Topeka ? The campaign of U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., said Wednesday he would give to charity nearly $20,000 in contributions he has received from indicted U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska.

Word of the decision came after Roberts’ Democratic opponent, Jim Slattery, issued a news release criticizing Roberts’ ties to Stevens and calling on Roberts to give the Stevens money to a local charity.

Stevens was indicted on Tuesday on federal charges that he concealed receiving more than $250,000 in home renovations and gifts from a powerful oil contractor that lobbied him. Stevens has said he is not guilty of the charges.

Stevens’ name has also become synonymous with the $230 million “bridge to nowhere” project in Alaska, which has been criticized by many for being a wasteful congressional earmark.

“This is precisely the reason why so many people are sick and tired of old Washington politics,” Slattery said.

“After 40 years in Washington, Roberts is willing to take money from a friend and then vote in favor of that friend’s pet project. Kansans deserve better,” Slattery said. “Kansans deserve a senator who will put their needs ahead of those in Alaska.”

Slattery called on Roberts to immediately donate to charity an amount equal to the $19,785 Roberts has received since 2001 from Stevens and his political action committee.

In a one-sentence statement Wednesday, Roberts’ spokeswoman Molly Haase said, “Yesterday, Senator Roberts instructed his campaign to donate to Kansas charities the money he has received from Senator Stevens’ leadership PAC for this race.”