Stevens on Witness Stand: ‘It’s Hot in That Seat’

Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) is now on his second day of testimony in his federal corruption trial.

He has spent the last hours of Thursday’s court session and all of Friday’s session so far answering questions from his defense team. After lawyer Brendan Sullivan said he had no further questions, Stevens turned to U.S. District Court Judge Emmet Sullivan and joked, “It’s hot in that seat.”

Sullivan replied, “It’s because you’re expending all that energy talking.”

For Stevens, that seat is about to get hotter. After a short recess, prosecutors will begin their cross-examination of Stevens, who is accused of knowing taking gifts and failing to disclose them, as he’s required to do as a senator.