Legal Commentary

Republican Reactions to Stevens' Verdict

By TChris

In the wake of the Ted Stevens guilty (times seven) verdict, John McCain bravely called for Stevens to step down. With the election just a week away, Alaska voters may relieve Stevens of the burden of making that choice.

McCain, of course, wasn't really all that brave to speak out at long last against his corrupt Republican colleague. Now that McCain has decided to attack Obama as "soft on crime," he can't very well ignore the latest glaring example of criminality within the Republican Party.

Sarah Palin, on the other hand, proclaimed yesterday "a sad day for Alaska and a sad day for Senator Stevens and his family" and promised to "carefully now monitor the situation and I’ll take any appropriate action as needed." She did not ask Stevens to resign. Instead, she complained about "the corrupting influence of the big oil service company up there in Alaska that was allowed to control too much of our state." What she did about that problem during her short service as governor went unmentioned.

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Palin is walking a tightrope. She needs to project disapproval for corruption without undercutting the wishes of Alaska's Republican Party, which wants voters to vote for the incumbent felon even if only as a placeholder.

From a political strategy standpoint, a Stevens victory next week keeps the door open for the state GOP in the future

"If you don't vote for Ted Stevens now, you don't have an option in the future to have a conservative candidate," McHugh Pierre of the Alaska Republican Party said "You're stuck. You're stuck with a liberal who does not represent your views and beliefs."

If Stevens wins re-election, he can still start his new term in the senate. If he later decides to resign, then under state law, a special election would be called to replace him.

Republicans want to keep that option open, instead of just handing the Senate seat to Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich for the next six years.

Stevens says:

"I remain a candidate for the United States Senate. I will come home on Wednesday and ask for your vote."

Sen. Lisa Murkowski and Rep. Dan Young still stand behind Stevens. Young even went so far as to say "He's the right thing for the state of Alaska." A corrupt politician who awaits sentencing on seven felony convictions is right for Alaska? How long will it be before we see the campaign slogan:

Corruption. It's right for Alaska.

If Murkowski and Young are tolerant of corrupt politicians, they should be the next to go.

Full post as published by TalkLeft on October 28, 2008 (boomark / email).