Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK) was found guilty on seven counts of corruption this week, but he's refusing to step down--even though politicians from both sides of the aisle have called on him to resign. Yesterday we sent an email to friends and supporters of Change Congress, asking folks to watch our "Farewell, Ted" video and sign on to a petition demanding that Senate leaders remove him from office.

Here's the text of the email, with links:

Dear Supporter,

Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK) was found guilty on seven counts of corruption this week[1], but, he's refusing to step down. Politicians from both sides of the aisle, including Barack Obama and John McCain, have called on him to resign. It's time to add your voice to the mix.

Click here to watch our video, "Farewell, Ted." Then sign our petition calling for Senate leaders to remove him from the Senate:

http://change-congress.org/ted

The petition reads:

"He has broken our trust. It's time to let another Alaskan step up and represent the Last Frontier state. For this reason, we are calling on you to remove him from the Senate. Joining with both presidential candidates Senator Barack Obama and Senator John McCain we are requesting that you not allow a convicted felon continue to serve as a U.S. Senator."

Now that Ted Stevens has been convicted of corruption, he has no place in the Senate. The American people demand leaders who work for us, rather than abusing our trust. If Stevens does not resign, he must be removed from office.

We'll deliver copies of this petition to leaders in the Senate, including Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) and Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), whether or not Stevens is still serving next week. Help us send the message that corruption in the Senate will not be tolerated.

Ted Stevens received all kinds of gifts that he didn't disclose: A $1,000 sled dog. A $3,200 handmade stained glass window. A $2,695 massage chair. Not to mention $250,000 in labor and materials for Stevens' vacation home from Veco Corporation, an oil-field service company.[2] All this for keeping his friends at Veco in mind when he went to Washington and allocated over $88 million in earmarks to just one bill that came before Congress. [3]

Our Senators should not be for sale, whether for the price of a massage chair, a vacation home, or anything else. Click the link below to watch our video, and then help us say "Farewell, Ted" once and for all.

http://change-congress.org/ted

Thank you for holding our leaders accountable!

Japhet, Stephanie, Monica and the Change Congress Team

Sources:

1. "Stevens guilty on all counts, campaign to continue," Associated Press, Oct. 28, 2008. http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5je6Pw1sViz24JRo9F0PNhoqMtzTwD94349103

2. "Ted Stevens got a massage chair, dog, prosecutors claim," Miami Herald, Oct. 28, 2008. http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/AP/story/744853.html

3. "Scandal-infested Stevens doles out earmarks for rodent control," Think Progress, Dec. 18, 2007 http://thinkprogress.org/2007/12/18/stevens-rodent-control/