Ted Stevens, an icon in Alaskan politics, has just become the most powerful politician to be charged in a four-year, federal investigation of public corruption in the state. On Tuesday, Stevens was indicted on seven charges of campaign finance fraud, a felony that carries up to five years in federal prison and unspecified charges. To date, eight other members of the administration have been charged (six convicted, two awaiting trial) for corruption.

Stevens is charged with failing to disclose “things of value” that he received from Venco (a now defunct Alaskan oil company). While receiving these “things of value” from Venco, its CEO and employees, these same employees asked Stevens to intervene on their behalf in the Senate. Further, according to the indictment, Stevens received improvements to his house, a new Land Rover and household appliances, none of which were reported.

Stevens, of course, is feigning innocence, and says he will prove it.

I think it is obvious that Stevens took gifts from Venco and its employees and CEO and did not report it. I think that is wrong, and he deserves to be punished for breaking the law. A law that he well knew, as he has served our country for over 50 years. However, I am not sure if there is a connection between his helping out Venco and their gifts, mostly because I don’t know when the gift occurred and when he helped them out. If, in fact, he did take gifts in return for favors, he deserves to be stripped of his Senate seat, banned from politics and flogged publicly.

I am sick of corrupt politcians (that is to say, almost all politicians, I guess) getting away with willingly and knowingly breaking the law. I understand that they are human too, and prone to bad decisions, but just as police should be held to a higher standard, so should politicians. They should be better than the average person. Or at least have the decency to pretend to be better.