Rep. Randy “Duke” Cunningham pleaded guilty Monday to conspiracy and tax charges and tearfully resigned from office, admitting he took $2.4 million in bribes to steer defense contracts to conspirators.
In a statement, prosecutors said Cunningham admitted to receiving at least $2.4 million in bribes paid to him by several conspirators through a variety of methods, including checks totaling over $1 million, cash, rugs, antiques, furniture, yacht club fees and vacations.
“He did the worst thing an elected official can do _ he enriched himself through his position and violated the trust of those who put him there,” U.S. Attorney Carol Lam said. The statement did not identify the conspirators.
The case began when authorities started investigating whether Cunningham and his wife, Nancy, used the proceeds from the $1,675,000 sale to defense contractor Mitchell Wade to buy the $2.55 million mansion in Rancho Santa Fe. Wade put the Del Mar house back on the market and sold it after nearly a year for $975,000 _ a loss of $700,000.
Representative Cunningham is not the only member of Congress to be a recipient of MZM chief Mitchell Wade’s largesse.
FEC data reveals two other beneficiaries of the generosity of Mitchell Wade:
1. Republican Congressman Virgil Goode
2. Republican Congresswoman Katherine Harris.
The connections don’t stop there among these three ultra-conservative, no-account politicos: Virgil Goode has been connected to the nefarious doings of Jack Abramoff:
Rep. Virgil Goode (news, bio, voting record) Jr., R-Va., along with more than two dozen other members of Congress, signed a letter to Interior Secretary Gale Norton on Feb 27., 2002, that helped lobbyist Jack Abramoff’s clients. The lawmaker received about $1,000 from Abramoff, his lobbying partners and tribal clients between 2001 and 2004, all of which was sent in the period around which the letter was sent. (Associated Press, 11/17/05)
Katherine Harris took $20,000 from the Political Action Committee of Ultraconservative House Republican Tom Delay… the same PAC that the FEC found was illegally laundering money, the same PAC that was given free, undisclosed use of facilities by… Jack Abramoff!
Oh, me, oh my. Republicans and moral values? Gracious! What further news will come our way?
not THAT katherine harris? the one who ran the election in florida?
say it ain’t so!
I seem to remember some shennanigans he pulled while he was still in the navy. Guess as an administrator he makes a good pilot.
O yes, Randy. That Katherine Harris!
Watch for her to begin a slow spiral down the political drain…
Why not publish the names of Democrats guilty of the same crimes? Afraid of the truth?
You’re afraid to leave your name, as you always have been, “Hoosier Texan,” so don’t lecture me about fear.
Is there currently a Democrat in the Congress who has pled guilty to taking $2.4 million in bribes from big business in order to steer government contracts? You’ll have to pardon me, but I don’t believe I’ve come across such a story in my newspaper reading.
Anonymous,
You are so boring. I suppose you think you’re contributing something, or pointing something out. But you throw out an empty objection, then cut and run like a little baby when it becomes clear you’ve got no valid point. Gee, I bet you were just clamoring for “fair and balanced” coverage of every Republican politician who had an affair back during Clinton’s Monica Lewinsky scandal, right?
There’s no “other side” to this story. The guy admitted he took 2.4 million in bribes from corrupt defense contractors. Period.
Just for once, why don’t you stand up, have some integrity, and explain yourself? Oh, who am I kidding? You’re the guy who wants America to be defeated in Iraq just to satisfy your bloodlust for war crimes. Then when your hatred for everything America stands for is pointed out, you cut and run like a little baby. You’ve got no concept of what it means to stand up for your country or your ideals.
I know there haven’t been any Democrats (or anyone else for that matter) who have admitted taking that much money but how many others are there that might have? Is there any indication that anyone else may be taking bribes? I’m interested and you guys seem to read much more news than I find.(one of the reasons I come here to read) Remember, I’m the one who thinks we should vote out all the incumbants as a message to the buggers…straighten up and fly right!
I have heard that Byron Dorgan, a Democratic U.S. Senator, may be involved to the tune of a few thousand dollars. Just heard that today. Don’t worry, we’ll look into it — we’re liberals first, and Democrats — wait, no, I’m not even a Democrat. Right. We’re liberals first, and second, and third, and fourth, and fifth.