Was the Stevens (R-AK) indictment a desperate attempt to keep the seat for the CorpCon Party?

[ConsAreLiars]

The most recent poll, a week ago, before the indictment, made the Democratic candidate look like an almost certain winner -- http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/newsreader/story/471647.html

The facts of Stevens' history of corruption were well known in Alaska. It has been a running soap opera for years. They even have film. His kid and closest associates were already in jail and/or squealing loudly.

In recent history, the main purpose of what, for legacy reasons only, is still called the "Justice Department" has been to manipulate election outcomes through phony prosecutions and turning a blind eye to election frauds.

This looks like one more variant of that same type of operation. In this case they, the Cons, were faced with a situation where their candidate was nearly certain to lose, and their best bet was to take him out and get some other lackey in. The new guy, whoever they choose, may face an uphill fight, but this way they at least have a chance and can posture as the "we cleaned up our own mess" party.

Just speculation. I'm in the Pacific Northwest so I hear a bit more than many about the internal politics in Alaska, but I'm surely no expert. It just struck me as a bit unusual to see the "Justice Department" take out one of their own, even though they charged only the most minimal of crimes possible. It seems likely to me that this indictment increased the odds of keeping that Senate seat away from the Democrats, and that such was its purpose.

[Loudmxr]

1. This is way too conspiritorialist. You must have been awake during the past 7 years.

Really never put it past the Repugs to do something underhanded. They need every seat they can so throwing an old guy who is going to be indicted or die under the walrus is nothing to them.

Dumping McCain. Or Should, god forbid, he win, invoking the "natural born" issue. To put a more conservative VP choice in the WH. Sure they'll do it. ( Because one has to be elected to have standing for the issue to finally be ajudicated.) B-)

[ConsAreLiars]

8. Your comparison of Stevens to McCain is appropriate.

(And welcome to DU!)

I'll be very surprised if McCain isn't knocked off and replaced by someone whose odds appear better to The Powers That Be.

[malaise]

2. That thought crossed my mind but he cannot withdraw

from the primary and knowing that old criminal what the party wants still comes second.

[ConsAreLiars]

7. My reaction to the indictments was that they were intended to defeat him in the Primary.

Thus they get some tool who is less discredited to use as a front man in the Con Game.

(edit typo)

[SoCalDem]

3. It's too late for him to withdraw, BUT....

Candidates..from the official website

there were/are other republicans running against him

Official Candidate List
2008 Primary Election

Updated July 25, 2008

Filing Deadline: 5:00 p.m. June 2, 2008 (June 1 falls on a Sunday so the filing deadline is extended to June 2.)

Last day to withdraw: 5:00 p.m. July 9, 2008

Primary Election Date: Tuesday, August 26, 2008

All candidates who have filed with the Division of Elections as of June 2, 2008 5:00pm or have withdrawn their name from consideration will be listed on this web page. The withdrawal deadline for a candidate to remove their name from the primary ballot is July 9, 2008. Please remember to "refresh" this screen using your browser's refresh function to update the information you are viewing as updates will occur as they are being received and processed.

Those candidates appearing as "Filed But Not Certified" have filed a Declaration of Candidacy with the Division of Elections, and are not fully processed yet. If candidates meet filing requirements, they will be certified.

* Mark Begich (Democrat)
P.O. Box 240287
Anchorage, AK 99524
Phone: [phone]
e-mail: [e-mail]
Candidate's web site: http://www.begich.com

* Bob Bird (Alaskan Independence)
50615 Shemya Way
Kenai, AK 99611
Phone: [phone]
e-mail: [e-mail]
Candidate's web site: http://www.birdforsenate.com

* Rocky C. Caldero (Democrat) - Withdrew
P.O. Box 920366
Dutch Harbor, AK 99692

* Michael D. Corey (Republican)
9010 Spruce Run Circle
Anchorage, AK 99507
Phone: [phone]

* David W. Cuddy (Republican)
555 W Northern Lights Blvd #222
Anchorage, AK 99503
Phone: [phone]
e-mail: [e-mail]
Candidate's web site: http://www.DaveCuddy.com

* Fredrick D. "David" Haase (Libertarian)
200 W 34th PMB 587
Anchorage, AK 99503
Phone: [phone]
e-mail: [e-mail]
Candidate's web site: http://www.DavidforAlaska.com

* Gerald L. "Jerry" Heikes (Republican)
16170 Smith Rd.
Palmer, AK 99645
Phone: [phone]

* Ray Metcalfe (Democrat)
P.O. Box 233809
Anchorage, AK 99523
Phone: [phone]

* Roderic H. "Rick" Sikma (Republican)
P.O. Box 55674
North Pole, AK 99705
Phone: [phone]
e-mail: [e-mail]
Candidate's web site: http://www.ricksikma.com

* Ted Stevens (Republican) -Incumbent
P.O. Box 100879
Anchorage, AK 99510
Phone: [phone]
e-mail: [e-mail]
Candidate's web site: http://www.tedstevens2008.com

* Vic Vickers (Republican)
3010 McCollie Ave.
Anchorage, AK 99517
Phone: [phone]

* Frank J. Vondersaar (Democrat)
1740 Saltwater Dr.
Homer, AK 99603

* Rich M. Wanda (Republican)
P.O. Box 211986
Anchorage, AK 99521
e-mail: [e-mail]

[ConsAreLiars]

6. It will be interesting to see if this becomes a part of a push (or putsch) with the Party

heavies (money) throwing their weight behind one of the primary alternatives. It is certain that Stevens would never quit of his own free will "for the good of the Party." Unless shoved aside, using the indictments as part of the reason to dump him, he would stay and lose. If he won the primary and was still losing to the Democrat it would be even harder to get him replaced with someone who had better than zero odds.

[KoKo]

4. Well I read over at TPM that there's a Primary in August in AK..and if Ted was still on ballot

and won he'd be fodder for the Democrat who is running for his seat. So better to get rid of Ted now and then back his Repug stand in for November.

So...yes...politically it made sense for Repugs to dump Ted now...since he was a liability. No conspiracy there, just "politics"...but then since our Justice Department is totally run by Politics and not the Law...one can sort of figure it out. :eyes:

[KharmaTrain]

5. Nope...He Was Indicted Despite...

Some of us have been following this mess for what seems like years. If the GOOP really wanted to keep this seat they would have held off on indicting until after the election...to let him skate to re-election and THEN name a replacement by the repugnican governor. It was what happened here with our corrupt governor...the indictments were withheld until after the election...many here were pissed, but the USA said that he didn't want to influence the election. Too bad, the governor was convicted and had this happened before the election we would have been spared of 4 years and the on-going crimes of that crook. The good part was the damage that scandal did to the state GOOP has turned them into an almost invisible party.