7News reported FBI raid on Sen. Stevens' home but not his Republican affiliation

Written by Media Matters Staff

Published

On KMGH 7News' 10 p.m. July 30 newscast, co-anchor Anne Trujillo reported on the search of U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens' (R-AK) Alaskan home by federal agents “in connection to a renovation of the home” and stated that Stevens “has been under investigation,” but she did not mention that Stevens is a Republican. In contrast, on July 31 7News morning co-anchor Bertha Lynn reported Stevens' GOP affiliation.

Reporting on July 30 that U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK) “has been under investigation in connection to a renovation” of his Alaskan home and that federal agents are “focusing on records related to Stevens' relationship with a jailed oil field services contract [sic: contractor] who was part of a public corruption scandal,” KMGH 7News at 10 p.m. co-anchor Anne Trujillo did not identify Stevens as a Republican. In fact, Stevens “is the longest-serving Republican in Senate history,” according to a July 31 Associated Press article. In contrast to the July 30 segment, July 31's 7News at 5 a.m. noted Stevens' GOP affiliation.

From the July 30 broadcast of KMGH's 7News at 10 p.m.:

TRUJILLO: The Alaska home of a U.S. senator has been searched by FBI and IRS agents. Senator Ted Stevens has been under investigation in connection to a renovation of the home. Agents are reportedly focusing on records related to Stevens' relationship with a jailed oil field services contract who was part of a public corruption scandal. Stevens says he doesn't want to comment until the investigation is over. Now, previously, he was investigated after a contractor he hired to renovate his Alaska home pleaded guilty to bribing state legislators.

As the AP reported, “Stevens, 83, has been under a federal investigation for a 2000 renovation project more than doubling the size of his home in Girdwood that was overseen by Bill Allen, a contractor who has pleaded guilty to bribing Alaska state legislators.” The AP further reported, “Stevens, who has been in office since 1968 and is the longest-serving Republican in Senate history, said the interests of justice would be best served if he commented after the investigation,” and also noted:

The Justice Department's probe into Allen's relationships has led to charges against state lawmakers and contractors. Last year, FBI raids on the offices of several Alaska lawmakers included Stevens' son, former Alaska Senate President Ben Stevens. Neither the U.S. senator nor his son has been charged.

In contrast to Trujillo's report, co-anchor Bertha Lynn noted during 7News' July 31 5 a.m. broadcast that Stevens is Republican:

LYNN: The FBI and IRS agents are searching the home of Alaska Senator Ted Stevens. Stevens has been under federal investigation for a renovation project at his home. Agents reportedly are focusing on records related to the Republican's relationship with an oil field services contractor. That contractor is in the center of a public corruption investigation. Stevens says he'll comment after the investigation is complete.