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Sen. Stevens Loses Bid To Dismiss Indictment: Print Close This Window
Sen. Stevens Loses Bid To Dismiss Indictment: Print Close This Window
9/16/2008 21:38
By James Vicini
The judge sided with Justice Department prosecutors, who said protections
granted lawmakers under the speech or debate clause of the U.S.
Constitution do not cover alleged criminal activity.
Stevens, 84, was indicted on July 29 on seven counts of filing false Senate
financial disclosure forms by leaving out more than $250,000 in gifts he
received from an Alaska oil services company, the VECO Corp.
Such activities do not involve legislative acts, and the speech and debate
clause does not apply, Sullivan ruled.
The judge last week rejected other defense arguments to dismiss the
charges on the grounds that only the Senate may discipline Stevens for any
violations of Senate rules and that the indictment was unconstitutionally
vague.
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