stevens trial belongs in Washington, prosecutors argue
VENUE: The jury can view photos rather than tour his Girdwood home, they say.
By ERIKA BOLSTAD - August 12th, 2008 - http://www.adn.com/front/story/490986.html


Sen. Ted Stevens' trial should stay in Washington, federal prosecutors insisted in papers filed Monday, arguing that hearing it in Alaska while the 84-year-old Republican campaigns for reelection could taint the home state jury pool.

They also argued that, fundamentally, the case against Stevens is based in the nation's capital. He faces seven felony counts of knowingly taking home repairs and gifts worth more than $250,000 from the oil services company Veco Corp. and failing to report them on his annual U.S. Senate disclosure forms from 2001 through 2006.

"Simply put, this is a case about a scheme to conceal, largely through the submission of false financial disclosure forms to the United States Senate," Justice Department prosecutors wrote in a motion filed Monday afternoon. The financial disclosure forms were "created, reviewed, signed and filed in the District of Columbia, and a substantial portion of Stevens' scheme to conceal occurred in or around the District of Columbia."

U.S. District Court Judge Emmet Sullivan is scheduled to hear the change-of-venue motion Aug. 20. ...................

[LiberalFighter]

1. Based on that I would agree.