During opening arguments in this case, the lawyer for Ted Stevens suggested that Mrs. Stevens was to blame because she handled all the renovation-related business. Not according to emails introduced as evidence at the trial yesterday:

Prosecutors wrapped up their case Wednesday against U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens with a methodical presentation of dozens of e-mails showing Stevens was regularly briefed about the remodeling of his Girdwood home.

Rather than the disinterested husband whose wife ran the "teepee," as Stevens' attorney said in his opening statement to jurors, Stevens received as many as four or five e-mails a week from his friend and Girdwood neighbor Bob Persons on the status of the work. Persons, owner of Girdwood's Double Musky restaurant, frequently reported that much of the work was being done by employees from the oil-field service company Veco. He continually praised Veco's foreman, Rocky Williams, and had good words to say about other Veco workers.

Stevens replied to many of the e-mails and forwarded others to his wife, Catherine, with comments.