Justice Department Tips Off Senator Stevens Before Searching His Home!

[kpete]

Is That Legal?

July 31, 2007
Justice Department Tips Off Senator Stevens Before Searching His Home!

The FBI and IRS's execution yesterday afternoon of a search warrant on the Alaska home of GOP Senator Ted Steven has been widely reported by now.

What's striking is this tidbit in today's WaPo:

Stevens said in a statement that his attorneys were advised of the impending search yesterday morning. He said he would not comment on details of the inquiry to avoid "any appearance that I have attempted to influence its outcome." http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/30/AR2007073001427.html?hpid=topnews

http://www.isthatlegal.org/archives/2007/07/justice_departm.html

[babylonsister]

1. He's known for weeks his head was on the chopping block; I'd

be shocked if they found anything of substance, and bet his shredder has been working overtime.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

4. I bet if he had the time, he would have put his home in the shredder too. Unfortunately

for him (and fortunately for us!), his home is a good part of the evidence.

[bvar22]

14. There is probably some forensic evidence...

..in those clogged up Inet tubes under his house.

[Blue_In_AK]

16. He still has to worry about Bill Allen though

and whatever documents have been obtained from his end. Remember that Allen and his VP have already pled guilty and are no doubt wheeling and dealing to minimize their punishment.

[spotbird]

2. Do you think they found anything incriminating?

This,like all things from the DOJ, was a whitewash.

If they'd let the guy with the money in his freezer know in advance that there'd be a search, I bet they wouldn't have found anything there either.

[loudsue]

8. Exactly! But Jefferson wasn't a republican, after all, so they didn't give him the heads up.

They're very careful about warning innocent republicans vs. warning guilty democrats.
:sarcasm:

I wrote a post in a thread last night wondering why/how they were going after Stevens, when the justice dept. could have just buried this, which is more in keeping with their M.O. where republican crooks are concerned.

:kick::kick::kick:

[The Backlash Cometh]

10. kick

[Richard Steele]

3. Membership has its privileges. nm

[blogslut]

5. I am not surprised

And that is a sad, sad thing.

[spotbird]

6. k&r

We don't want people to continued to think there is a real investigation underway.

[Enrique]

7. well that was mighty considerate

[NYC Liberal]

9. "any appearance that I have attempted to influence its outcome"

Interesting that he would have to say that...

[dkofos]

11. Not to worry. Repubes have a habit of rolling over on each other, and

his cohorts will be no different.

[proud2BlibKansan]

12. Have you ever been investigated by the FBI?

Before they even begin questioning you, they give you a statement to sign that says you understand that you are being investigated and this includes the possiblity of the following:

1. you may be followed (surveilled)
2. your phone may be tapped
3. your mail may be examined
4. your family, friends, acquaintances and neighbors may be contacted
5. a warrant may be obtained to search your personal property

So EVERYONE who is investigated by the FBI knows their home might be searched.

[alfredo]

13. Edwin Meese gave Ollie North 24 hours to shred evidence. By the

time he allowed agents to secure the evidence, it was long gone. Looks like the same thing is going on.

[Canuckistanian]

15. Is it the usual practice to inform a suspect's lawyer about a raid?

I thought that kind of thing would kind of defeat the purpose of a raid.