Ted Stevens

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee released a new radio ad Monday tying U.S. Sen. Gordon Smith (R-Pendleton) with U.S. Sen. Ted Stevents (R-Alaska), who was indicted last week on charges of concealing hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of improper gifts.

U.S. Sen. Gordon Smith's political action committee gave money to indicted U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) three weeks after it became public knowledge that Stevens was under investigation by the FBI, according to Federal Election Commission files.

U.S. Sen. Gordon Smith (R-Pendleton) will give the money donated to his campaign by U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) to charity, according to Smith campaign spokeswoman Lindsay Gilbride. Gilbride did not elaborate as to which charity the money would go to.

House Speaker and U.S. Senate candidate Jeff Merkley (D-Portland) called on Sen. Gordon Smith (R-Pendleton) to return the $39,000 in campaign donations that he has received during his political career from Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), who was charged with bribery on Tuesday.