WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Republican Sen. Ted Stevens of Alaska was indicted Tuesday on charges that he lied about receiving gifts worth more than $250,000 from an Alaska-based energy company on whose behalf he intervened in Washington.
Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, was indicted Tuesday by a federal grand jury.
The indictment, returned Tuesday by a federal grand jury in Washington, says the veteran lawmaker "schemed to conceal" the fact that Veco paid for hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of work on his home.
The indictment follows a wide-ranging investigation into ties between the company and lawmakers in Alaska.
The indictment does not accuse Stevens of accepting bribes, Matt Friedrich, the acting assistant attorney general, emphasized in a news conference announcing the charges.
"Bribery is not charged in this case," he said, adding that such a charge "requires proof of a specific quid pro quo. This indictment does not allege that."
But it does accuse Stevens and his staff of receiving requests from Veco for help in Washington and acting on some of them.
In the 28-page indictment, Stevens was charged with seven counts of making false statements on his Senate financial disclosure forms.
Stevens has not yet commented on the indictment.
The indictment says the home improvements provided by Veco and its chief executive officer, Bill Allen, a "personal friend of Stevens," included a new first floor, a new garage, a new first- and second-story wraparound deck, new plumbing and new wiring.
Allen gave Stevens a new 1999 Land Rover worth $44,000 in exchange for $5,000 and Stevens' 1964 Ford Mustang, which was worth less than $20,000 at the time, the indictment charged.
In exchange, Stevens "could and did use his official position and his office on behalf of Veco," one of the state's largest employers, the indictment charges.
Allen pleaded guilty in May 2007, paying out more than $400,000 "in corrupt payments" to Alaska officials, the Department of Justice said in announcing the Stevens indictment.
Allen is cooperating with the Department of Justice as part of his plea agreement, Friedrich said. Veco was acquired by another company, CH2M Hill, in September 2007.
The indictment does not restrict Stevens' ability to vote in the Senate, speak on the Senate floor or participate in committee work.
Reacting to the indictment, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, said it was up to Senate Republicans to decide if any punishment was warranted.
"I, of course, have served with Sen. Stevens my entire congressional career," Reid said. "It's a sad day for him, us. But I believe in the American system of justice that he is presumed innocent.
"As far as what's going to happen in the Republican caucus, that's up to them. ... How they handle Stevens is certainly up to them. It is not our responsibility. I'll cooperate in any way that I can."
Sen. John Warner, a Virginia Republican, recalled that he and Stevens were veterans of World War II and that "he was a hero and a fighter, and he's been a fighter for this country since then -- a fighter for his state ever since and a strong leader in the Senate.
"So all I can say is I hope this can turn out fairly consistent with the law and good decision," Warner said.
Another Republican, Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, said, "I have known Ted Stevens for 28 years, and I have always found him to be impeccably honest.
"I don't know there is anything -- any stronger comment that can be made, and that is my comment," he said.
Sen. Daniel Inouye, a Hawaii Democrat who is one of Stevens' closest friends in the Senate, said he thinks Stevens is innocent of the charges against him.
"I won't say I'm surprised," Inouye said of the indictments. "He's been under questioning for some time." He said he hadn't spoken to Stevens since news of the indictments broke.
Sen. Barbara Boxer, a California Democrat who chairs the Senate ethics subcommittee, said she would release a statement later Tuesday.
FBI and Internal Revenue Service agents searched Stevens' Alaska home in July 2007 in connection with the investigation, which has snared two oil company executives and a state lobbyist, among others.
At the time, he urged constituents "not to form conclusions based upon incomplete and sometimes incorrect reports in the media."
The 84-year-old senator is a former chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee and is renowned for his prowess in steering federal funds to his vast, sparsely populated state.
Stevens is the oldest Republican senator and second in age only to Sen. Robert Byrd, the 90-year-old Democrat from West Virginia.
He has represented Alaska in Washington since 1968 and is up for re-election in November. He is the longest-serving Republican senator in history.
All About Ted Stevens • U.S. Senate • U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations
United States Senator Ted Stevens of Alaska has been indicted by federal grand jury on seven criminal counts for making false statements in his Senate financial disclosure forms. The longest-serving Republican in the Senate, Stevens is the highest-profile politician ensnared in the corruption scandal surrounding VECO Corporation and its executives' attempts to influence politics.

United States Senator Ted Stevens of Alaska
VECO, a subsidiary of CH2M Hill as of September 2007, is an oil pipeline and services company. It is alleged to have funded renovations to the Stevens home in Girdwood, Alaska in 2000. The renovations include a new garage and first floor, a two story wrap-around deck, as well as new wiring and plumbing. In 2007, VECO chief executive Bill Allen pleaded guilty to charges of extortion, bribery, and conspiracy.

The 28-page indictment alleges that Stevens "knowingly and willfully engaged in a scheme to conceal" gifts from VECO, which totaled "hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of things of value."

A press release was issued by Stevens' office in response to the allegations: "I am innocent of these charges and intend to prove that." And Stevens himself commented, "I have never knowingly submitted a false disclosure form required by law as a U.S. senator." Senator Daniel Inouye, a close friend of Stevens, commented: "As far as he's concerned, he's not guilty. And I believe him."

Stevens was reportedly caught unawares on Tuesday when the indictment charge was filed. "Apparently, the media knew about it before he did," Inouye stated, adding that he had just talked to Stevens. Ted Stevens was in a meeting with other Republicans when he found out about the charge.

Stevens is the longest-serving Republican senator in history and is up for reelection this November. Calls to his office in Washington for comment were redirected to a voicemail indicating that his "office is closed."

The United States Department of Justice says it has already obtained seven convictions in the case: Peter Kott, a former Speaker of the Alaska House of Representatives; Thomas T. Anderson, a former state representative; Victor H. Kohring, another representative; James A. Clark, chief of staff to the former governor of Alaska; William Bobrick, a lobbyist; Bill Allen, VECO chief executive; and Richard L. Smith, VECO vice president of government relations.