Lawyers argue to transfer Stevens' case

WASHINGTON, Aug. 13 (UPI) -- The trial for indicted Sen. Ted Stevens should be in his home state of Alaska, his attorneys argue, because witnesses, events and Stevens are centered there.

Washington attorneys Brendan Sullivan and Robert Cary filed their rebuttal Wednesday in U.S. District Court to the Justice Department's arguments about whether the Stevens corruption case should stay in Washington or be moved to his home state, The Hill reported.

A federal grand jury in Washington indicted Stevens in July on seven felony counts of filing false financial disclosure statements to conceal $250,000 in gifts and services from an oil services company.

Stevens, 84, the longest serving Republican in the Senate, is campaigning for re-election.

U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan scheduled a hearing for Aug. 20.

"The three most important factors the Court must consider in assessing a transfer motion under -- the location of Sen. Stevens, the location of potential witnesses, and the location of the events at issue -- continue to weigh overwhelmingly in favor of transfer," Sullivan and Cary wrote.

The Justice Department argued that Stevens lives in Washington much of the year, selected local lawyers and filed his financial disclosure forms in Washington. They also said Stevens has started campaigning in Alaska, proclaiming his innocence and and possibly tainting a jury pool.