Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK), who both outraged and amused Net Neutrality advocates with his 2006 assertion that the Internet was a series of tubes, is reportedly now facing a series of federal allegations.
As reported by MarketWatch:
Sen. Ted Stevens has been indicted on criminal charges related to his business dealings in his home state, the Justice Department is expected to announce Tuesday.
Stevens, 84 years old... is up for reelection this year and has served in the Senate for 40 years... Last year, USA Today reported that federal agents searched Stevens's Alaska residence as part of a wide-ranging public corruption investigation.
Stevens faces seven counts of false statements involving VECO, the oil services company in Alaska, and the renovations done on his home...
Comments
Re: Report: Series of Federal Charges for Series of Tubes
As an Alaskan resident, i'm so damn tired of Ted Stevens and his "team". I really hope this will finally get that extra push needed to have him lose the next round of voting or for him to resign. I could only hang my head in shame between the outbreaks of laughter when i first heard his speech about the tubes -_-
I find it funny that the day this news comes to light i saw about a 100 Ted Stevens signs as i drove around Anchorage today pop up all over the city seemingly over night XD.
http://rendiax.deviantart.com/
Re: Report: Series of Federal Charges for Series of Tubes
Sidenote: NRO is calling for his resignation. Seems he's been abandoned by his party.
Re: Report: Series of Federal Charges for Series of Tubes
Seriously, I'm a Republican and I've been wanting this guy gone for years. He doesn't deserve to be in office and I really don't understand how he keeps getting re-elected.
Re: Report: Series of Federal Charges for Series of Tubes
This video sucks shit. Seriously.
Re: Report: Series of Federal Charges for Series of Tubes
I'm not sure there's anyone left in our government who isn't corrupt. I don't think there's any easy solution to the problem, either.
Re: Report: Series of Federal Charges for Series of Tubes
I'm sure there's a number that aren't corrupt. They just aren't in prominent or high places.
-Gray17
Here's a start on how to fix the problem...
Ban lobbying money, officially. There will be sources of course that will be unofficial even if this happens, but congress whores need to be weaned off of lobbying money first and foremost.
Re: Here's a start on how to fix the problem...
That could be considered a First Amendment violation. The Lobbyists serve as government advocates for their respective lobbies. The only way that they have any kind of influence is bringing in monetary support for candidates that support their cause. Thus, banning lobbyist money would stop those lobbies from having their voices heard in a meaningful way.
Re: Here's a start on how to fix the problem...
No one is saying Lobbyists can't speak to Representatives about topics.. they just shouldn't be able to wave money around to make politicians listen. Last time I checked the US Constitution started with We the People... not We the Lobbyists...
Re: Report: Series of Federal Charges for Series of Tubes
Corruption? In OUR government?
Say it aint so!
You tell me which speaks more about our government: that this guy was corrupt, or that no one is surprised.
Re: Report: Series of Federal Charges for Series of Tubes
One more down only hundreds to go! I remember the bridge to nowhere fiasco. What sucks is that people still vote for these idiots or they vote for the idiot in the other main party and ignore potentially better candidates because they're not in the "big two" and are too lazy to check them out. Not to mention the work the DNC and RNC does to try and prevent them from getting publicity and into the debates.
Re: Report: Series of Federal Charges for Series of Tubes
Hmm the Knik Arm bridge leads to the largest and fastest growing area in Alaska. That sounds like 'nowhere' to me. Though the damn Gravina island bridge leads from their airport (on one island) to the town (on another island that traffic currently takes traffic between. not exactly nowhere but when even the locals opposed that bridge you would think he wouldn't push for the money :P Having heard a lot of info about Ted and his son Ben though, i don't think they are going to come out of this one too happy. especially on this house. Ted's public defense so far has been to say that he paid all the bills given to him. So if he wasn't given the bills, it wasn't his fault and he didn't take any official action. If that holds up he may just get off with a slap on the wrist. I bet he is re-elected anyways.
Re: Report: Series of Federal Charges for Series of Tubes
Of course I meant the proposed Gravina Island Bridge for $300 million, the one that was featured on 20/20, called the "Bridge to Nowhere" by local resident Charlie Arteaga. From what I understand the bridge was eventually canceled. I didn't come up with the term, but it sure sounds metaphysical.
As for Ted Stevens re-election, he's apparently down in the polls (partially because of his reputation of being bought and paid for) to his Democratic opponent anyway in a very red state in an admittedly tough year for Republican incumbents and now he's been indicted. I'm not presuming he's guilty, but the Feds certainly don't like coming down on powerful Senators unless they feel they have their ducks in a row. It was a similar charge against Scooter Libby which the Justice Department won. They have a significant witness and most likely a great deal of documentary evidence.
If Sen. Stevens wins re-election, his first decision should be to take his 84-year-old frame and climbe Mt. McKinley in the dead of winter...because he'd be unkillable.
Re: Report: Series of Federal Charges for Series of Tubes
I think I hear the sound of his career going down a series of tubes...
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Re: Report: Series of Federal Charges for Series of Tubes
Chuck E. Cheese is a bunch of arcade games and a series of tubes.
Re: Report: Series of Federal Charges for Series of Tubes
In Alaska its called Bullwinkle's.
Re: Report: Series of Federal Charges for Series of Tubes
Hey, he's not only famous for a "series of tubes". Don't forget, he helped to come up with the amazing metaphysical concept of "a bridge to nowhere".
Re: Report: Series of Federal Charges for Series of Tubes
While it doesn't relate directly to video games, it might also bear mentioning that Stevens has also sponsored legislation that would be considered anti-free speech and pro-censorship. He's both sponsored and introduced bills that would have fined cable TV companies for indecency as well as approving tougher FCC fines for broadcasters. He also introduced a bill in January 2007 that would have restricted access in libraries to social networking and other internet information sites like Myspace, Facebook, Youtube and Wikipedia.
Not to mention he's also notorious for sponsoring pork barrel projects like the "bridges to nowhere" (specifically the Gravina Island and Knik Arm bridges) that never got finished.
So another corrupt politician gets thrown on the dungheap. It continues to prove, then, that people who point fingers usually end up in jail (or in JT's case, get disbarred).
Re: Report: Series of Federal Charges for Series of Tubes
TUBES!
Re: Report: Series of Federal Charges for Series of Tubes
"...and the renovations done on his home..."
Which probably included installing a series of tubes.
Re: Report: Series of Federal Charges for Series of Tubes
The oil business is a series of tubes....
Well, it is!
Re: Report: Series of Federal Charges for Series of Tubes
I wonder how he'll defend his actions in court? "the senate is not a dump truck, it's a series of bribes and underhanded dealings..."
Re: Report: Series of Federal Charges for Series of Tubes
Why, one of the oil companies sent me a bribes on Friday, but I didn't get it til Tuesday.
Re: Report: Series of Federal Charges for Series of Tubes
Every person in alaska gets a check for $500 because of the oil industry.
Atleast it used to.
Re: Report: Series of Federal Charges for Series of Tubes
It's a *bit* more than $500. I had a lovely amount of $1654 magically appear in my bank account last October :D
http://rendiax.deviantart.com/
Re: Report: Series of Federal Charges for Series of Tubes
It still occurs, it changes from year to year depending on the price of oil. More info found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaska_Permanent_Fund