In secretly recorded phone conversations played in court Monday, Sen. Ted Stevens tried to encourage an oil-rich friend whose property had been raided by FBI agents and whose time had become entangled in grand jury proceedings during a corruption investigation.
The Alaska Republican sounded defiant, certain of his innocence and fairly convinced that the FBI was listening.
“We got a fight out there ahead of us and we’re going to win it because we didn’t do anything wrong,” Mr. Stevens said during a 2006 conversation with oil-service magnate Bill Allen. “You’re one of my greatest friends I ever had, and don’t give up.”
By then, Allen already was cooperating with the FBI and allowed agents to record his conversations with the Senate’s longest-serving Republican.
Mr. Stevens, 84, was subsequently charged with failing to disclose on financial forms more than $250,000 worth of home renovations and gifts from Allen and others. He’s trying to clear his name before he faces re-election in November.
On Monday, Allen’s third day of testimony included the playing of three recorded conversations he had with Mr. Stevens.
Mr. Stevens did not seem know Allen was cooperating, at one point saying they should “stick this thing out together.” But he was clearly suspicious of the FBI, saying during a later call: “I think they’re probably listening to this conversation right now.”
A former prosecutor and U.S. attorney for Alaska, Mr. Stevens warned Allen that they shouldn’t share information about the case because it created the risk they could be charged with obstruction of justice.
“The people that have really got in trouble with these guys are the people who tried to frustrate them from finding out whether the charges are right or wrong,” Mr. Stevens said. “We’d be better off to just let them keep on looking and looking and looking, whatever they want to look at, as far as I’m concerned, they can look. I don’t have any problem.”
A few moments later, Allen sounded troubled: “Well, there is things that I need to tell you but, ah, you know, I can’t do it over the phone.”
“If there’s some things you need to tell me, tell your lawyer to tell my lawyers,” Mr. Stevens responded.
Mr. Stevens encouraged Allen, who founded the now defunct VECO Corp., to exercise, go about his business and “smile and have a happy face.”
In contrast to Mr. Stevens’ defiance, Allen sounded deflated. “Hey Ted,” Allen said as one conversation appeared to be drawing to a close. “I’m sorry this whole thing is happening to you.”
During cross examination, defense attorney Brendan Sullivan sought to portray Allen as a generous, if misguided, friend who took it upon himself to conceal home renovation bills from Mr. Stevens and gave expensive gifts the senator neither asked for nor wanted.
“You never tried to bribe Sen. Ted Stevens, did you sir?” Mr. Sullivan asked.
“No,” Allen responded.
Mr. Sullivan has argued that Mr. Stevens paid every home renovation bill he received, but didn’t know the details because his wife handled them.
The defense attorney tried to show the contradiction between earlier statements he made to investigators, such as “Ted Stevens wanted to pay for everything he got,” and his testimony under questioning from prosecutors that Mr. Stevens’ requests for bills was simply a ruse to avoid ethics violations.
Cross examination, which was labored at times with Allen having difficulty hearing and answering some questions, is scheduled to continue Tuesday.
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