Feds To Drop Charges Against Former Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens

Oh, Alaska. If only this were an April Fool's joke.

The Justice Department plans to drop all charges against former Sen. Ted Stevens, the 85-year old Alaska Republican convicted last year of lying on Senate financial disclosure forms to conceal hundreds of thousands of dollars in gifts and home renovations from a businessman, according to a news report this morning.

Attorney General Eric Holder has concluded that the conviction of Stevens cannot be supported because of problems with the government's prosecution, which had been openly criticized by the trial judge, National Public Radio first reported. The Justice Department would not comment on the report this morning. Justice will withdraw its opposition to a defense motion for a new trial and will dismiss the indictment against Stevens, NPR reported, but that will require a court filing and none had been filed yet.

Prosecutorial misconduct. Sigh. Stevens lost reelection in October to the mayor of Anchorage, Democrat Mark Begich.