Stevens witness list a who's who of D.C.

Powell, Kennedy, Leahy may testify

Senator Ted Stevens of Alaska (right), left federal court in Washington yesterday. Jury selection began yesterday, and the names of more than 200 potential witnesses were announced. (Charles Dharapak/ Associated Press)

WASHINGTON - As many as five senators and a former secretary of state may take the stand at the corruption trial of Senator Ted Stevens in coming weeks, a federal judge said yesterday.

Former secretary of state Colin Powell and Senators Edward M. Kennedy and Patrick J. Leahy, both Democrats, were among more than 200 potential witnesses announced yesterday as jury selection began in what is expected to be a monthlong trial.

Also named as possible witnesses were Senator Daniel Inouye, a Hawaii Democrat, and Senator Orrin Hatch, a Utah Republican. Add Stevens to the mix of potential witnesses and the case has the makings of a potentially historic trial.

Such lists aren't guarantees, however. Former White House aide I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, for instance, never delivered on his pledge to call Vice President Dick Cheney to testify in a perjury case.

The 84-year-old Stevens, the Senate's longest-serving Republican, is charged with lying on Senate financial disclosure forms about home renovations and other gifts he received from Bill Allen, the founder of powerful oil contractor VECO Corp.

Stevens is fighting for both his innocence and his political life. He is in a tough reelection race against Mayor Mark Begich of Anchorage, a Democrat. The longtime GOP lawmaker will have to stay in Washington during the trial, while Begich is free to campaign around Alaska.

It's unclear from the witness lists what Powell and the lawmakers might testify about. But Stevens had described Powell as one of his closest friends. And Inouye is one of Stevens's closest allies in Congress.

Other lawmakers could testify about Stevens's character or about the difficulties of keeping track of what services must be disclosed on Senate forms.

The trial could offer a glimpse at the favors and gifts bestowed on Capitol Hill lawmakers and the process by which they are disclosed - or concealed.

Also on the list of potential witnesses were figures in a now-suspended investigation into whether Allen had sex with an underage girl in the 1990s. He was never charged and has denied wrongdoing in that case. Allen, who has pleaded guilty to corruption charges and is the FBI's star witness, is expected to testify that he lavished Stevens with gifts. Stevens's attorneys could try to use the sex case to discredit Allen, whom Stevens once counted among his friends.