By James Vicini
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Republican Sen. Ted Stevens of
Alaska, facing trial next week on corruption charges for
leaving out more than $250,000 in gifts from his financial
disclosure forms, also failed to report a $29,000 statue of a
fish, a prosecutor said on Thursday.
Justice Department prosecutor Edward Sullivan told a
hearing the bronzed, sculpted statue "is sitting on his front
porch," an apparent reference to Stevens' home in Alaska. A
defense lawyer said the statue depicted migrating salmon.
Stevens is set to go on trial next week on seven counts of
filing false Senate financial disclosure forms by leaving out
extensive renovations to his house in the ski resort town of
Girdwood and other gifts from an Alaska oil services company,
VECO Corp.
Sullivan did not give further details about who gave the
statue or when it was given. But defense lawyer Robert Cary
said the statue was really destined for Stevens' official
congressional library that has yet to be built by a foundation.
Stevens, 84, faces a close race for re-election in November
against a Democratic challenger in what has long been a safe
Republican seat. Stevens has been in the Senate for 40 years
and is the longest-serving Republican senator in U.S. history.
U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan said a group of
potential jurors would fill out a questionnaire on Monday.
Prosecutors and defense lawyers would begin questioning
potential jurors on Tuesday, a process that could take a couple
of days. Opening arguments are expected later next week.
Sullivan also ruled that defense lawyers can get the
medical records of the prosecutor's star witness in the case,
Bill Allen, VECO's former chief executive, involving his 2001
motorcycle accident.
Allen suffered some brain damage in the accident. The
defense wants the records in an effort to discredit Allen's
testimony.
(Editing by Cynthia Osterman)