Legal Commentary

Stevens Testifies Today

By TChris

Senator Ted Stevens took the stand today in his criminal trial. He testified that he pays his bills when he knows about them, that he intended to pay for his home renovations, and that if he neglected to pay it's only because he's a busy senator working a long distance from his Alaskan home. And besides, he left it to his wife to handle the project, so blame her if something got screwed up. He didn't disclose gifts, including the renovations, that were paid for by his friend Bill Allen because he didn't think Allen had given him any gifts.

"What goes on in the house is Catherine's business. What goes on outside is my business," Stevens testified. He told jurors he never asked for some of the key features of the renovation project, such as a balcony and steel staircase. He said he didn't know anything about them until he saw the completed project.

As for Allen, who "testified that Stevens knew he wasn't getting billed for everything and just wanted invoices to protect himself," Stevens claims Allen told "an absolute lie." Stevens will be cross-examined this afternoon.

Full post as published by TalkLeft on October 17, 2008 (boomark / email).