NY Times: If Stevens wins "the august body should show bipartisan gumption and expel him"
Very strong editorial in the New York Times today on the possible re-election of Ted Stevens. If Stevens does eke out a win, the Senate must kick him out:
Call it misplaced loyalty or misplaced partisanship, but Senator Ted Stevens, a Republican of Alaska, is holding a razor-thin edge with voters despite his conviction last month on seven felony counts of violating federal ethics laws.
After being pronounced guilty by a jury, Mr. Stevens went around telling Alaskans that he had “not been convicted of anything yet” — a fatuous distortion rooted in the technicality that he has not yet been sentenced.
That didn’t wash with his party’s presidential nominee, Senator John McCain, who called on Mr. Stevens to resign forthwith. And it shouldn’t wash with the rest of the Senate.
The final tally could take two weeks. As of Wednesday, Mr. Stevens was leading by about 3,400 votes over his Democratic opponent, Mark Begich, the mayor of Anchorage, with 50,000 absentee ballots still to be counted. Mr. Stevens is determined to maintain his 1 percent edge and claim vindication, not disgrace.
If that happens, the Senate could soon face the embarassment of watching Mr. Stevens return as the first member ever re-elected after being found guilty of criminal charges. Before that, the august body should show bipartisan gumption and expel him.
unethical members of the Senate and Congress
I agree with Ben. If all the unethical politicians were booted from office (and they should be), there would be no such thing as the Democrat party. Be careful what you wish for...when you are throwing your stones, you better make sure that your glass houses are protected...Let's add Jefferson and the Jr Kennedy to the list for starters. Bill Clinton was impeached for perjury under oath, while in office....Shouldn't he have been removed by HIS party? If you were really a reputable organization, you would at least give the appearance of being bi-partison.
This place should be called "democrats for Republican only ethics" (not citizens for ethics.) Than you should get on about the business of getting your own party in order.
Since we are on Alaska topics:: Palin's clothes are no more your business than Hillary's clothes. Who do you think pays for all Hillary's jewels and clothes?? Who do you think pays for all the plastic surgery on those Democrat Senators' faces (the men and women)? Where are your investigations on the Democrat party and their spending habits?
Get a grip..The American people can see through your lies and you are showing your prejudice against Republicans only, with your deceitful organization.
the august body should show bipartisan gumption and expel him.
"august body"?? Do you mean the US Senate?? Ha! They quit being "august" in 1777.
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Senator Stevens
First, let me say I agree in part with what you are saying about Mr. Stevens. The people of Alaska should have voted him out but here-to-fore they have not. He deserves to be unseated by like 99 - 1 for his illegal acts. I hope he loses the race. But win or lose it is the choice of the citizens of that state.
However, with that said. Where is your bipartisan gumption to expel Senator Kennedy from the Senate? Isn't he actually a murderer? As I recall he put a woman in a lake due to driven while intoxicated. Instead of reporting it in a timely manner he hid it until he was sure she was dead. I'm pretty sure this is as bad as stealing $250k because in effect that is what Mr. Stevens did.
Where is your outcry about President Elect Obama? It seems to me there are a few things he did that would pretty well fall into the same category. Didn't he receive something like $60k from foreign donations? It seems that he would not turn over documents that you and your friends would have attacked Sarah Palin for. Yet you and the media and virtually everyone else ignored anything he did that was less than proper.
I could go on for days. Where's your outcry against Barney Frank for his major part in our economic implosion? Even though various experts reported to him and his committee about the issues with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac he told them they were prejudice. I guess they were just correct.
But where is your outcry? You need to check yourself!
Don't tell me you are a citizen for ethics until you bring issue with every unethical member of the Senate and the Congress, which would be most them.