It seems that Senator Ted Stevens was not the only Alaskan Republican ensnared by unethical prosecutors. Thursday's stunning development:

The U.S. Justice Department this afternoon asked that two former Alaska state legislators imprisoned after convictions in public corruption cases be released, saying their trials were tainted by the failure of prosecutors to disclose favorable information.

In filings with the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, the Justice Department asked that the Pete Kott and Vic Kohring be set free while their cases are sent back to U.S. District Court, where they were convicted in 2007.

The Justice Department didn't immediately disclose what new information has come to light. But the issue is the same general problem that led to dismissal of charges against U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens in April after he was convicted on seven counts of failure to disclose gifts and services.