Editing Ted Stevens (section)

===Guilty verdict and repercussions===
On October 27, 2008, Stevens was found guilty of all seven counts of [[making false statements]].<ref name="nprguilty">[https://www.npr.org/2008/10/27/96189065/sen-stevens-found-guilty-of-lying-about-gifts] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230524210445/https://www.npr.org/2008/10/27/96189065/sen-stevens-found-guilty-of-lying-about-gifts|date=May 24, 2023}}, ''npr'', October 27, 2008 4:09pm ET</ref> Stevens was only the fifth sitting senator to be convicted by a jury in U.S. history,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/common/briefing/Expulsion_Censure.htm|title=United States Senate History, "Expulsion and Censure"|website=Senate.gov|access-date=June 20, 2010|archive-date=November 15, 2002|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021115195042/http://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/common/briefing/Expulsion_Censure.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> and the first since Senator [[Harrison A. Williams]] (D-NJ) in 1981<ref>{{cite news|last=Carnevale|first=Mary Lu|url=https://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2008/10/27/jury-finds-sen-stevens-guilty-of-failing-to-report-gifts/?mod=googlenews_wsj|title=Wall Street Journal, "Jury Finds Sen. Stevens Guilty of Failing to Report Gifts"|publisher=Blogs.wsj.com|date=October 27, 2008|access-date=June 20, 2010|archive-date=January 8, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090108014221/http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2008/10/27/jury-finds-sen-stevens-guilty-of-failing-to-report-gifts/?mod=googlenews_wsj|url-status=live}}</ref> (although Senator [[David Durenberger]] (R-MN) pleaded guilty to a felony more recently, in 1995). Stevens faced a maximum penalty of five years per charge.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/stevens-guilty-of-felony-charges-2008-10-27.html|title=Sen. Ted Stevens guilty of all 7 felony charges|first=Manu|last=Raju|work=The Hill|date=October 27, 2008|access-date=October 27, 2008|archive-date=October 29, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081029063954/http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/stevens-guilty-of-felony-charges-2008-10-27.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> His sentencing hearing was originally arranged February 25, but his attorneys told Judge Sullivan they would file applications to dispute the verdict by early December.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1008/14819.html|title=Jury: Stevens guilty on seven counts|last=Bresnahan|first=John|date=October 27, 2008|publisher=Politico|access-date=October 27, 2008|archive-date=October 28, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081028140805/http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1008/14819.html|url-status=live}}</ref> However, it was thought unlikely that Stevens would spend significant time in prison.<ref>{{cite news|date=October 27, 2008|access-date=October 27, 2008|publisher=BBC|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7694209.stm|title=US Senator Stevens found guilty|archive-date=October 28, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081028004611/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7694209.stm|url-status=live}}</ref>

Within a few days of his conviction, Stevens faced bipartisan calls for his resignation. Both parties' presidential candidates, [[Barack Obama]] and [[John McCain]], were quick to call for Stevens to stand down. Obama said Stevens needed to resign to help "put an end to the corruption and influence-peddling in Washington".<ref name="Bloomberg">{{cite news|last=Fireman|first=Ken|url=http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601073&sid=aASRtNFSWrjA|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130119074205/http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601073&sid=aASRtNFSWrjA|archive-date=January 19, 2013|url-status=dead|title=McCain, Obama Call on Stevens to Resign From Senate|work=[[Bloomberg L.P.|Bloomberg News]]|date= October 28, 2008}}</ref> McCain said Stevens "has broken his trust with the people" and needed to step down, a call echoed by his running mate, [[Sarah Palin]], governor of Stevens's home state.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna27418037|title=McCain calls on Sen. Stevens to step down|agency=Associated Press|date=October 28, 2008|access-date=October 29, 2008|archive-date=February 27, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140227094139/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/27418037/|url-status=live}}</ref> Senate Minority Leader [[Mitch McConnell]], as well as fellow Republican Senators [[Norm Coleman]], [[John E. Sununu|John Sununu]] and [[Gordon Smith (politician)|Gordon Smith]] also called for Stevens to resign. McConnell said there would be "zero tolerance" for a convicted felon serving in the Senate, strongly hinting that he would support Stevens's expulsion from the Senate unless Stevens resigned first.<ref>{{cite news|author=Bresnahan, John & Kady, Martin II|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2008/10/mcconnell-calls-on-stevens-to-resign-015037|title=McConnell pushes Alaska's Stevens to step down|work=[[Politico]]|date=October 28, 2008|access-date=May 24, 2023|archive-date=May 24, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230524210917/https://www.politico.com/story/2008/10/mcconnell-calls-on-stevens-to-resign-015037|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Bolstad|first=Erika|url=http://www.mcclatchydc.com/homepage/story/55143.html|title=Senator Reid says Stevens cannot stay in Senate|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090116054424/http://www.mcclatchydc.com/homepage/story/55143.html |archive-date=January 16, 2009|work=[[The McClatchy Company|McClatchy Washington Bureau]]|date=November 2, 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref> Late on November 1, Senate Majority Leader [[Harry Reid]] confirmed that he would schedule a vote on Stevens's expulsion, saying "a convicted felon is not going to be able to serve in the United States Senate."<ref>{{cite news|author=Stanton, John|url=http://www.rollcall.com/news/29690-1.html|title=Reid Says Stevens Cannot Serve|work=[[Roll Call (newspaper)|Roll Call]]|date=November 2, 2008|access-date=November 2, 2008|archive-date=November 6, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081106052318/http://www.rollcall.com/news/29690-1.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

Nonetheless, during a debate with his opponent, Anchorage, Alaska Mayor [[Mark Begich]], days after his conviction, Stevens continued to claim innocence. "I have not been convicted. I have a case pending against me, and probably the worst case of prosecutorial misconduct by the prosecutors that is known." Stevens also cited plans to appeal.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/31/stevens.debate/?iref=mpstoryview|title=Sen. Stevens: I'm innocent and not convicted|access-date=2008-10-31|publisher=CNN|date=October 31, 2008|archive-date=November 3, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081103114557/http://edition.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/31/stevens.debate/?iref=mpstoryview|url-status=live}}</ref> On [[2008 United States Senate election in Alaska|November 4, 2008]], eight days after his conviction, Begich went on to defeat Stevens by 3,724 votes, a 1.3% margin. Stevens was the longest-serving U.S. Senator in history to have ever lost a bid for re-election, beating out [[Warren Magnuson]]'s record in [[1980 United States Senate election in Washington|1980]].<ref name="electionresults08">{{cite web|url=http://www.elections.alaska.gov/08general/data/results.htm |title=Unofficial Election Results |publisher=Alaska Division of Elections |date=November 4, 2008 |access-date=November 18, 2008 |archive-date=November 13, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081113075739/http://www.elections.alaska.gov/08general/data/results.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> Had Stevens won his re-election bid, and then been expelled, a special election would have been held to fill his seat through the remainder of the term, until January 2015.<ref>[http://www.liuzhao.info/artandhistory/history/resources/pdf/Vacancies.pdf House and Senate Vacancies: How Are They Filled?] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090325054108/http://www.liuzhao.info/artandhistory/history/resources/pdf/Vacancies.pdf |date=March 25, 2009 }}. Retrieved November 5, 2008.</ref> No sitting U.S. senator has ever been expelled since the [[American Civil War|Civil War]].

On November 13, Senator [[Jim DeMint]] of [[South Carolina]] announced he would move to have Stevens expelled from the [[Republican Conference of the United States Senate|Senate Republican Conference]] (caucus) regardless of the results of the election. (Absentee, provisional, and early ballots were, at the time, still being tallied in the close election.) Losing his caucus membership would cost Stevens his committee assignments.<ref>{{cite news|author=Kelley, Matt|url=https://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-11-13-alaska-senate-race_N.htm|title=Ted Stevens may face ouster from GOP Senate caucus|work=USA Today|date=November 13, 2008|access-date=September 15, 2017|archive-date=October 25, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111025092524/http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-11-13-alaska-senate-race_N.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> However, DeMint later decided to postpone offering his motion, saying that while there were enough votes to throw Stevens out, it would be moot if Stevens lost his reelection bid.<ref>Hunter, Kathleen. [http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?parm1=5&docID=news-000002987409 Senate GOP Delays Action on Stevens Pending Election Outcome] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090112163648/http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?parm1=5&docID=news-000002987409 |date=January 12, 2009 }}. ''[[CQ Politics]]'', October 18, 2008.</ref> Stevens ended up losing the Senate race, and on November 20, 2008, gave his last speech to the Senate, which was met with a loud standing ovation by the other members of the chamber.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://voices.washingtonpost.com/sleuth/2008/11/_history_of_alaska_fisheries.html?hpid=moreheadlines|newspaper=The Washington Post|title=Ted Stevens: Farewell and 'To Hell With Politics'|access-date=May 25, 2010|archive-date=March 20, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090320195927/http://voices.washingtonpost.com/sleuth/2008/11/_history_of_alaska_fisheries.html?hpid=moreheadlines|url-status=dead}}</ref>