发言原文
The Accusations: Prosecutors alleged that Stevens failed to disclose more than $250,000 in gifts and services, primarily from Veco Corporation and its CEO Bill Allen, which included renovations to his Girdwood, Alaska, home, a massage chair, and a Viking gas grill.The Conviction: On October 27, 2008, just a week before his re-election bid, a jury found him guilty. As a result, Stevens narrowly lost his Senate seat.Misconduct and ExonerationThe Cover-Up: The case began to unravel in 2009 after an FBI whistleblower came forward, revealing that the prosecution team had intentionally hidden critical evidence that could have helped the Senator's defense.Case Dismissal: The U.S. Department of Justice ultimately admitted government lawyers failed to disclose exculpatory evidence. In April 2009, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder moved to drop all charges, and the presiding judge, Emmet Sullivan, threw out the conviction.Official Findings: Judge Sullivan ordered a special investigation led by attorney Henry Schuelke. The subsequent 500-page report, released in 2012, concluded that the government's prosecution was "permeated" by a systematic, willful concealment of evidence by the lead prosecutors