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National Democrats have launched a new television ad highlighting Sen. Ted Stevens's (R-Alaska) phone calls that were secretly recorded by the FBI and are now at the center of his criminal trial in Washington. In the first national ad to use evidence presented at the trial, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee's spot (DSCC) features audio from a 2006 phone call between Stevens and his friend Bill Allen in which the two men fret about an FBI investigation into the elaborate renovations at the senator’s home in Girdwood, Alaska. "The worst that can happen to us is we round up a bunch of legal fees and might lose and we might have to pay a fine, might have to serve a little time in jail," Stevens is heard saying in the ad, which suggests this private statement contradicts an August 2008 interview with an Alaska television station where he proclaims his innocence. But the ad leaves out Stevens's repeatedly telling Allen that he was innocent and had done nothing wrong. Stevens, 84, has pleaded not guilty to seven felony counts for not reporting more than $250,000 in gifts and home renovations, mainly from Allen, a former friend who used to head the Veco oil-services company. The longest-serving Senate Republican faces the toughest reelection campaign of his four-decade career in the upper chamber. A verdict will likely be reached before Election Day, since the defense may rest its case by week’s end. The senator’s opponent, Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich (D), has largely avoided criticizing Stevens over his criminal trial, but the state party and DSCC have routinely brought up his criminal charges to taint his reputation with voters. The newest ad concludes by saying, "Ted Stevens: It's not about Alaska anymore." Stevens, who was named Alaskan of the 20th Century by the state legislature, often highlights his decades of service to the state and says Begich would not be able to deliver on his campaign promises. A Stevens spokesman could not be immediately reached for comment. |
