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Palin Calls for Stevens to Resign from Senate
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ShareOctober 28, 2008 5:02 PM
ABC News' Imtiyaz Delawala Reports: Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has called on her state’s senior senator, Ted Stevens, to resign from his Senate seat after his conviction yesterday for violating federal ethics laws.
“After being found guilty on seven felony counts, I had hoped Senator Stevens would take the opportunity to do the statesman-like thing and erase the cloud that is covering his Senate seat. He has not done so,” Palin said in a statement released by the campaign this afternoon. “Alaskans are grateful for his decades of public service but the time has come for him to step aside.”
Palin added that even if Sen. Stevens is re-elected next Tuesday, he should “step aside to allow a special election to give Alaskans a real choice of who will serve them in Congress.”
Stevens has maintained his innocence and has not indicated he will drop his bid for re-election.
“He needs to step aside and allow our state to elect someone who will be supportive of those ideals of America – the free enterprise, the missions that we’re on to win the war, those things that have got to take place in order to progress this country,” Palin added in an interview that aired this afternoon on CNBC. “Ted Stevens has got to play a very statesmanlike role in this now.”
Palin’s running mate Sen. John McCain also called on Stevens to resign his Senate seat, releasing a statement this morning saying, “It is clear that Senator Stevens has broken his trust with the people and that he should now step down. 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.”
Following Stevens’ conviction yesterday afternoon, Palin made a brief statement to reporters on the tarmac of the Richmond, Virginia airport, but did not explicitly call then for Stevens to resign.
“And as governor of the state of Alaska, I'll carefully now monitor the situation and I'll take any appropriate action as needed,” Palin read from a paper statement, standing at a podium set up by staff on the airport tarmac. “In the meantime, I do ask that the people of Alaska join me in respecting the workings of our judicial system, and I'm confident that Senator Stevens, from this point on, will do the right thing for the state of Alaska.”
In her statement yesterday, Palin said the verdict against Stevens “shines a light though on the corrupting influence of the big oil service company up there in Alaska that was allowed to control too much of our state,” referring to the Alaskan oil services company VECO that Stevens was convicted of improperly accepting gifts and services from. Palin added the company's influence "was part of the culture of corruption that I was elected to fight. And that fight must always move forward regardless of party affiliation or seniority or even past service."
After reading her statement, reporters yelled out asking whether she would vote for Stevens and if he should resign. Palin ignored the questions as she boarded her campaign plane.
October 28, 2008 in Biden, Joe, McCain, John, Obama, Barack, Palin, Sarah, Vote 2008: Democrats, Vote 2008: Republicans, Washington, White House | Permalink | User Comments (42)
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Shouldn't she also resign for her mismanagement of Alaska and taking junkets with the kids in tow?
Posted by: Joe V | Oct 28, 2008 5:22:44 PM
When is she going to resign for her ethical violations and misconduct?
Posted by: james | Oct 28, 2008 5:23:45 PM
Too late too little. She should of called for his resignation yesterday.
Posted by: democratic | Oct 28, 2008 5:24:00 PM
Of the 100 US Senators, there is only one who has written (not just attached his name - cosponsoring) exactly Zero legislation. Zero is the one.
Perhaps, it is a good thing because the things he promoted, supporting Bush's money giveaways, rather than targeting banking and mortgaging financing crisis one year ago, have tanked the stock market by 45%. The more wealth spreading he promotes, the greater loss Americans will get.
Posted by: d0 | Oct 28, 2008 5:31:56 PM
SENATOR STEVENS TO GOV PALINE : LOOKS WHO IS TALKING , TALK ABOUT LIVING IN GLASS HOUSES.
Posted by: KWOLF443 | Oct 28, 2008 5:42:17 PM
won't she be able to appoint herself senator and serve out the first 2 years of Stevens' term? i know that governors have a tendency to appoint themselves to the senate (when something like this happens) and turn the state over to the Lt. Gov.
Posted by: randy99 | Oct 28, 2008 5:46:57 PM
McCain says that Stevens should step down. Why didn't McCain have the courage to step down when he help his good friend Keating rip off senior citizens of their life savings. 99.99% of Politicians are one notch below child molesters.
Posted by: cony007 | Oct 28, 2008 5:55:21 PM
I second that.
She should resign as governor for Troopergate and abusing her power in office.
Somebody put a muzzle on that red neck woman.
Posted by: Lucky Lucy | Oct 28, 2008 6:03:04 PM
Palin needs to step down. She is running a campaign of hate and lies lies lies lies lies etc...
Posted by: joan Pa. | Oct 28, 2008 6:06:55 PM
palin most likely will be next--check the income and then check the assets---
Posted by: rodney | Oct 28, 2008 6:08:34 PM
The Republican party of Alaska owes us Alaskans AN APOLOGY!!! For Sarah, for Ted, for Don Young, for the crooks in the State Legislature. I can't wait for President Obama to visit our state welcomed by our newest Senator, Mr. Begich.
Posted by: alaskan | Oct 28, 2008 6:10:01 PM
It's funny how this Marvick did not know that this was going on on her watch. Maybe if she wasent so busy trying to frame her x-brothern law she could have seen the real crook. Or did she get speacil treament also that allowed her to turn the other check. Now you come out and ask him to give up his seat after the fact, Oh that's what marvicks do. got it.
Posted by: Mrs. M | Oct 28, 2008 6:10:18 PM
From Oct 11th Current.com:
"The prosecution just rested in the Ted Stevens trial, in which he is accused of accepting $250,000 worth of free renovations to his house from VECO, an oil pipeline company. VECO workers labored for months remodeling Stevens' home at the company's expense.
The Palin's two-story, four bedroom, four bath home on Lake Lucille is worth $552,000. "Todd Palin built the house with friends who were contractors, he said in a recent television interview."
At the same time the mighty Todd was building the house, the Wasilla Sports Complex was under construction right down the road. Just who were these "friends who were contractors" who did such a huge favor for the Palins by building their house for them? Was it payback for the sports complex contracts?"
Posted by: Ben999 | Oct 28, 2008 6:11:47 PM
It is nearing Halloween and who is the scariest of all?
1. Joe the plumber.
2. Ashley Todd the self mutilator.
3. Sarah the secessionist and back stabber.
4. Tito the builder.
Select only one:
Posted by: LANNY EDWARDS | Oct 28, 2008 6:19:26 PM
Someone should be calling for her resignation as well!!! I'm sure she was hesitant to say anything at all as she is still facing an investigation of her own.
And randy99 to answer your question, per the Anchorage Daily News "if the Senate seat were to open up, voters would get to choose a new senator in a special election within 90 days. In the meantime, it would be up to Gov. Sarah Palin to decide whether to trigger a quick constitutional test by appointing an interim senator." Of course, the Legislature thinks it is up to them to appoint a replacement. I guess it is just one more thing that could go to court here.
Posted by: akskimo | Oct 28, 2008 6:21:15 PM
LANNY EDWARDS,
Michelle, the angry woman.
Posted by: skinny dog | Oct 28, 2008 6:25:10 PM
*** Of the 100 US Senators, there is only
*** one who has written (not just attached
*** his name - cosponsoring) exactly Zero
*** legislation. Zero is the one.
You might want to go look at the 130 pieces of legislation he has written this session of congress.. and maybe compare that to the 38 that McCain has.
Posted by: jdb | Oct 28, 2008 6:45:28 PM
Aw, come on. Stop all the tearing down, incorrect facts, inuendo, and malicious maligning. All I can say is, if the Alaskans want to elect a felon, and the Democratic Congress keep him, well, that was a REAL choice being made. If he steps down, then people get a REAL Choice over the one they would haver just made. I like the logic, or whatever it is...don't matter, she's MAVERICKY!!! DTK
Posted by: DTK | Oct 28, 2008 6:47:37 PM
THAT DAMN OBAMMY, HE NEVER COMES TO SEE ME.
NOW HE COMES HERE, HE JUST DOES IT FOR HIMSELF.
THAT DAMN A$$HOLE!
I TOLE HIM, YOU CAN PUT LIPSTICK ON MICHELLE, BUT IT'S STILL A GORILLA!
Posted by: GRANNY TOOT | Oct 28, 2008 7:03:55 PM
Wonder when the state of Alaska is going to impeach Mrs. Fluff. After all she more or less broke the law , too.
Posted by: Rose Szymanski | Oct 28, 2008 7:04:26 PM
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