Last week, when the wife of Senator Ted Stevens was on the witness stand in her husband's corruption trial, she expounded upon the work performed for the couple by one of Senator Stevens' staffers, Barbara Flanders:

And prosecutors, in their cross-examination, portrayed her and her husband as abusers of the senator's official staff.

"Did Barbara Flanders" -- one of the senator's aides -- "walk your dogs?" prosecutor Brenda Morris demanded of Catherine Stevens. "Did Barbara Flanders feed your cats? Did Barbara Flanders pay your Saks Fifth Avenue bills? Didn't staff for your husband cut your grass? Did they pay for your parking tickets? Did Barbara Flanders pay bills to Blockbuster video for overdue amounts? Did she wrap Christmas gifts for your family? Did you send notes to Barbara Flanders to tell her you needed cash? So, in essence, she was your human ATM machine?"

That may have violated Senate Rules, The Hill reported, relying on the expertise of Melanie Sloan:

Melanie Sloan, executive director of the Citizens for a Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, said the admission indicates that Stevens violated the rule.

“The rule is very strict,” she said. “Congressional staff are only allowed on payroll for taxpayer purposes.”

According to the Senate Ethics Manuel, Senate aides must act within the purposes appropriated by law.

“Funds are appropriated to compensate federal employees for the performance of Senate duties,” the guidelines say. “That is, Senate staff are compensated for the purposes of assisting Senators in their official legislative and representational duties, and not for the purpose of performing personal or other non-official activities for themselves or on behalf of others.”

Taken to the extreme, Stevens could have violated a federal law that prohibits using taxpayer funds for non-appropriated purposes. More likely he would have to answer to the Senate Select Committee on Ethics, but it’s unclear what actions – if any -- that panel would take against the senator if he is acquitted and wins re-election in November. A spokeswoman for the panel declined to comment, and Stevens's spokesman could not be reached for comment.