A FEDERAL jury has found the US senate's longest-serving member, Senator Ted Stevens of Alaska, guilty of concealing tens of thousands of dollars in gifts and improvements to his home.
The verdict threatens his tenure and yesterday, Republican presidential nominee John McCain called on Mr Stevens to resign.
"It is clear that Senator Stevens has broken his trust with the people and that he should now step down," Mr McCain said in a statement. "I hope that my colleagues in the Senate will be spurred by these events to redouble their efforts to end this kind of corruption once and for all."
Stevens (84) reacted to Monday's decision pugnaciously, attacking the justice department and vowing to continue campaigning for re-election to his seventh term next Tuesday.
"I am obviously disappointed in the verdict but not surprised, given the repeated instances of prosecutorial misconduct in this case," he said in a statement. "I will fight this unjust verdict with every ounce of energy I have."
Stevens has managed to remain neck and neck with Anchorage mayor Mark Begich since the trial began, despite being unable to campaign. But political analysts have said from the beginning that all bets would be off were he to be convicted. The conviction boosts Democrats' hopes of reaching a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate. Democrats control the Senate 51-49 with the help of two independents but need 60 seats to overcome Republican-led filibusters that have stymied Democratic initiatives.
Senate rules do not automatically bar convicted felons from serving and it would take a two-thirds vote to expel Stevens if he were re-elected. The chamber has not expelled anyone in more than a century. Some Republicans however already appear to have discounted the chances that he would return to Washington.
"Ted Stevens served his constituents for over 40 years, and I am disappointed to see his career end in disgrace," said Senator John Ensign of Nevada, who heads the Senate Republicans' campaign committee. "Senator Stevens had his day in court and the jury found he violated the public's trust - as a result he is properly being held accountable. This is a reminder that no one is above the law."
Alaska governor Sarah Palin, the Republican vice-presidential nominee, also appeared to distance herself from her home-state lawmaker.
The verdict was a devastating fall from grace for Stevens, one of the most powerful men in Washington, who once stood third in line to the presidency. - ( Los Angeles Times-Washington Postservice)