Prosecution presses on in Stevens case

WASHINGTON, Sept. 30 (UPI) -- Prosecutors in the trial of U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens pressed their case that the Alaska Republican knew he was getting benefits that should have been disclosed.

The prosecution's key witness, Alaska oil industry player Bill Allen, was on the witness stand for about an hour in the federal trial in Washington, explaining his role in allegedly providing Stevens with gifts and services worth more than $250,000, The New York Times reported.

Allen testified about how he and Stevens became friends and took trips together. He also told how provided the Stevens family with gifts through the years, The New York Times reported.

"We kind of really liked each other," he said. "We had the same thoughts."

Allen testified that in 1999 he gave Stevens a $44,000 Land Rover to Stevens in exchange for a vintage Mustang worth less than half that amount plus $5,000 in cash and that he once had an electrical generator installed at Stevens' home without being compensated.

Stevens, the longest-serving Senate Republican, pleaded innocent to seven felony counts of filing false statements on mandatory senate financial disclosure forms.

Allen founded the VECO Corp., an oil services contractor, which allegedly did renovations to Steven's home in Alaska.

Prosecutors indicated they would play wiretap tapes allegedly demonstrating Stevens knowingly concealed "free benefits," CNN reported.

Defense attorneys have told the jury Stevens "promptly" paid the bills he knew about and that Allen was the one who concealed additional costs.