Stevens gets hot under cross examination

[firedupdem]

Ted Stevens is getting flustered now that the prosecution has started drilling him with questions.

For five hours today, Stevens' defense team has allowed him to gently walk through invoices, bills and old e-mails aimed at showing he's innocent of receiving any improper gifts and that he always follows Senate rules. They have touted his influence in the Senate on several occasions.

Now lead prosecutor Brenda Morris is peppering the senator with one question after another, asking him why he knew so little about his Alaska chalet reservations, and why he let a friend, Veco Corp. CEO Bill Allen, run roughshod over him in using the house.

"You were a lion of the Senate but you didn't know how to prevent another man from putting items in your house?" Morris asked.

"You’re making a lot of assumptions that are unwarranted. There are no gifts there, ma’am," Stevens said.

Stevens is known for his temper and has even embraced that reputation, wearing Incredible Hulk ties on the Senate floor when he knows he has a tough debate ahead. He's not wearing any Hulk garb today.

Morris is asking questions quickly, acting somewhat incredulous that expensive items like a steel staircase, a gas grill and a massive fish statue could appear in his house without his knowledge.

Stevens isn't happy.

"I’m not going to get in the middle of this game with you," Stevens said. "You ask me questions and I’ll give you answers."

Stevens also doesn't like answering similar questions that are phrased in different ways — a classic prosecutorial technique designed to trip up witnesses.

"You’re not listening to me," Stevens told the prosecutor.

Things calmed down for a few minutes, but Stevens continues to alternate between angry and dismissive. At one point he told Morris: "I think you better rephrase your question. That question is tautological" because he didn't understand what she was trying to ask.

Adjournment time — 4:45 p.m. — can't come fast enough for the Stevens defense team.

[Dennis Donovan]

1. Truth... make... Hulk... ANGREEEE!

:rofl:

[gratuitous]

2. Stevens isn't used to answering questions he doesn't ask himself

And follow up questions? Why, the very dignity of the Senator is offended! I wonder who's bone-headed idea it was to let Stevens testify? I gotta believe his defense counsel is pretty good, so I have to conclude that Senator Ted figured he could just obfuscate, bluster and run out the clock when it came time for his cross-examination. Sorry Teddy, this isn't like an episode of Faze the Nation; the prosecuting attorney can take as long as she wants to ask questions.

[onethatcares]

3. when is "don't you know who I am" going to come out?

it's one of those things that never fails to impress.(should be an f'm smilie)

[damntexdem]

4. And he likely gets cross under hot examination.

Let's see whether he gets convicted.