“Corrupt politicians” is the same old song in America and abroad. As jaded as many of us are, it is a rare and pleasant surprise to find someone who is honest, someone who spends less time trying to regulate away useful public products like cash advance loans and more time dealing with issues that help their constituency long-term.

In spite of his recent exoneration, Ted Stevens, former Alaska senator,  does not qualify as one of those Mr. Smiths that too rarely make the trek to Washington…

An architect of the Gravina Island Bridge deal

Pareene writes for Gawker at http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/02/us/politics/02stevens.html?_r=1&hp that Stevens is no longer a convicted felon. He rides over his Bridge to Nowhere and off into the sunset. This comes in the face of Stevens’ previous conviction on “seven counts of making false statements on financial disclosure forms to hide about $250,000 in gifts and free renovations to his Alaska home,” reported the Washington Post.

With law enforcement like this, who needs laws?

Here is a sampling of Pareene’s laundry list of what went wrong with the investigation, leading to Stevens’ exoneration:

• A witness for the prosecution recanted his testimony, claiming he made it all up because of death threats made by Bill Allen, an oil company owner who presented Senator Ted Stevens with gifts. Oh, by the way, Bill Allen was the witness’s uncle
• The Department of Justice tried to relocate a witness defense subpoenaed mid-trial, but they forgot to redact names where appropriate
• An FBI agent involved in the investigation was sleeping with Bill Allen
• The presiding judge in the investigation slapped prosecution with contempt because they ignored a court order
• In February, the Justice Department replaced those who’d been running the prosecution
• Attorney General Eric Holder dropped the charges against Stevens

Question whether the Bush administration’s Justice Department is to blame. Ponder the money trail and the connects that could have made this happen. Then stick your head out the window and join the chorus of Lee Greenwood’s “Proud to Be An American,” patriot!

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