FBI Searches Sen. Ted Stevens' Home

FBI Searches Sen. Ted Stevens' Home; Veteran Alaska Republican Has Been Under Investigation In Corruption Probe; CBS; 31 July 2007.

(CBS/AP) “Federal agents snapped photos and trained video cameras on the home of U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens during a search related to a public corruption investigation, law enforcement officials said.

“Stevens, 83, is under a federal investigation for his relationship with Bill Allen, an oil field services contractor who was convicted this year of bribing state lawmakers.

“A 2000 renovation project more than doubling the size of Stevens' home in the ski resort community of Girdwood was overseen by Allen, who is founder of VECO Corp. The Alaska-based oil field services and engineering company has reaped tens of millions of dollars in federal contracts.

“Agents from the FBI and Internal Revenue Service started their search at the senator's home Monday afternoon, said Dave Heller, FBI assistant special agent. He said he could not comment on the nature of the investigation.”

Comment: Stevens deserves the right to be presumed innocent and one can conclude correctly that corruption is not contained to only Washington D.C. However, Stevens does typify the consolidation of power in Washington and more particularly the U.S. Senate. I’ll be watching this, but my instinct leads me toward the belief that U.S. Senate is out of control and we need to return to the origins of our nations founding. Power should not reside in a centralized government. But, I am beginning to ramble…let’s wait and see.