CREW`s Melanie Sloan Issues Statement on Dismissal of Charges Against Former Senator Ted Stevens

WASHINGTON--(Business Wire)--
Earlier today, on a Department of Justice motion, Judge Emmett Sullivan
dismissed all charges against former Alaska Senator Ted Stevens.

CREW executive director Melanie Sloan said, "While there is no excuse for the
disgraceful misconduct of the prosecutors in this case, we should not lose sight
of the fact that Sen. Stevens abused his office for personal gain. The dismissal
of this matter does not, as Stevens, his lawyers and his supporters have
claimed, prove the senator was innocent of the charges. In fact, there was
abundant evidence that Sen. Stevens accepted numerous gifts from VECO head Bill
Allen and failed to disclose them as required by law. This sordid mess reflects
equally poorly on the Public Integrity Section and Sen. Stevens, but in the end
it is the public that has lost the most: a corrupt politician has escaped
punishment and future prosecutions of politicians have been jeopardized."

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) is a non-profit
legal watchdog group dedicated to holding public officials accountable for their
actions. For more information, please visit www.citizensforethics.org or contact
Peter Bjork at 202.408.5565/pbjork@citizensforethics.org.

CREW
Peter Bjork
202-408-5565

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