Comments (58)

Crust wrote on May 8, 2007 1:03 PM:

"Ted Stevens does not seem to be on prosecutors' radar screen in the corruption investigation."

Are you saying that you have reason to think that prosecutors aren't looking at Ted Stevens? Or are you just saying that so far as you know they're not?

Barry from Alaska wrote on May 8, 2007 1:12 PM:

I would amend the last sentence to say that Ted isn't part of this investigation.

There is still the matter of Ted and Ben and the fisheries deal they put together.

me wrote on May 8, 2007 1:17 PM:

Uh oh.

Security Code: My son is being attacked by the Tubes and the Internets.

ryan wrote on May 8, 2007 1:18 PM:

I live here in AK and am positively thrilled. This whole thing has been unravelling since January with some minor state reps already indicted. What's so funny is that this all came out because, I shit you not, a bus driver has been on a personal vendetta against "Baby Ben" Stevens for years. He did all the investigative work for free. He couldn't be sued for libel or harassment because he had no money to be sued for. Everybody thought he was crazy. Now he's the man.

Passing Shot wrote on May 8, 2007 1:18 PM:

sorry to go off-topic, but what's with the fugly tie?

Rusty wrote on May 8, 2007 1:27 PM:

Ted has the Hulk, and Ben has... Daffy Duck? WTF? When he gets overheated in AK legislative work does The Duck come out? That's sort of a weak metaphor. Maybe teh Stevens family just likes to collect cartoon ties... that is when they aren't surfing the nets.

greg wrote on May 8, 2007 1:29 PM:

"sorry to go off-topic, but what's with the fugly tie?"

Maybe he figures you'll be so distracted by the godawful tie that you won't notice him picking your pockets.

Allen wrote on May 8, 2007 1:32 PM:

The apple does not fall far from the tree. Even Daddy Stevens' actions in the U.S. Senate (think, Bridge to Nowhere) are enough to make one want to shower in chlorox. With Daddy up for re-election in 2008 (or even better, it will be an open seat), we can begin work now to reclaim the Alaska senatorial seat from the monarchist GOP.

As for the "fugly" tie... perhaps Boy Stevens would benefit from the assistance of the gay guys from Queer Eye for the Straight Guy!

Mad Dog Rackham wrote on May 8, 2007 1:33 PM:

The tie? Why do you hate Daffy and Marvin and Taz and Yosemite Sam?

Hating classic WB cartoon characters is almost like--I don't know--hating *America*!

(Ben seems to have inheirited a passion for cartoon ties from his father.)

djcrow22 wrote on May 8, 2007 1:38 PM:

"Ted Stevens does not seem to be on prosecutors' radar screen in the corruption investigation."

What? This excert from the ADN article reads like just the opposite. What gives?

Senator B is described as being part of a conspiracy in which Allen and Smith say they paid him "for giving advice, lobbying colleagues and taking official acts in matters before the Legislature."

One former senator matches the description of Senator B: former Senate President Ben Stevens.

The court documents list payments from Veco to Senator B ranging from $43,750 to $57,000 a year over five years, for a total of $243,250 between 2002 and 2006.

Stevens reported on his legislative financial disclosure forms that he received payments in those amounts from Veco, for a total of $243,250 over those years.

Stevens' lawyer, John Wolfe of Seattle, wouldn't confirm that Stevens is Senator B. But he said that Stevens denies doing anything criminal and maintains he is innocent. Stevens was surprised to learn that Allen had pleaded guilty and hopes that Allen is not falsely accusing legislators and former legislators to mitigate his own role, his lawyer said.

Rebel wrote on May 8, 2007 1:40 PM:

Barry from Alaska

Your link was dead. I reposted a live link for others below. Very informative site.

http://www.ptarmigannest.net/

djcrow22 wrote on May 8, 2007 1:41 PM:

Whoops, my bad... Ted vs. Ben, sorry for the faux pas. As if did not have a corrupt bone in his body, like father like son.

bordersmuggler wrote on May 8, 2007 1:44 PM:

ryan

We could use a few bus drivers with-a-vengeance down here in the lower 48 as well.

Barry wrote on May 8, 2007 1:52 PM:

In the long run, even the short 1 - 1/4, so Long Birdie probably wasn't a very good deal.

http://www.senatemajority.com/Stevens_Horse

Robin Boerner wrote on May 8, 2007 1:53 PM:

I have been in Alaska for three years and I was never into politics. I have been shocked at the outright corruption and profiteer mentality of the elected, appointed and military up here. Not the young kid thinking he is really doing something for his country.

From former US Attorney's now Bush federal judges refusing to prosecute this type of thing as USA to a federal judge obviously in someone's pocket protecting the US Army up here.

I as said in an earlier posting, a police LT here Randy Carroll said it was ok for a over six footer US Army minion to assault and bruise me because "he can't help is size". I am a 5'4" disabled woman. Then they let a US Army Reserve officer, Dennis Gum investigate it. The fact that officer Gum is a US Army Reserve Military Intelligence/Special Forces Lt Colonel and the assault was in an effort to disrupt a federal Civil Rights lawsuit against Bush's Afghanistan Torture Cover-up general MG Charles Jacoby's Command up here in Alaska isn't seen by even the new Gov. Sarah Palin's office as a conflict of interest.

Most Alaskan's will tell you they think the vast majority's of politicans are crooked and yet they seem to just accept it as normal.

Read Stephen Taufen's fisheries corruption stuff. It's eye opening to what the scumbags have got away with for years.

The feds are getting ready to build a 60 million dollar new VA hospital outside Elmendorf's gates. I bet half of the former NCO's up here attached to Ft Richardson and Elmendorf are drooling. Many are now proud owners of little contracting corporations and are looking for their piece of the pie. Minus the kickback of course. The Democrats would be better to introduce a bill to kill that porker before it ever gets started and just give all the vets up here BlueCross Blueshield. Cut out the criminals that consider Ft Richa their private piggybank as one colonel told us.

BluestateRedhead wrote on May 8, 2007 1:56 PM:

Ryan, please tell us more about

"What's so funny is that this all came out because, I shit you not, a bus driver has been on a personal vendetta against "Baby Ben" Stevens for years. He did all the investigative work for free. He couldn't be sued for libel or harassment because he had no money to be sued for. Everybody thought he was crazy. Now he's the man."

heh wrote on May 8, 2007 2:04 PM:

damn, the wilderness state is rife with graft.

That little big man Sen. Ted Stevens had the gall to threaten I tell you, yes threaten to leave the august body of the senate if they gave the bridge to nowhere money to the Katrina victims. With such statesmenship, I'm glad he prevailed/sarcasm off/

This type of thing makes you holler for term limits in state and federal government.

SteveW wrote on May 8, 2007 2:18 PM:

Political Corruption...it's the Steven's family business and it's made them millions of dollars.

chabuka wrote on May 8, 2007 2:25 PM:

Any body keeping a list...? How many down, how many to go?

yellowdogD wrote on May 8, 2007 2:32 PM:

Passing shot:
His dad wears strange ties also.

Mrs Panstreppon wrote on May 8, 2007 2:34 PM:

ryan@May 8, 2007 01:18 PM

Please tell us more about the bus driver!

RW wrote on May 8, 2007 2:36 PM:

I think the reaction is the metaphor from the movie Casablanca, "Rick I am shocked to find gambling going on".

Senator NO is going to be remembered (that is in the past tense) and the GOP are going to be unhappy up there stealing the money from the masses.

Everyday it rings in my mind what George Will said a few weeks back. The Republican Party could be headed to another 50 years out of the majority like after Hoover

Jillian wrote on May 8, 2007 2:49 PM:

Adding up all the various bits and pieces of news from Alaska generally, including this scandal and the North Slope oil stuff (anybody remember ANWR drilling?) and the oil dividend payout, it seems to point to one thing.

The impression I'm getting is that there's a substantial pseudocolonial right wing welfare class- maybe 5-10% of the population- that votes in a Republican state government which, in turn, feeds it with federal money.

Harriett wrote on May 8, 2007 3:03 PM:

The tie says..."tttthat's all folks!"

Please, more about that heroic bus driver!!!Perhaps his story will compel others to do likewise! MSM 'journalists' will quickly pick up THAT story. Yeah, right.

phil james wrote on May 8, 2007 3:12 PM:

Next on YouTube: a tearful Senator Ted Stevens lashing out at the prosecutors for indicting his son and berating the American people for believing his son could be anywhere near as corrupt as he is, and threatening to quit the Senate if there isn't a full page apology published in the next edition of both the Washington Post and Anchorage Daily Fog.

EH wrote on May 8, 2007 3:20 PM:

I can't find anything on the google about this bus driver person.

RockGolf wrote on May 8, 2007 3:20 PM:

Suddenly I have a hankerin for "Ben and Jury Ice Scream".

Richard L. Adlof wrote on May 8, 2007 3:29 PM:

Silly Willy Nilly Ol' Bears:

Why for y'all bagging on daddy Stevens for the corrupt fruit of his loins crapping in his own nest . . .
Every Republican knows that it is the mother's coddling that creates weakness of character.

Oh crap . . . Here comes my wife! I'm outta here . . .

Mike Valentine wrote on May 8, 2007 3:37 PM:

State Senator Stevens is wearing a Looney Tunes tie in this pic. Silly Stevens, graft is for crooks.

What's the old saw? An apple doesn't fall too far from the tree.

Anonymous wrote on May 8, 2007 4:17 PM:

"Ted Stevens does not seem to be on prosecutors' radar screen in the corruption investigation".

YET.

this guy wrote on May 8, 2007 4:18 PM:

ditto the fugly tie. i get the wacky tie thing. i do it too. but when doing it, you have to be very very careful that you don't pick a fugly tie that makes you look like someone with just one tie.

jdw wrote on May 8, 2007 4:35 PM:

I suspect that everything will stop short of Father Ted. It will be interesting to see if the paths to Father Ted are stonewalled between now and the 2008 election.

This does likely kill off his hopes of Boy Stevens carrying on the family dynasty by taking over his spot when he was set to retire.

It will be interesting to see if Ted steps aside to try to get a Repub without the baggage a clearer shot at winning the seat in 2008. The problem is that some likely candidates are getting taken down by the scandal. They could roll out Gov. Sarah Palin, who isn't up for re-election as Gov until 2010. The Lt. Gov is a Repub (Sean Parnell), and that would give him several years as the incumbent to fundraise for 2010. Or do they have special elections in Alaska when a Gov step into Congress?

Ed*ard Teller wrote on May 8, 2007 4:44 PM:

Mrs. Panstreppon,

The guy's name is Ray Metcalf. Here's a link to one of his efforts:

http://www.insurgent49.com/metcalfe_stevens2.html

There's also a short wikipedia entry on Ray, and if you google his name, there is a lot of information.

Ed*ard Teller wrote on May 8, 2007 4:54 PM:

sorry - I misspelled his last name - Ray Metcalfe. And he posted an article yesterday about legislators STILL apparently doing Veco's bidding:

http://www.insurgent49.com/metcalfe_veco.html

Robin wrote on May 8, 2007 5:28 PM:

A third request to Ryan, who posted above:

Spill it on the rabid super hero bus driver!

Robin wrote on May 8, 2007 5:30 PM:

Oh, I see the link from Ed*ward, above:

http://www.insurgent49.com/metcalfe_stevens2.html

ryan wrote on May 8, 2007 6:35 PM:

Sorry about the wait. The guy's name is Ray Metcalf(e?). He was a former state rep way, way back in the day. He's now a school bus driver with the Teamsters. My dad is real good freinds with him, so I know him fairly well in passing. For years now I've known about his dogged drive to expose corruption up here. I always got the feeling that he was just a conspiracy theory nut, of which there are plenty up here. I always figured there were so many ways to be legally crooked that no politician would need to do something illegal. Naive. Well he just kept pouring over the public record for years. The pols were like his white whale. Eventually he built up circumstantial evidence and made noise. He brought charges against Ben several times. They were always thrown out, but it just kept up the pressure. Eventually someone must have paid a lot of attention because finally the feds came in a raided some offices of the "Corrupt Bastards Caucus", which is what all the pols called themselves. The rumor is that they even printed CBC hats and shirts. So ever since the raids this story has unravelled a legislator at a time. The wonderful state rep. from my par of town was the first to go because there were records of him literally promising a Quid Pro Quo. The biggest thing is that Ray did this for free. This wasn't a political watchdg group or a team of lawyers. It was just a citizen that decided he hated what he saw.

Slippery Slope wrote on May 8, 2007 6:54 PM:

Thanks Ryan...

I nominate Ray Metcalfe the Honorary TPM Muckraker Citizen of the Month award!!!

Mrs Panstreppon, you should get if for January through April.

Richard L. Adlof wrote on May 8, 2007 9:10 PM:

His haircut out does his tie by a long shot . . . It screams "Dorkified Maximus." The tie is just dweebish.

Anonymous wrote on May 8, 2007 9:18 PM:

The suit and watch say I'm a power player and the Looney Tunes tie says I'm still rock n' roll. Well, at least that's what it says if you're a douchebag republican.

Herb wrote on May 8, 2007 10:00 PM:

APPROPRIATELY(?), I think Mr. Stevens is wearing a Warner Bros. Cartoon tie in that picture. I think that is honest. No? Signed, Herb.

David in AK wrote on May 8, 2007 10:35 PM:

The biggest thing is that Ray did this for free...It was just a citizen that decided he hated what he saw.True, but Ray is no stranger to politics. He was a Republican, then founded the Republican Moderate Party when it became clear that the Alaska Republican Party was a right wing religious nuthouse. Then last year, he ran for the Democratic Party nomination to oust Don Young, ultimately losing to Diane Benson.

But I agree with the all of the posters' points about the value of Ray's efforts with respect to Ben Stevens's rank crookedness.

David in AK wrote on May 8, 2007 10:36 PM:

Oops, blockquoting doesn't work, evidently. The first 1.5 lines of my post above were quoted from several posts up; the rest is mine.

behind the scenes wrote on May 9, 2007 6:40 PM:

Ray Metcalfe in part is the wet version of a sock puppet for Stephen Taufen, who is less than fully employed and has a jones for what he terms muckracking. Taufen did most the research into the seafood industry part of the complaints. That is not say they are (were) not onto to something. But Taufen, who blames Stevens (both of them), Murkoski, Aleut Corp., Icicle Seafoods, etc. knows no bounds and does not disclose his financial interest in seeing these politicians go down.

Robin Boerner wrote on May 9, 2007 9:01 PM:

behind the scenes:

I met Stephen Taufen when researching the US Army's Civil Rights violations of my fiance' John R. Mitchell. Actually, Mr. Taufen does not hide anything.

Along with Mr. Taufen in my course of research I have talked to Steve Parent (still waiting for that return call you promised Mr. Parent), Bill Goering (Pat Tillman DOD IG), Nelson Cohen, Jim Egan (Ted Stevens office), Don Young, Lisa and Frank Murkowski's office (what can you say about a guy that can announce that his half wit daughter is THE most qualified person to replace him in the US Senate in ALL Akaska?), a beat cop, Dennis L. Gum who forgot to disclose that he is also a LT Col Military Intelligence/SF Reserve/National Guard employee possibly under MG Charles Jacoby (Bush's Afghanistan Prison Torture cover-up guy) and might have a conflict of interest in investigating an assault on John and myself by one of MG Jacoby's Command Center employee's in an effort to disrupt a federal Civil Rights lawsuit, Mayor Mark Begich's office that forgot to disclose they gave cop Gum an award for his Iraq service and pretended he could be impartial, District Attorney Michelle Tscumper who played clueless as well (ok, maybe that's not an act), new Gov Sarah Palin's office who played along on a throw out the bums ticket....

BUT...Stephen Taufen is one of the most forthright players of them all. Me thinks you protest too much.....

Stephen Taufen wrote on May 9, 2007 11:29 PM:

Dear "behind the scenes"
I love it when people who hide behind pseudonyms post comments like yours; as I greatly respect the First Amendment - and gutter humor.
Me thinks you protest too little, and to the wrong people, for the wrong reasons.
We are still laughing at the 'sock puppet' wit.
Dominus vobiscum, et cum spiritu tuo.
Stephen - Groundswell Fisheries Movement

PS: Hello Ms. Boerner, I do remember meeting you. Say hello to your brave and honorable Mr. Mitchell.

Mr Moneybags wrote on May 10, 2007 3:34 AM:

http://www.rollcall.com/issues/52_122/news/18398-1.html

Stevens Stops Backing Controversial Board
By John Stanton
Roll Call Staff
May 9, 2007

Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) has dropped his support for a controversial salmon marketing program he created that has funneled tens of millions of federal dollars to fishing industry interests in Alaska and has become an element of a Justice Department corruption investigation into the Senator’s former aide and his son, ex-state Sen. Ben Stevens (R).

junolocal wrote on May 10, 2007 1:27 PM:

"a state elected official" FRANKMURKOWSKIFRANKMURKOWSKIFRANKMURKOWSKIFRANKMURKOWSKIFRANKMURKOWSKIFRANKMURKOWSKIFRANKMURKOWSKIFRANKMURKOWSKI

Tikay wrote on May 24, 2007 3:41 PM:

Alaska has the most natural resources left, and her politicians are the most corrupt in the nation. I have lived here since 1968, and witnessed the degradation of the politicians "for life" firsthand. They disgust me beyond belief. I am gladdened that the "lower 48" is finally paying some attention to Murkowski, Stevens, and perhaps, hope against hope, Young.

salmonshark wrote on May 30, 2007 7:03 AM:

A former state employee of the state alleged a widespread "ethics crisis" in the state's government. It was read by the Ninth Circuit in September, 2005, the same month the investigation started. Most of Ray's stuff started in State Court, and the feds told him be had to finish through the AK Supreme Court before the Federal Court could take it.

Here's some of the pleadings of 05-35694:

[Most recently the Senate president Ben Stevens has been petitioned for recall, and has allegations of conflict of interest in several of his business dealings including Aleutian Spray Seafoods / Adak Fisheries Pollock allotmentslegislated by his father, and VECO, the Alaska Pipeline contractorwhich is wanting legislation that robs the Permanent Fund, and several other questionable consulting relationships. This is all available online and the Plaintiff would ask that the Ninth Circuit reviews some of this material to be familiar with the Legislature's ethics committee leader and his concept of ethics and what the plaintiff has described as the "existance of a crisis" in a Motion for Preliminary Injunctionand as it may apply to the case before the court.] [the copious amounts of newspaper articles and Department of Law opinionsrelating to Ben Stevens' recall petition,etc. Anchorage Daily News, Juneau Empire and Los Angeles newspapers are a good source.]

[The Plaintiff visited the Department of Labor in Seattle to relate the apparent collusion between Management and Union in March of 2005. Special Agents in the Racketeering section explained was not with individual complaints or collusion. The Agents said they could investigate Retirement Fraud. The Plaintiff expressed that considering the apparent level of corruption that there would likely be some evidence of pension robbing as characteristic of corruption. After a week or so the Plaintiff sent articles of the retirement fund deficit which was growing at a rate of 1.7 million a day for the first 1000 days of the Murkowski Anministration, and at approximately minus $700,000 per current employee. This would seem to be criminal negligence.]

Oh yeah, a comparison to Erinie Fletcher and a request for a Federal Grand Jury,
Escalating what should have been a relatively simple grievance procedure that was mishandled by a corrupt AFSCME revolving door thugs into....

Security code ARMY:

Alaska's Representation - Major YEGGS

Clyde Baxley wrote on June 26, 2007 6:08 PM:

Hold your applause, please. The best is yet to come. Watch for upcoming revelations involving Sen. Ted, John Rabini, and Mayor Mark Begich. Also, reach back in history to Mayor Weurch. The stench is beginning to stifle. The Abramoff scandal is beginning to look like a simple game of hide-n-seek. Watch for the re-naming of Ted Stevens International Airport to Ray Metcalfe International Airport. His accomplishments equal or better those of Sen. Ted.

Willaim of Columbus, OH wrote on July 31, 2007 10:18 AM:

Well what can you expect? Those people are behaving just like the third world country they are. They might be a State but a third world country, just that it is owned by the USA. They act no different when it come to taking bribes. And They are mostly Republican. Those crooks. Just kick them all out and send then to prison, because they deserve it. I think they should be tried and punish as any normal person if, and only if they are guilty. Lets hope those judges are not crooked too. If they are send then also to join those inmates they so readily put in prison.

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