In an email sent to reporters last night by Ted Stevens's spokesman, Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii) made a statement that Stevens would not be tossed out of the Senate due to his conviction:

“As the Senate has done in every other instance in its long 220-year history, I am absolutely confident that Ted Stevens will be sworn into the Senate while he appeals this unjust verdict,” said Senator Inouye. “I am certain that this decision in Washington, D.C., will be overturned on appeal.”

McCain and Palin have called on Stevens to resign. Stevens believes that he should be able to retain his seat as long as he is appealing his case, but Harry Reid responded to Inouye's remarks by emphatically stating that Stevens would be tossed out of Congress by his fellow senators if the voters don't do so on Tuesday: "While I respect the opinion of Sen. Inouye, the reality is that a convicted felon is not going to be able to serve in the United States Senate.... As precedent shows us, Sen. Stevens will face an ethics committee investigation and expulsion, regardless of the appeals process."