By Associated Press Writer Jesse J. Holland
November 21, 2008
WASHINGTON – One of the government's witnesses against
convicted Sen. Ted Stevens of Alaska says he didn't tell the
truth on the stand about an immunity deal with the Justice
Department in exchange for his testimony. But federal prosecutors
said Friday that his current story is the false one.
"I testified to the fact that there was never immunity
for me or my family and friends," welder David Anderson
said in a November letter to a federal judge placed in court
files by Stevens' lawyers. "That is simply not true."
The Justice Department responded quickly, saying the government
never made any agreement of immunity for Anderson or any of
his family or friends. "Mr. Anderson's statement in his
November 2008 letter is not true, and the court is aware that
it is not true," government lawyers said.
Stevens' lawyers have asked U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan
to hold a hearing on Anderson's charges and to let them investigate
it. It was not immediately known when Sullivan would make a
ruling.
The Justice Department had no immediate comment.
Stevens, 85 and the Senate's longest-serving Republican, was
convicted on seven felony counts of lying on Senate financial
disclosure documents to hide hundreds of thousands of dollars
in gifts and home renovations from millionaire businessman
and VECO founder Bill Allen, who is Anderson's uncle.
The senator, who won't be sentenced until early 2009, has
said he will appeal the conviction. He lost his Senate seat
to Democratic challenger Mark Begich in the November election.
Stevens gave his farewell speech to the Senate on Thursday,
telling his colleagues: "I look only forward and I still
see the day when I can remove the cloud that currently surrounds
me."
Anderson supervised the start of the 2000 renovation of Stevens'
Girdwood, Alaska, home and later responded to maintenance requests
by Stevens and his wife. He testified at the trial that a March
2008 affidavit he signed that would give immunity to his family
and friends in exchange for his testimony was false.
"That was never said," Anderson testified on Oct.
9. "It was kind of a gentleman's agreement, you know."
In his letter, Anderson said: "The agreement was that
if I cooperated my entire family would be safe from the investigation(s)
of the Department of Justice and also the Treasury Department.
The Department of Justice has never ever denied that they shook
my hand on this agreement but instructed me on how to sugar
coat it and get it swept under the rug during the trial as
they have told the court just the opposite."
But the Justice Department said Anderson told two FBI agents
in an August 13 meeting that he knew there was no immunity
agreement and that the March affidavit was false.
The government agreed not to make him testify against family
members, but "Anderson knew that there had been no agreement
relative to immunity or promises of immunity by the government
as to anyone," the Justice Department said.
Anderson also said he was given extensive help by the prosecutors
in remembering events surrounding the renovation of Stevens'
house.
"Without the preparation from the prosecution and reminders
from them about my activities and the agreement I had with
them about my family and myself I would not have given the
same testimony," Anderson said. "Without a shadow
of a doubt I believe this trial would have gone much differently."
Federal prosecutors say this is also untrue and they will
submit documents and video evidence Monday "that prove
the falsity of Mr. Anderson's allegations."
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