FBI Whistleblower: Violations Occurred During Ted Stevens' Probe & Trial

A heavily redacted version of a whistleblower complaint by an FBI agent involved in Sen. Ted Stevens' (R-Alaska) corruption case was released by a federal court today, raising new questions about whether the conviction of Stevens will be overturned.

The unnamed agent alleges to have "witnessed or learned of numerous violations of policy, rules and procedures as well as criminal violations" during the investigation of Stevens, including some involving Bill Allen, the chief government witness against Stevens. Stevens was convicted of failing to disclose more than $250,000 in improper gifts from Allen, former CEO of VECO Corp., an Alaska oil-field services company, as well as other individuals.

Judge Emmet Sullivan has suggested the whistleblower allegations include gifts of artwork and a job for a relative of federal investigators.

The FBI whistleblower alleges that a federal investigator, also unnamed, "may have revealed to Allen and/or his attorney the status of an ongoing Anchorage Police Department investigation involving Allen."

Allen may have also been told of secret grand jury testimony, according to the whistleblower, a well as being told that his phone lines were bugged.

Update - Stevens' attorneys have moved to have the case dismissed or a new trial held.

The whistleblower, whose complaint was turned over the Justice Department's Office of Professional Responsibility in early December, also suggests that prosecutors knowingly failed to turn over exculpatory information to Stevens' attorneys prior to and during the trial of the Alaska Republican. OPR is currently investigating the actions of prosecutors during the court proceedings after Judge Sullivan complained about the government's courtroom tactics.

In addition, the whistleblower states that DOJ's Public Integrity Section, which oversaw the Stevens' investigation and trial, "inappropriately created [a] scheme to relocate a prosecution witness that was also subpoenaed by [the] defense during the trial."

This issue was raised during the trial by the defense team regarding Robert Williams, a VECO employee who worked on Stevens' home at Allen's direction. Stevens' attorneys alleged that prosecutors secretly returned Williams to Alaska, after paying to transport him to Washington, before he could be interviewed by them. Prosecutors said the move was made because of Williams' poor health.

 
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