Alaska Republican Ted Stevens indicted on seven criminal counts

Ted Stevens, the longest-serving Republican senator in US history, was indicted today on seven counts of criminal charges related to business deals in his home state of Alaska.

The indictment of Stevens sent shock waves through Washington, where the 84-year old remains a legendary figure and the Congress's strongest advocate for oil drilling in protected wilderness areas.

Stevens has been under investigation by the FBI for more than a year for his ties to Veco, an Alaskan oil company, and his delivery of $50m in US federal money to a non-profit group run by his former aide.

The Alaskan was charged with making false statements on government disclosures to hide lucrative gifts he received from Veco, including furniture, vehicles, and an expensive barbecue grill.

Republicans were already facing an uphill battle in the November election, poised to lose as many as 40 seats in Congress as John McCain struggles to gain traction against Barack Obama.

Stevens's indictment makes matters worse for his party, as he is facing re-election and already trailing in the polls to Democratic opponent Mark Begich, the popular mayor of Anchorage, Alaska.

Political analysts were beginning to acknowledge this summer that Stevens, a fixture in Congress for 40 years, could lose to Begich. After federal prosecutors announced the indictment, some prognosticators questioned whether the man Alaskans still call Uncle Ted could lose to a little-known Republican foe in the party primary on August 26.

Seven Alaska state legislators – who dubbed themselves the Corrupt Bastards Club for their cosy relations with Veco – have already been indicted in the government's probe of public corruption in Alaska.

The former chief executive of Veco, Bill Allen, also has pleaded guilty to bribery. Allen admitted to paying for a lavish remodelling of Stevens's house and giving the senator's son more than $240,000 in sham "consulting fees" to help secure favourable treatment.

Stevens is famous through the US for his quest to unlock Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling. He fought for decades to lift government protections on the refuge, estimated to hold more than 6bn barrels of oil, but never surmounted Democratic opposition.

Stevens is also renowned for his temper, often delivering tirades against his critics while wearing a tie printed with the comic-book character known as Incredible Hulk.

The senator's office in Washington was not responding to calls on the indictment today.