Political Earthquake: Quake Shakes L.A.; Indictment Shakes Washington D.C and Alaska Senator Ted Stevens

On a day when parts of Los Angeles were rattled by a 5.3 earthquake, Alaska Senator Ted Stevens was rattled by an indictment against him. He has been charge with taking large gifts from a builder who renovated his home. He was the architect or the senator who brought so much money to Alaska for the "Bridge to Nowhere." Ted Stevens has been the longest running senator in Alaska. He has been an honorable man until these charges. He is being accused of accepting $100,000 in gifts while he claimed that he paid for all the work on his house.

It seems that some of the Senator's moves were a way to pay back his good friend, Bill allen who headed VECO.

"t is VECO that is at the heart of the Stevens indictment handed down Tuesday, and prosecutors outlined hundreds of thousands of dollars in financial favors VECO allegedly did for Stevens.

What was less clear was what Stevens did for VECO, though the indictment mentions -- without elaboration -- that VECO asked for his help with projects in Pakistan and Russia, among other favors."

In addition to doing extensive remodeling on Stevens' home, VECO has paid his son, Ben, at least $364,000 in lobbying and consulting fees since 1996.

Ben Stevens, who was an Alaska state senator until last year, has also been ensnared in the VECO scandal but has not been charged.

Reactions from other writers and bloggers keep surfacing:

"Rich Lowry, the editor of National Review, thinks the news provides John McCain with a campaign opportunity. Lowry writes at The Corner, his magazine’s staff blog: “McCain should absolutely unload on Stevens, and frame it as the sort of dysfunction and corruption in Congress that he has long railed against. A good way to get some indie cred without upsetting any conservatives.”

-Patrick Ruffini, a Republican Internet strategist, writes at The Next Right: “At a minimum, Stevens must abandon his re-election campaign if not resign. Let’s not act like Democrats, who shield their William Jeffersons. But who to replace him?”

-Erick Erickson of the conservative community site RedState agrees that Stevens should step down. He writes: “While people are innocent until proven guilty, we know enough facts to suggest Mr. Stevens is going to be looking for a deal. And the voters of Alaska, committed to reform, are going to throw him out of office. This is one seat that should stay in Republican hands. It will not, however, if Ted Stevens decides to hang on. For the longest time Ted Stevens has done all things for the good of Ted Stevens. Now is the time for him to fall on his sword and take one for the GOP team.”