NPR reports that U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder has decided to drop all corruption charges against former Alaskan senator Ted Stevens, despite already winning seven felony convictions. Stevens lost his reelection bid days after the conviction. He was appealing and maintains his innocence. Holder’s decision was based on internal mishandling of the prosecution by the Department of Justice’s Public Integrity Section. While NPR claims Holder’s latest action sends a strong message to prosecutors on issues of misconduct, the bottom line here is that the DOJ’s anti-corruption team botched the highest profile corruption case of 2008.
— Norah Mallaney
