Former Alaska Republican Senator Ted Stevens, 86, and former former NASA administrator Sean O'Keefe, 54, were two of eight people on a plane that crashed in Southern Alaska last night.
The New York Times reports that five people are believed to have died, but no names have been announced yet.
The Stevens family released a statement this morning:
"The Ted Stevens family offers their prayers for all those on board and for their families. We thank the brave men and women who are working to reach the site. We continue to work with the Alaska National Guard, the U.S. Coast Guard and the Alaska State Troopers. We thank everyone for their support and prayers.”
Ted Stevens served in the Senate for 40 years, before retiring last year after being convicted of corruption – charges which were later dismissed by a federal judge based on allegations of prosecutorial misconduct on the part of the Justice Department.
Attorney General Eric Holder made the request in April of last year, saying:
"After careful review, I have concluded that certain information should have been provided to the defense for use at trial," Holder said in a statement Wednesday. "In light of this conclusion, and in consideration of the totality of the circumstances of this particular case, I have determined that it is in the interest of justice to dismiss the indictment and not proceed with a new trial."
This article appears in Aug 5-11, 2010.
