By Brian Hughes - Defense lawyers initiated efforts to drown out the words of a parade of plumbers, carpenters and electricians Thursday by turning to one of the most senior politicians in Washington to vouch for Sen. Ted Stevens.

Washington, D.C. - Scripps Howard Foundation Wire - infoZine - The case against the 84-year-old Republican senator, which rested Thursday, relied on lifelong Alaskans, noticeably out of their element on the witness stand more than 3,000 miles from home. In contrast, defense lawyers are handpicking witnesses from the most influential spheres, including Capitol Hill, the State Department and a nationally renowned legal firm.

Stevens' lawyers launched their case with eight-term Sen. Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii, one of 10 character witnesses they hope to call in the expected weeklong defense case. "I can assure you that his word is good as far as I am concerned," Inouye said. "It's good enough to take to the bank."

Stevens and Inouye are fellow World War II veterans and commonly refer to each other as "brother."

He was also responsible for Stevens' first noticeable smile of the trial.

Reminiscing on the pair's shifting chairmanship of the Senate Commerce Committee, the Hawaii Democrat said, "So, he's nice to me, and I'm nice to him."

Prosecutor Nicholas Marsh cross-examined Stevens' friend, seeking to have him disavow liars in the theoretical sense. "I'm not inclined to respond to hypothetical questions," Inouye said.

Marsh called the plans for 10 character witnesses excessive, saying it would become a redundant sideshow.

"They have no exhibits except a map of the state of Alaska," he said.

Stevens' legal team is pressing for an acquittal before Alaskans decide Nov. 4 whether to re-elect "Uncle Ted" for an eighth term. He is in a highly contested race with Anchorage Democratic Mayor Mark Begich.

The senator is charged with seven counts of failing to disclose $250,000 in gifts and renovations to his Girdwood, Alaska, ski home.

Inouye's testimony came after U.S. District Judge Emmet G. Sullivan rejected the defense's motion for acquittal, often a formality after the prosecution rests.

Government lawyers intended to end their case Wednesday but were given an extension to call one more witness before resting Thursday.

Former secretary of state Colin Powell was slated to testify, but with the delay, his testimony was pushed to Friday.

The defense also would like to call Washington lawyer Billy Martin, who represented Michael Vick in his dog-fighting case. Martin, an expert in white collar criminal defense work, would explain why Stevens referred to Martha Stewart in advising friends not to cover up an investigation.

Sullivan has not decided if Martin's testimony is necessary.

Dave Anderson, a VECO employee who oversaw much of the construction to the home, testified for the prosecution about how he spent up to 60 hours per week working there.

This decision came after Sullivan tossed out work logs the prosecution presented as evidence because they exaggerated the time both Anderson and fellow VECO employee Rocky Williams spent working on Stevens' home.

"The government knew the documents were lies," Sullivan said Wednesday.

Prosecutors hoped to soften that blow - and preserve credibility with the jury - by calling Anderson, the nephew of star witness Bill Allen, with whom he had a much-publicized falling out over the tycoon's ex-girlfriend.

The prosecution's message: Although Anderson's time card was inaccurate, he still spent hundreds of hours working on free renovations for the Republican senator.

Stevens' lawyer, Robert Cary, said the prosecution acted as if the sanction against them "never even happened."

He did not cross-examine Anderson, but the construction worker said he spent two weeks hanging Christmas lights at the Girdwood home and a month on a new deck.

Former VECO head Allen has said he did not give Stevens one bill because Williams and Anderson took too long to finish, inflating the final price.

The case laid out by the government was not without its hiccups.

In addition to the time log debacle, prosecutors were taken to task, even lectured, by Sullivan for sending home a subpoenaed witness without notice, not handing over pertinent interviews and failing to disclose a check for a business transaction vital to the defense.