Stevens Blames Contractor for Legal Woes

WASHINGTON — Senator Stevens is blaming an overzealous contractor for the legal mess that has him on trial for corruption.

Mr. Stevens is accused of lying on Senate forms about more than $250,000 in home renovations and gifts he received from an oil contractor, Bill Allen. During opening statements today, attorneys offered the first public defense for the Alaska Republican.

His attorney, Brendan Sullivan, said Mr. Stevens paid $160,000 for the renovations and had no idea Mr. Allen wasn't sending every bill.

He described Mr. Allen as regularly going overboard. He said Mr. Stevens never asked for gifts such as a gas grill, a tool box, furniture, or a complicated rope lighting system.

Prosecutors said Mr. Stevens was a crafty politician who took gifts without reporting them.