A look at indicted senators through history
The conviction of Sen. Ted Stevens on Monday is the fifth time a U.S. senator has been found guilty on felony charges. Another had his conviction overturned on appeal. Five other senators have been indicted, then acquitted, according to the Senate Historical Office. A look at their cases:
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Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska: On Monday Stevens was found guilty on seven counts of making false statements on Senate financial documents. He was indicted on July 29 for lying about free home renovations and other gifts he received from a wealthy oil contractor.
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Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas: On Feb. 11, 1994, a judge acquitted Hutchison after the district attorney refused to present his case. A state grand jury in Austin, Texas, had indicted Hutchison on charges of official misconduct and tampering with evidence while she was state Treasurer.
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Former Sen. David Durenberger, R-Minn.: On Aug. 22, 1995, Durenberger pleaded guilty to five misdemeanor charges involving the abuse of his congressional expense account. In November of that year he was sentenced to one year of probation and a $1,000 fine. He was originally indicted in 1993 on two criminal charges of conspiring to file fraudulent claims for Senate reimbursement of $3,825 in lodging expenses, but that indictment was dismissed.
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Former Sen. Harrison Williams Jr., D-N.J.: On May 1, 1981, Williams was convicted on nine counts of bribery and conspiracy charges in connection with the Abscam case. He was sentenced to three years in prison. He served 21 months.
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Former Sen. Edward Gurney, R-Fla.: On Oct. 27, 1976, Gurney was acquitted of charges of bribery and lying to a grand jury.
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Former Sen. Burton Wheeler, D-Mont.: In 1924 Wheeler was indicted by a grand jury on charges of serving in causes in which the United States was a party while he was a senator. He was later acquitted in court.
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Former Sen. Truman Newberry, R-Mich.: On March 20, 1920, Newberry was convicted on conspiracy charges for spending $3,750 to secure his election to the Senate. He was sentenced to two years in prison and fined $10,000. His conviction was overturned by the Supreme Court on May 2, 1921.
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Former Sen. John Hipple Mitchell, R-Ore.: In July 1905 Mitchell was convicted of taking money in return for expediting the land claims of clients before the United States Land Commission. He died while the case was being appealed.
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Former Sen. Joseph Burton, R-Kan.: He was convicted on charges of taking compensation for services rendered before a federal department. The Supreme Court upheld the conviction on May 21, 1906. He served five months in prison.
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Former Sen. Charles Dietrich, R-Neb.: On Jan. 8, 1904, he was acquitted of charges of accepting a bribe in exchange for procuring a postmastership and of entering into a contract with the government while serving as a senator.
Former Sen. John Smith, R-Ohio: A jury found him not guilty of charges of conspiring to commit treason with former Vice President Aaron Burr. Smith resigned from the Senate in 1808.
Read entire article at AP/US Senate Historical Office
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Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska: On Monday Stevens was found guilty on seven counts of making false statements on Senate financial documents. He was indicted on July 29 for lying about free home renovations and other gifts he received from a wealthy oil contractor.
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Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas: On Feb. 11, 1994, a judge acquitted Hutchison after the district attorney refused to present his case. A state grand jury in Austin, Texas, had indicted Hutchison on charges of official misconduct and tampering with evidence while she was state Treasurer.
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Former Sen. David Durenberger, R-Minn.: On Aug. 22, 1995, Durenberger pleaded guilty to five misdemeanor charges involving the abuse of his congressional expense account. In November of that year he was sentenced to one year of probation and a $1,000 fine. He was originally indicted in 1993 on two criminal charges of conspiring to file fraudulent claims for Senate reimbursement of $3,825 in lodging expenses, but that indictment was dismissed.
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Former Sen. Harrison Williams Jr., D-N.J.: On May 1, 1981, Williams was convicted on nine counts of bribery and conspiracy charges in connection with the Abscam case. He was sentenced to three years in prison. He served 21 months.
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Former Sen. Edward Gurney, R-Fla.: On Oct. 27, 1976, Gurney was acquitted of charges of bribery and lying to a grand jury.
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Former Sen. Burton Wheeler, D-Mont.: In 1924 Wheeler was indicted by a grand jury on charges of serving in causes in which the United States was a party while he was a senator. He was later acquitted in court.
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Former Sen. Truman Newberry, R-Mich.: On March 20, 1920, Newberry was convicted on conspiracy charges for spending $3,750 to secure his election to the Senate. He was sentenced to two years in prison and fined $10,000. His conviction was overturned by the Supreme Court on May 2, 1921.
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Former Sen. John Hipple Mitchell, R-Ore.: In July 1905 Mitchell was convicted of taking money in return for expediting the land claims of clients before the United States Land Commission. He died while the case was being appealed.
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Former Sen. Joseph Burton, R-Kan.: He was convicted on charges of taking compensation for services rendered before a federal department. The Supreme Court upheld the conviction on May 21, 1906. He served five months in prison.
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Former Sen. Charles Dietrich, R-Neb.: On Jan. 8, 1904, he was acquitted of charges of accepting a bribe in exchange for procuring a postmastership and of entering into a contract with the government while serving as a senator.
Former Sen. John Smith, R-Ohio: A jury found him not guilty of charges of conspiring to commit treason with former Vice President Aaron Burr. Smith resigned from the Senate in 1808.