Cool reunion as Sen. Stevens' ex-friend Bill Allen testifies
Published Sunday, October 5, 2008
Digg
delicious
Facebook
Mixx
Reddit
Stumble It!
Case documents
To see Justice Department documents relating to Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens' trial, click here.
WASHINGTON -- Bill Allen affectionately referred to the outings as "boot camp."
It was a time when he and Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, would retreat together to a desert location where they gave up hard liquor and heavy food for wine and light meals. The idea, Allen said, was to do lots of walking, "trying to get off some pounds."
The self-made multimillionaire last week painted that postcard of his once-loyal friendship with the patriarch of Alaskan politics. But the portrait emerged at a chilly reunion in an uncomfortable setting more than 3,000 miles from their northern stomping grounds - Stevens' corruption trial in Washington, a case that could ruin the senator's career.
Prosecutors called Allen as their star witness against Stevens, who is accused of lying on Senate forms about more than $250,000 worth of free renovations to his mountain cabin and other gifts from Allen and his oil pipelines company, VECO Corp. Allen was expected to return to the witness stand on Monday.
Testifying as part of a deal in which he pleaded guilty to bribing state legislators, Allen told jurors he did not have the heart to bill his buddy for the work. Stevens sometimes asked for bills, Allen said. But Allen said he was informed by a mutual friend that the senator made the requests simply to cover his tracks.
Lawyers for Stevens say the lawmaker relied on his wife to pay tens of thousands of dollars in bills on the remodeling project, and believed the job was above board. They claim Allen, who was overseeing the work while the senator was away, kept Stevens in the dark about the cost of extras such as wraparound decks, a Viking gas grill and fancy outdoor lighting.
Much of Allen's testimony focused on construction at the cabin and what Stevens knew about it. But Allen also spun a folksy backstory of a deep kinship ultimately destroyed by a sudden betrayal.
Allen, 71, spoke in a halting drawl that, he told jurors, was caused by lingering brain damage from a motorcycle accident. He described his steady rise from an apprentice welder in New Mexico to owner of an Alaska-based company with 5,000 employees. He said he first met Stevens in the early 1980s while attending political fundraisers.
As the years went by, the pair grew close. They smoked cigars together at Stevens' cabin. They fished for salmon. They flew together on trips to the Lower 48.
"We kind of really liked each other," Allen testified as the 84-year-old Stevens sat at the defense table with a frown etched on his face. "Had the same thoughts. ... Ted loved Alaska and I loved Alaska."
The witness detailed what prosecutors allege was a sweetheart car swap: A 1964 Ford Mustang and $5,000 from Stevens for a new $44,000 Land Rover purchased by Allen. Allen said he suspected he was getting the raw end, but did it anyway because "I liked Ted."
Handwritten notes from Stevens entered as evidence suggest the admiration was mutual. One note thanked Allen for the "many ways you make my life easier and more enjoyable."
Allen testified Stevens used his Senate seat to help VECO try to win lucrative government contracts and oil deals in the late 1990s. Defense lawyers insist their client merely was doing his duty to protect a constituent.
By 2006, the FBI had Allen under investigation for trying to line the pockets of state legislators voting on a pipeline project. After agents arrived unannounced at his doorstep that year, Allen agreed to cooperate - even letting them record phone calls with Stevens - so long as they did not pursue any charges against his family.
The investigators asked him "to help them to try to get the guys I bribed, and they told me if I did that they wouldn't mess with my kids," he said. "That was it, I guess."
Community Discussion
Newsminer.com doesn't necessarily condone the comments here, nor does it review every post. Read our full user's agreement.
what will they change the Ted Stevens International Airport to?
So far all there is to say about this trail is, Where is the beef..?? I have not seen or heard anything showing Senator Stevens was doing other than his job serving the Great State of Alaska and all its citizens..
The Ted Stevens International Airport. From what this article says I'd have a hard time reaching a guilty verdict. Allen admitted that Stevens asked to be billed. His statement that a mutual friend told him it was just a way for Ted to cover his butt is third party testimony and hearsay. I want to hear from that third party before I beleive anything Bill Allen has to say. Of course, we have no way of knowing what all the jury has seen and heard, but based on what has been in the paper so far I would be surprised if 12 fair and honest people could reach a guilty verdict.
Charlie it is people like you that continue to stand by these politician that rape our economy and line their pocket that has gotten this country in the mess that it is in today. I think we need more people like Sarah Palin elected to office to clean the corrupt politicians out. Start making some smart and wise choices to clean up our country and give it back to the people.
What condition was Stevens mustang in , how many miles did it have on it ? Before you put all your trust in the U.S. government ask the Indians down there in South Dakota how much you can trust it .
Ford : Mustang Convertible
1964 1/2 Ford Mustang Restored Convt 289 V8 65K Miles
Bids $36,000.00
"The investigators asked him "to help them to try to get the guys I bribed, and they told me if I did that they wouldn't mess with my kids," he said. "That was it, I guess."
I think this is called COERCION, to force a witness to give testimony against their will, on fear of threat and can't be used, in a court of law. Allen's completed testimony has to be thrown out and any lawyer worth his salt, would know this.
Franus13: I totally agree we have a mess that is long overdue a clean up in Washington and we need Sarah Palin elected....but I have seen nothing in the governments case against Senator Stevens that shows him guilty of the charges. Over his long term in the Senate Senator Stevens has again and again shown great leadership in representing Alaska's interests, and like Sarah not winning all the fights but winning a lot more times that losing, always showing the grit to get back up and fight again for Alaska, and by extension the Great nation we all live in.
I'm not sure but, believe CHARLIE should have said,
WHERES THE PORK....
Legislators who make our laws, and hold public trust, must hold themselves to the highest standards. They cannot even APPEAR to be receiving gifts or gratuities. When Stevens needed house work done, he should have just had an aid get a phone book, request estimates, and select the best choice like anyone else.
It's not a gray area. If your job is to protect the sheep, you can't be friends with the wolves and coyotes.
Get his name off the airport and instead name another facility the "Ted Stevens Correctional Facility"
O.K. Bill Allen the SCAB contractor,Hired the majority of his workers from the lower 48,He Bribed state & federal politicians to line his pockets. Now he is testifying against all his cronies!! When the state of Alaska was investigating BILL ALLEN for alleged Drug and under age girls, the state investagation was called off because the Feds wanted a bigger fish. Can we only hope the ALASKA STATE TROOPERS will continue the investigation after this cornered RAT has no one else to give up?
I am not a huge fan of Uncle Ted, even though he has helped me personally twice. I do not like corruption in our govt., but at the same time, I do not want to see someone wrongfully convicted. In this case, I have not read a thing that said that Uncle Ted was doing anything outside of his job, or other than what he has told investigators that he had done. He says he paid every bill presented to him. It is obvious that his wife was handling paying for the renovation on the home. Bill Allen even says he asked for bills for work so he could pay them. What has he done wrong?? I think they should rush this trial along to completion and get Ted his acquittal so he can finish his campaign and get back to work.
I am a huge fan of Ted Stevens. He may be a Republican hobnobing with the fat cats but he is still a man of the people - Alaskan people, his Alaskans. There has been a few things I did not like and a lot that I have. He has kept a whole lot of us working at real jobs building Alaska's infrastructure. It is sure a different place up here from when he started. There are a whole lot of us working right now, feeding their families, sending kids off to college, on jobs that Ted brought home. He is one helluva man and I am here thanking him right now for all he has done for me - a born Alaskan. Thank you Ted. Good luck in the next few days - I hope to God you win this thing.
Post a comment
Commenting requires registration.