Two Alaska politicians facing federal indictments for their ties to a defunct oil field services company were subjects of court proceedings nearly 3,500 miles apart Monday.

In Anchorage, state Sen. John Cowdery, 78, pleaded not guilty to federal counts of bribery and conspiracy. He’s accused of trying to bribe a fellow state senator with $25,000 in VECO Corp. money.

Cowdery is a three-term state senator not seeking re-election. Cowdery has been absent from the Legislature much of the last year, citing poor health. He was pushed into court in a wheelchair by his attorney, Kevin Fitzgerald.

Neither Cowdery nor Fitzgerald commented after the hearing. His trial was set for Oct. 6.

Meanwhile, in Washington, D.C., prosecutors argued that the trial for U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, should be tried in the nation’s capital because that is “where the crimes were committed,” according to a Justice Department court filing.

Stevens, the longest-serving Republican in Senate history, has been charged with seven counts of failing to disclose on congressional forms more than $250,000 in repairs to his Alaska home and gifts from former VECO chief executive Bill Allen.

Stevens is trying to have the trial moved to Anchorage, where he might face a more sympathetic jury.

His attorneys argue that holding the September trial in Washington would be a hardship on Stevens, who is in the midst of a re-election campaign.

A judge is scheduled to take up the venue question Aug. 20, six days before the Alaska primary election.

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Associated Press writer Steve Quinn in Juneau contributed to this report.