Stevens Avoids Expulsion Vote From Senate As Alaska Counts Ballots

Washington, D.C. (AHN) - Meeting for party leadership elections on Tuesday, Senate Republicans have postponed on voting whether to expel their longest-running member, Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK), who was convicted on a seven-count indictment in October.

"After talking with many of my colleagues, it's clear there are sufficient votes to pass the resolution regarding Senator Stevens," Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) is quoted by Politico a saying in a statement. "The question now is timing. Some who support the resolution believe we should address this after the results of his election are confirmed in Alaska. For this reason, I will ask the Conference to postpone the vote on Senator Stevens until Thursday."

Stevens, the Senate's longest-serving Republican, was found guilty eight days before election day of concealing $250,000 worth of gifts, including home improvements, from now-defunct oil services company VECO Corp. in his Senate financial disclosure forms from 1999-2006. Senate leaders, including Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), have called for his expulsion or resignation.

The decision of his party colleagues on Tuesday comes as the embattled senator turned 85.

Stevens, whose re-election bid is still clouded as Alaska continues counting ballots, has maintained his innocence throughout and after the trial. He plans to appeal his conviction.

Absentee and questioned ballots are still be tallied in the Last Frontier state. The senator trails with 137,937 votes, or 47.02 percent, while Anchorage Democratic Mayor Mark Begich leads with 138,959 votes, or 47.37 percent, according to the Alaska Division of Elections.