Federal law enforcement agents are currently searching the Girdwood home of Alaska U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens, an FBI agent said."All I can say is that agents from the FBI and IRS are currently conducting a search at that residence," said Dave Heller, the assistant special agent in charge of the FBI's Anchorage office. The search began this afternoon, he said.
Ah, that's the kind of culture of accountability the GOP has fostered.Now, Stevens is of course in a bit of a sticky wicket. For one thing, as Paul Kiel notes, "That's the same home, of course, that was doubled by a renovation undertaken in 2000 -- the contractor, curiously, was Veco, the corrupt oil company. Veco, prosecutors have pointed out 'was not in the business of residential construction or remodeling.'" I'm sure, of course, that lots of oil companies suddenly decide to help someone remodel their home, if that someone happens to be, I don't know, the senior senator from an oil state or something.
The more problematic thing has to do with payment for the job. Stevens has said, "As a practical matter, I will tell you. We paid every bill that was given to us. Every bill that was sent to us has been paid, personally, with our own money, and that's all there is to it. It's our own money." And I'm sure Stevens did pay every bill that was sent to him. But if that bill happened to be for, say, $10.95, well, it wouldn't stun me.
Meanwhile, the GOP's ethical standards continue to remain at pre-2006 levels. It's almost like they're too corrupt at this point to change.
