Justice Throws Out 2008 Alaska Results; Begich Said To Be 'Livid'
NPR ^ | April 1, 2009 | Ken Rudin
The Justice Department, in the wake of its humiliating decision to drop the corruption conviction of former Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK), has agreed to throw out the results of the 2008 Senate race, in which Stevens was narrowly defeated by Democrat Mark Begich.
Stevens, the longest-serving Republican senator in history, was thought to be favored to win re-election last year against Begich, the mayor of Anchorage, until the 85-year-old Stevens was indicted for lying on Senate financial disclosure forms about renovations done to his home by a contractor friend. He was later convicted of seven felony counts.
But the decision to throw out the election results puts Alaska in the uncomfortable position of having only one senator -- a situation endured by Minnesota in the wake of its still-unresolved battle between Norm Coleman (R) and Al Franken (D). And it has outraged Democrats.
Democrats charged that the Justice Department had no right to invalidate the results of an election just because it botched the corruption case. Begich is said to be "livid" about the decision but has yet to formally comment. Stevens' campaign manager said the ex-senator feels "vindicated," but there is no indication that he would consider running in a special election.
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