Stevens’ Team to Call Colin Powell as Witness
- By Paul Singer
- Roll Call Staff
- Oct. 8, 2008, 10:30 a.m.
Attorneys for Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) announced on Wednesday that they plan to call former Secretary of State Colin Powell as a primary defense witness after the prosecution rests.
In a new list of expected witnesses, the defense listed Powell first and Hawaii Democratic Sen. Daniel Inouye second among the 15 witnesses Stevens’ attorneys intend to call.
Gone from prior lists of potential witnesses are Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) and Stevens’ wife, who the defense has argued oversaw most of the renovations of the Senator’s home.
Stevens is charged with seven counts of filing false financial disclosure statements intended to conceal his acceptance of hundreds of thousands of dollars of free home renovations and other gifts.
Presumably, Powell and Inouye would be called as witnesses to Stevens’ integrity and would not have specific information about his finances.
The prosecution is expected to finish its case Wednesday, and the judge will then take up defense motions to dismiss the case based on allegations that the government has intentionally withheld from Stevens’ attorneys information that could be helpful in his defense.
If the judge does not dismiss the trial, the defense is likely to begin presenting its case on Thursday.
