Alaska Senator Ted Stevens Dead at Age 86
By Marshall Ramsey, Worthy News U.S. Correspondent
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Worthy News)– Ted Stevens, former United States Senator from Alaska was killed in a plane crash in a remote area of Alaska on August 9, 2010. He served in the U.S. Senate as Senator of Alaska from 1968 to 2008, where he was narrowly defeated by Democrat challenger Mark Begich following a corruptions trial in which he was convicted on all seven counts.
Senator Stevens is perhaps best known for the infamous ‘Bridge to Nowhere’ scandal in which he, along with Representative Don Young (AK) tried to get $398 million to build a bridge from the town of Ketchikan, AK, to Gravina Is., which contains the Ketchikan International Airport as well as 50 residents.
POWERS IN THE HEAVENS SHAKEN: GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND PLANE CRASHES
Senator Stevens’ plane crash is not new to Alaska or members of the governments of the United States. Congressman Nick Begich, father of Senator Begich, was killed in 1972 when his plane disappeared over Alaska with then-House Majority leader Hale Boggs of Lousiana.
Other federal and state government officials who have died in plane crashes include Pennsylvania Sen. John Heinz (1991), South Dakota Governor George Mickelson (1993), and Gov. Mel Carnahan, who defeated John Ashcroft for the governorship of Missouri post-mortem in 2000.
OTHERS INVOLVED IN THE CRASH
While a full list of those involved int he crash is not available at this time, it is known that Sean O’Keefe, former NASA administrator, and former aide to former vice President Dick Cheney, and his his teenage son, were also on board. Both Mr. O’Keefe and his son survived, albeit with injuries.
O’Keefe and Stevens were longtime friends often seen fishing together. Sen. Stevens and Mr. O’Keefe had just such a trip planned, when the plane crashed. Said Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Senator Stevens, “Last night (Monday), Alaska lost a hero and I lost a dear friend. His entire life was dedicated to public service from his days as a pilot in World War II, to his four decades of service in the United States Senate.”
Senator Stevens was 86 when he died.