Roberts Continues to Support Stevens Despite Felony Conviction

Amid calls yesterday for Sen. Ted Stevens of Alaska to resign after being convicted on seven felony corruption charges, Sen. Pat Roberts broke from party leadership, saying that it should be up to Alaskans to decide Stevens´ fate.

Jim Slattery, candidate for the U.S. Senate, yesterday called for Stevens to resign and urged Sen. Roberts to do the same.

"Sen. Stevens should resign immediately from public office and if he refuses, Sen. Roberts and members of the U.S. Senate must stand up to their friend and colleague and insist that he resign," Slattery said.

Roberts unwavering support of Stevens clearly raises questions about his judgment. Top Republicans including presidential candidate Sen. John McCain, vice presidential candidate and Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell among others called on Stevens to resign immediately.

"It is clear that Sen. Stevens has broken his trust with the people and that he should now step down," McCain said.

"Alaskans are grateful for his decades of public service," Palin said, "but the time has come for him to step aside."

"I think he should resign immediately," McConnell said. "If he did not do that ... there is a 100 percent certainty that he would be expelled from the Senate."

Should Stevens refuse to resign and is re-elected to the Senate an investigation would be initiated by the Senate Ethics Committee of which Roberts is a member. To expel Stevens from the Senate would require a two-thirds vote.

"Sen. Roberts has an obligation to the voters of Kansas to hold Sen. Stevens accountable for his actions," Slattery said.