Young: Stevens charges 'trumped up' (Updated with full Young interview)

Posted by Alaska_Politics

Posted: October 27, 2008 - 3:14 pm

Comments (0) |

From Lisa Demer in Anchorage -

Rep. Don Young said he only learned for sure about the convictions when a reporter told him just after the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce candidate forum Monday afternoon.

"I'm deeply disappointed," he said in an interview. "It surprises me. I don't think he had a jury of his peers. That's the way it goes. I'm sure there will an appeal. If you watch the conduct of the court and with the one juror leaving and going out and of course the action of the prosecutors themselves, there will definitely be an appeal and it will go for a long period of time."

Can Stevens still win?

"I think he can win. He's the best thing for that, for the Senate. Alaskans know this. This is a trumped up charge. If you look at not reporting, supposedly gifts -- he reported everything he got. I think it was wrong when they prosecuted him on this issue."

How will it affect your campaign?

"I have no idea."

What about personally?

"I don't like it personally. I think it's a bad decision. But that's the way it goes."

Daily News: You worked with him all these years. Some people will look at the verdicts as a statement on his years of services.

"I think that's going to be, you know, a matter of opinion. I can remember Richard Nixon, you know, his years of service, what he's done, and everybody were ridiculing him and he ended up being the greatest president in the history of our century.

"The senator will be reelected. He will appeal it. When he does go, he will win it because there's no way this is a jury of his peers."

Does the guilty verdict make him concerned about what prosecutors may have in store for him?

"None whatsoever. I have no problem with anything. I know where I'm going, where I've been and what I've done.

"You have to understand that this was not a jury of his peers. It was in Washington, D.C. , which most people in Washington, D.C., don't look very favorably on the Congress because we run them. I don't know why anybody didn't bring that out. They're not a self-governing city like they say they are. We actually make decisions for them. Makes us very, very suspicious.

"... The real question comes, you know, about the venue. Was it, should have been, here or out there. ... And I'm sure he's paying enough for his lawyers, and he'll end up being vindicated ... and he will win the election."

The verdict came in shortly after noon Alaska time, just as the Chamber's congressional candidate forum was getting underway at the new Dena'ina center. News of the verdict spread through the audience as people checked their phones and BlackBerrys, but there was never any announcement from the head table and the forum proceeded.

Young and his opponent, Democrat Ethan Berkowitz, gave their statements and answered questions. Senate candidates also spoke, including - and this was a little surreal - Stevens in a prerecorded video presentation shown on a big screen.

The verdict came in shortly after noon Alaska time, just as the Chamber's congressional candidate forum was getting underway at the new Dena'ina center. News of the verdict spread through the audience as people checked their phones and BlackBerrys, but there was never any announcement from the head table and the forum proceeded.

Young and his opponent, Democrat Ethan Berkowitz, gave their statements and answered questions. Senate candidates also spoke, including - and this was a little surreal - Stevens in a prerecorded video presentation shown on a big screen.

login or register to post comments