When someone last week on Twitter grumbled that Alaska had elected a convicted felon to the Senate, I quipped that it was one of his job qualifications.
Now, I’m having second thoughts, because Bill Bailey (former Federal Inmate #60733-066), whom I’ve mentioned here before, set me straight.
Bill notes firstly that Ted Stevens is not actually a convicted felon (not yet, anyhow). Yes, a jury found him guilty, but he hasn’t been sentenced, and until then, he’s not convicted. He can vote. He can run for office. He can take office. He’s not a criminal—at least not officially.
More importantly, Stevens has significant grounds for appeal. There are allegations of prosecutorial misconduct, including withholding exculpatory evidence. On top of that, federal law is particularly harsh and unfairly tilted toward the government. Most of us have at one time or another, without even knowing it, committed a federal offense that could send us to prison, because there are way too many federal crimes, and they’re way too easy to prosecute, and the penalties are way too harsh. And in this case, Stevens was not accused of being corrupt. He “had failed to disclose information about his residence on his personal financial disclosure.”
But—I know you’re arguing—residences are exempt from disclosure. (Or at least you would have been arguing that if you knew.) read more »
