Even Stevens

Last week we learned that crooked businessman Bill Allen had participated in a sting on possibly-crooked Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska).

The recorded calls between Stevens and businessman Bill Allen were confirmed by two people close to the case who spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation is still under way. They declined to say how many calls were recorded or what was said.

Allen, a wealthy businessman and Stevens' political patron, agreed to the taping last year after authorities confronted him with evidence he had bribed Alaska lawmakers. He pleaded guilty to bribery and is a key witness against Alaska legislators. He also has told prosecutors he paid his employees to renovate the senator's house.

We already knew that Allen had bribed Stevens' son. Now we're seeing Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin scrap efforts to build the "bridge to nowhere" that Stevens tried to earmark the funding for. And the Club for Growth brings home a poll from Alaska:

If the Republican primary election for U.S. Senate was held today, and the candidates were Ted Stevens and Sarah Palin, for whom would you vote?

Stevens—31.7%
Palin—56%
Undecided—12.3%

Do you approve or disapprove of spending $223 million in federal tax money to build a bridge from Ketchikan to Gravina Island, which is sometimes referred to as the "Bridge to Nowhere"?

Approve—24.7%
Disapprove—66%
DK/Refused—9.3%

I doubt the Club could actually edge Palin into the race (she was elected governor ten months ago) but if the knock on them is that try and shove aside semi-popular moderates who bring home pork for less winning anti-spending conservatives, it's less true here. If the scandals sink Stevens, a marmot with an "R" after its name would still win the Senate seat. (I don't know how easy marmots are to bribe, but they've got to be hardier than the Stevens clan.)