Changes

According to Republican Senate caucus rules, Stevens resigned from his post as ranking member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee.  On October 27, Stevens was found guilty on all 7 counts of corruption. On April 1, 2009, the Justice department filed a motion to drop its case against Stevens. Attorney General [[Eric Holder]] decided to abandon the case due to prosecutorial misconduct.<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/04/01/doj-sources-say-case-dropped-ex-sen-ted-stevens/ Justice Department Files Motion to Drop Case Against Former Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens], Mike Levine, ''FOXNews.com'', April 01, 2009</ref><ref>[http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=102589818 Justice Dept. Seeks To Void Stevens' Conviction], Nina Totenberg, ''NPR'', April 01, 2009</ref>

According to Republican Senate caucus rules, Stevens resigned from his post as ranking member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee.  On October 27, Stevens was found guilty on all 7 counts of corruption. On April 1, 2009, the Justice department filed a motion to drop its case against Stevens. Attorney General [[Eric Holder]] decided to abandon the case due to prosecutorial misconduct.<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/04/01/doj-sources-say-case-dropped-ex-sen-ted-stevens/ Justice Department Files Motion to Drop Case Against Former Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens], Mike Levine, ''FOXNews.com'', April 01, 2009</ref><ref>[http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=102589818 Justice Dept. Seeks To Void Stevens' Conviction], Nina Totenberg, ''NPR'', April 01, 2009</ref>

On August 9, 2010, Ted Stevens died in a small plane crash along with five others.<ref>http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/08/10/national/main6760221.shtml</ref>  This was not the first plane crash he had been in, in 1978 his first wife, Ann Mary, died in a plane crash that also left him with lasting injuries.<ref>http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-alaska-crash-past-20100811,0,7987348.story</ref>

On August 9, 2010, Ted Stevens died in a small plane crash along with five others.<ref>https://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/08/10/national/main6760221.shtml</ref>  This was not the first plane crash he had been in, in 1978 his first wife, Ann Mary, died in a plane crash that also left him with lasting injuries.<ref>http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-alaska-crash-past-20100811,0,7987348.story</ref>

==Early years==

==Early years==

==Copyright controversy and "Series of Tubes" phenomenon==

==Copyright controversy and "Series of Tubes" phenomenon==

In 2002, Stevens cosponsored a controversial bill called the Consumer Broadband and Digital Television Promotion Act (CBDTPA). Put forth by former Democratic Senator [[Fritz Hollings]], if the bill had been passed, it would have forced all computer manufacturers to include inherent forms of copy protection.<ref>http://www.wired.com/politics/law/news/2002/03/51245</ref> This was held unfavorably by open-source activists and developers, who often referred to Hollings using such titles as "The Disney Senator" and "Senator Mickey" due to his ties to the entertainment industry.<ref>http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,47296,00.html</ref> This bill was never passed into law, though similar private efforts are occurring.<ref>http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/can-you-trust.html</ref>

In 2002, Stevens cosponsored a controversial bill called the Consumer Broadband and Digital Television Promotion Act (CBDTPA). Put forth by former Democratic Senator [[Fritz Hollings]], if the bill had been passed, it would have forced all computer manufacturers to include inherent forms of copy protection.<ref>https://www.wired.com/politics/law/news/2002/03/51245</ref> This was held unfavorably by open-source activists and developers, who often referred to Hollings using such titles as "The Disney Senator" and "Senator Mickey" due to his ties to the entertainment industry.<ref>http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,47296,00.html</ref> This bill was never passed into law, though similar private efforts are occurring.<ref>http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/can-you-trust.html</ref>

In 2006, Stevens spoke before Congress in opposition to [[net neutrality]]. However, his speech was viewed as "rambling" and lacking basic knowledge of computers - for example, saying "an [[Internet]]" instead of "an e-mail message", claiming the Internet was not used for commercial purposes, and in a failed attempt to summarize technical definition of "pipe" - referred to the Internet as a "series of tubes". This became a major Internet meme.<ref>http://entertainment.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=06/07/03/0643238</ref> In the context of the debate Mr. Stevens was having, the comment is actually a salient point. The internet, as with all networks, cannot simply pile more data into its infrastructure indefinitely, as proponents of Net Neutrality insist. Like a pipe will burst under excessive pressure, so will the internet break down if ISPs are not allowed to manage their own traffic without interference. Senator Stevens may not be an expert on the Internet, but he understood that resources need to be responsibly used, not frittered away in the name of "neutrality." Stevens experience as a steward for Alaska's unique natural resources may play into his thinking here.

In 2006, Stevens spoke before Congress in opposition to [[net neutrality]]. However, his speech was viewed as "rambling" and lacking basic knowledge of computers - for example, saying "an [[Internet]]" instead of "an e-mail message", claiming the Internet was not used for commercial purposes, and in a failed attempt to summarize technical definition of "pipe" - referred to the Internet as a "series of tubes". This became a major Internet meme.<ref>http://entertainment.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=06/07/03/0643238</ref> In the context of the debate Mr. Stevens was having, the comment is actually a salient point. The internet, as with all networks, cannot simply pile more data into its infrastructure indefinitely, as proponents of Net Neutrality insist. Like a pipe will burst under excessive pressure, so will the internet break down if ISPs are not allowed to manage their own traffic without interference. Senator Stevens may not be an expert on the Internet, but he understood that resources need to be responsibly used, not frittered away in the name of "neutrality." Stevens experience as a steward for Alaska's unique natural resources may play into his thinking here.

== Legal Troubles ==

== Legal Troubles ==

In July 2008, Stevens was indicted on charges of taking gifts from the oil servicing company VECO and its CEO Bill Allen who benefited from his legislation. Stevens' son Ben, the leader of the state senate, and other state politicians have also been implicated in corruption related to VECO.<ref>[http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/politics/2008/07/31/vo.stevens.court.depart.cnn?iref=videosearch Stevens pleads not guilty]</ref>

In July 2008, Stevens was indicted on charges of taking gifts from the oil servicing company VECO and its CEO Bill Allen who benefited from his legislation. Stevens' son Ben, the leader of the state senate, and other state politicians have also been implicated in corruption related to VECO.<ref>[https://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/politics/2008/07/31/vo.stevens.court.depart.cnn?iref=videosearch Stevens pleads not guilty]</ref>

On October 27, 2008, Stevens was convicted on seven counts of corruption, after a highly politicized trial that attempted to learn the extent of his dealings.

On October 27, 2008, Stevens was convicted on seven counts of corruption, after a highly politicized trial that attempted to learn the extent of his dealings.

Stevens, however, vowed to continue his bid.  On November 18, Stevens' 85th birthday, the final vote tallies showed that Democrat Mark Begich had won the election by a narrow margin.<ref>[http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/stevens Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens loses re-election bid]</ref>

Stevens, however, vowed to continue his bid.  On November 18, Stevens' 85th birthday, the final vote tallies showed that Democrat Mark Begich had won the election by a narrow margin.<ref>[http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/stevens Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens loses re-election bid]</ref>

Stevens' conviction was later overturned after U.S. Attorney General [[Eric Holder]] requested the presiding Judge to vacate the conviction because of prosecutorial misconduct.

Stevens' conviction was later overturned after U.S. Attorney General [[Eric Holder]] requested the presiding Judge to vacate the conviction because of prosecutorial misconduct.

The prosecutor later committed suicide.<ref>http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/28/us/politics/28stevens.html</ref>

The prosecutor later committed suicide.<ref>https://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/28/us/politics/28stevens.html</ref>

==References==

==References==