Ted Stevens

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Pork Watchdog Taps Byrd
 Pork Watchdog Taps Byrd 

Pork Watchdog Taps Byrd

W.Va. rules the roost in earmarks as $2.8B in tasty meat comes under scrutiny

(Newser) - Fiscal responsibility and vegetarianism took a hit today with the release of the 2008 Oinkers, awarded by a Washington watchdog group for the "most egregious and blatant examples of pork." Sen. Robert Byrd landed the top award for earmarking $386 million for West Virginia, but Alaska was the...

GOP's Strength Frays at Local Level
GOP's Strength Frays at
Local Level

GOP's Strength Frays at Local Level

Broke, scandal-ridden state parties aren't ready to help McCain

(Newser) - Their national candidate needs support, but the Republican Party's state chapters are in no position to lend John McCain a hand, Politico reports. From New York to Alaska, local organizations are rife with dissension, debt, and scandal. "We are clearly rebuilding," says the Michigan GOP chairman.

Pricey Pet Projects Thrive in Congress

Despite criticism, lawmakers stuff budgets with earmarks

(Newser) - The earmark lives. Despite much public clamoring about lawmakers loading up budgets with expensive pet projects, not much changed this year: The domestic and defense budgets contain more than 11,000 such earmarks, the Washington Post reports. "It would take leadership in both parties—and a lot more shame—...

No Pol Left Behind in Alaska Corruption

Bribery scandal spreads from Juneau to DC

(Newser) - Back-room backslaps, pockets stuffed with $100 bills, and the odd Viagra pill—the Washington Post looks at the freewheeling frontier-style corruption exposed in oil-rich Alaska over the last few years, as elected representatives on every level were caught in scandals and many entered guilty pleas. Now the stain is threatening...

Senators: Vets Need New GI Bill
Senators:
Vets Need
New GI Bill

Senators: Vets Need New GI Bill

Hagel, Webb argue US owes it to today's soldiers

(Newser) - The US needs a spruced-up GI Bill for today's veterans, Chuck Hagel and Jim Webb say in an op-ed in today's New York Times. The Vietnam vets argue that the measure "was one of the most important pieces of legislation in our history" and call for a new version...

FBI Taped Senator's Phone Calls in Corruption Probe

Feds recorded calls with oil contractor who bribed officials

(Newser) - The FBI secretly taped phone calls between Alaska Senator Ted Stevens and an oil businessman during an investigation into contract corruption, according to sources. The oil contractor agreed to the tapings last year after he was confronted with evidence that he had bribed other Alaska lawmakers, AP reports. Stevens acknowledged...

Senator Blocks Presidential Papers Bill

Anonymous hold delays attempt to overturn Bush's records-sealing order

(Newser) - An unidentified Republican senator is blocking a bill that would overturn President Bush's 2001 executive order allowing presidents to keep their papers permanently classified. The bill, approved by the House 333-93 in March, would easily survive a presidential veto if it passed the Senate. A hold is essentially a promise...

Republican Scandal Level Approaches Self-Parody

GOP insider: 'You can’t make this stuff up'

(Newser) - Sen. Larry Craig's bathroom toe tap is only the latest in a seemingly endless string of scandal that has Republicans at wit's end, the NY Times reports. Such episodes are fueling voter suspicion of a party already tied to an unpopular president and the Iraq war. "We are approaching...

Fed Raid on Stevens Casts Pall on Senate

Scandal-plagued colleague attracts tepid support, challenges ethics bill

(Newser) - Already shell-shocked Senate Republicans are lending only tepid support to Ted Stevens, the Politico reports. Both parties are withholding judgment on the Alaskan elder statesman until the federal corruption probe that came to light this week is complete, and they won't pressure the 83-year-old to quit his committee posts unless...

FBI Raids Alaska Senator's Home
FBI Raids Alaska Senator's Home

FBI Raids Alaska Senator's Home

Feds probe politician's ties to oil contractor in corruption probe

(Newser) - FBI and IRS agents raided the vacation home of Sen. Ted Stevens of Alaska yesterday, seeking records of his relationship with a oil field contractor jailed in a corruption probe,  AP reports. The contractor profited from  tens of millions of dollars in federal contracts and also supervised the renovation...

Alaskan Tribes Score No-Bid Bonanza
Alaskan Tribes Score No-Bid Bonanza

Alaskan Tribes Score No-Bid Bonanza

Sen. Ted Stevens under scrutiny for shady contracts

(Newser) - Alaskan tribes are so successful in securing no-bid government contracts, they're spurring a federal investigation into conduct by Alaskan senator Ted Stevens, reports Salon. In 1986, Stevens pushed through a law that gave Alaskan companies "small business" preferences—even if they belong to a multi-billion dollar parent corporation and...

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