Thad Cochran To Take Over Powerful Defense Subcommittee For Stevens

(The Politico)  Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) will take over from indicted Sen. Ted Stevens on powerful Defense subcommittee on the Senate Appropriations Committee, according to Republican aides.

"Sen. Cochran will assume the position of Ranking Member of the Defense subcommittee through the end of this Congress or until such time as Sen. Stevens is able to resume his duties as Ranking Member," said an Appropriations Committee aide.

Stevens was indicted today on seven felony counts of filing false statements following a long federal probe. Stevens allegedly accepted more than $250,000 in home repairs, a car, and furniture from VECO Corp., an Alaska oil services company, and omitted the gifts from his annual financial-disclosure forms from 1999 to 2006.

Under Senate GOP Conference rules, Stevens had to step down as ranking member on Commerce and the influential Defense subcommittee, which is seen by some Congress watchers as the most powerful committee on Capitol Hill.

Cochran is already ranking member on the full Appropriations Committee, so know he will be filing both posts.