WASHINGTON, Nov. 22, 2008
Witness in Ted Stevens Trial: I Lied
Prosecutors Dispute Gov't Witness Who Now Tells Judge He Was Promised Immunity In Exchange For Testimony
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VECO welder David Anderson (left), a prosecution witness in the October 2007 trial of Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens (right). (AP/Jose Luis Magana, Gerald Herbert)
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"I testified to the fact that there was never immunity for me or my family and friends," welder David Anderson said in a November letter to a federal judge placed in court files by Stevens' lawyers. "That is simply not true."
The Justice Department responded quickly, saying the government never made any agreement of immunity for Anderson or any of his family or friends.
"Mr. Anderson's statement in his November 2008 letter is not true, and the court is aware that it is not true," government lawyers said.
Stevens' lawyers have asked U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan to hold a hearing on Anderson's charges and to let them investigate it. It was not immediately known when Sullivan would make a ruling.
The Justice Department had no immediate comment.
Stevens, 85 and the Senate's longest-serving Republican, was convicted on seven felony counts of lying on Senate financial disclosure documents to hide hundreds of thousands of dollars in gifts and home renovations from millionaire businessman and VECO founder Bill Allen, who is Anderson's uncle.
The senator, who won't be sentenced until early 2009, has said he will appeal the conviction. He lost his Senate seat to Democratic challenger Mark Begich in the November election.
Stevens gave his farewell speech to the Senate on Thursday, telling his colleagues: "I look only forward and I still see the day when I can remove the cloud that currently surrounds me."
Anderson supervised the start of the 2000 renovation of Stevens' Girdwood, Alaska, home and later responded to maintenance requests by Stevens and his wife. He testified at the trial that a March 2008 affidavit he signed that would give immunity to his family and friends in exchange for his testimony was false.
"That was never said," Anderson testified on Oct. 9. "It was kind of a gentleman's agreement, you know."
In his letter, Anderson said: "The agreement was that if I cooperated my entire family would be safe from the investigation(s) of the Department of Justice and also the Treasury Department. The Department of Justice has never ever denied that they shook my hand on this agreement but instructed me on how to sugar coat it and get it swept under the rug during the trial as they have told the court just the opposite."
But the Justice Department said Anderson told two FBI agents in an August 13 meeting that he knew there was no immunity agreement and that the March affidavit was false.
The government agreed not to make him testify against family members, but "Anderson knew that there had been no agreement relative to immunity or promises of immunity by the government as to anyone," the Justice Department said.
Anderson also said he was given extensive help by the prosecutors in remembering events surrounding the renovation of Stevens' house.
"Without the preparation from the prosecution and reminders from them about my activities and the agreement I had with them about my family and myself I would not have given the same testimony," Anderson said. "Without a shadow of a doubt I believe this trial would have gone much differently."
Federal prosecutors say this is also untrue and they will submit documents and video evidence Monday "that prove the falsity of Mr. Anderson's allegations."
By Associated Press Writer Jesse J. Holland
© MMVIII The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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Add a Comment See all 23 Comments
- If there was no immunity, then prosecute this dirt bag and his friends and family too.
- Reply to this comment
- Posted by txgrouch2007
Well there''s a pertinent comment - his mustache makes him look like a Democrat.
Steven''s crimes make him look look a Republican. - Reply to this comment
- What do you get when you have 32 texans in a room?
A full set of teeth.Posted by hatesthecolt at 08:19 PM : Nov 22, 2008
If the room is the Oval office, you get a bankrupt country, moraly bankrupt armed forces and a professionally destitute intelligence apparatus. Not to mention a world that fittingly despises everything American. - Reply to this comment
- "There is no honor among thieves."
- Reply to this comment
- Wow, Mr. Anderson - nice moustache.
Why would someone CHOOSE to make himself look like the villan in some cheap movie??
I wonder if he''s A DEMOCRAT??? - Reply to this comment
- Surprise, a prosecutor knowing a witness for their side lied. I have yet to meet a DA that expected their witness to tell the truth. They would rather get a conviction then get justice. It may be time to revamp our entire government structure since none of it does things the way the constitution says it is supposed to be done. I have seen cops lie to get a conviction, DA''s try to supress evidence that would prove defendants were innocent and witnesses lie to get the deal offerd them by the prosecution. Our judicial system is as corrupt as any third world country. We say we are the example for the rest of the world, but that is just not true at all. Other countries find our system to be a joke and use it as an example of what not to do.
- Reply to this comment
- The guy gets like a funky looking cedar deck on his house that looks pretty basic and they''''re like making a huge F-ing deal about it when Barney Frank, Chris Dodd have raped and pilaged the country through Fannie and Freddie. It''''s like what kind of witchhunt is this.
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Posted by standlee5 at 12:43 AM : Nov 23, 2008
Who hurt the people more? The guy with the home improvements or the crooks getting off scott free over the Fannie/Freddie fiasco? I believe Dodd and Frank deserve more condemnation than Stevens. - Reply to this comment
- "they ae like making a huge F-ing deal about it"
Yeah. He committed a felony--tried and convicted. He held a position of public trust and abused the trust and public resources.
Yeah, It is a big deal.
Posted by andor3
Not for Bush and friends or CIA types it seems. - Reply to this comment
- Just watch, "sentenced early in 2009" will mean the day before the inaguration and bush will pardon him.
- Reply to this comment
- Suli, remember when I promised to kill you last?
.
.
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I lied. - Reply to this comment
- "they ae like making a huge F-ing deal about it"
Yeah. He committed a felony--tried and convicted. He held a position of public trust and abused the trust and public resources.
Yeah, It is a big deal. - Reply to this comment
- The guy gets like a funky looking cedar deck on his house that looks pretty basic and they''re like making a huge F-ing deal about it when Barney Frank, Chris Dodd have raped and pilaged the country through Fannie and Freddie. It''s like what kind of witchhunt is this.
- Reply to this comment
- What do you get when you have 32 texans in a room?
A full set of teeth.
Posted by hatesthecolt at 08:19 PM : Nov 22, 2008
__________________
And a really tiny piece of brain. - Reply to this comment
- william292, do you ever shut up or is your whole life just a list of non-stop message board entries? Jesus Christ. Give it a rest.
- Reply to this comment
- It is a fact of human nature that people will believe what THEY WANT TO BELIEVE, which isn''t necessarily THE TRUTH! This is what politicians count on when election time comes around or when a politician gets into trouble.
Politicians tell people what they want to hear, not what the real truth is! After all, the Great Emperor Bush II has been doing just that for the past 8 years and getting away with it!
SIG HEIL, I''VE NEVER TOLD THE TRUTH ABOUT ANYTHING!!!, BUSH!!! - Reply to this comment
- Well, his 30 get the smears attorney were there with a fisful of cash the whole time! They were interviewing every whacko in Alaska they could find and paying for their interviews...and then funneling them to the DailyKos to publication....
Why wouldn''''''''t they help out with the Stevens trial with a little cashola...anything to discredit a republican is fair game for Obslime-a!
What do you get when you have 32 texans in a room?
A full set of teeth. - Reply to this comment
- I recall all the Clinton trash -procecution & defence,all wanting to be put under "oath" to reinforce their lies !!What a legal msystem !
- Reply to this comment
- Wonder how much of Obslime-a $600 million he got for lying!!!! I''''d be willing to bet a couple hundred thousand!
Posted by Rowdydfw at 06:49 PM : Nov 22, 2008
YOU are a very disturbed human!! - Reply to this comment
- This moron accepts a handshake as a deal from investigators. Is he a dumb**s? They may not read books or newspapers up there, but I can''t believe he hasn''t seen some law and order episodes. He should be investigated for being so stupid.
- Reply to this comment
- It''s just too late isn''t it? Stevens and family lied, found guilty and now a witness is forced to lie if he wants to save his family. When will all these liars stop the lying?? Justice was served because for too long, Stevens had been getting "paid off" in so many ways, that the verdict even brought McCain and Palin to denounce him openly. Now he want to be found "not guilty"? Too late "uncle Ted", you''re done for.
- Reply to this comment
