Reactions to the new Vanity Fair article detailing the Republican storm of corruption swirling around defense contractors Brent Wilkes and Mitchell Wade have tended to focus on the flamboyantly, stupidly, obviously corrupt Republican Representative Randy “Duke” Cunningham.
But I was most interested to read of a connection between MZM and North Carolina and Virginia Republicans Elizabeth Dole and Virgil Goode:
“Absolutely, it was very secretive,” Cynthia Bruno Wynkoop, who worked at MZM from 2001 until 2004, tells me. In fact, a lot of the work done by the firm was very secretive as well. Wynkoop, a lawyer, was hired out to work in Arlington, Virginia, on the Pentagon’s Counterintelligence Field Activity (CIFA), with computer systems processing specific data. “Yes, you could call it data mining,” she says.
She was troubled by her boss, though. “Of course, I was pressured to give money to certain candidates—everyone was,” says Wynkoop. “[North Carolina Republican senator] Elizabeth Dole and [Virginia Republican] representative Virgil Goode—they were highly recommended.” (Goode’s rural district is the site of an MZM facility.) “Wade would make remarks and let you know.” She says she ended up giving $1,000 to the company PAC and $500 to each candidate. Indeed, Wade would eventually inform prosecutors, he not only pressured employees to make political contributions, in violation of federal election laws, but also illegally repaid some—in cash.
Now, why would MZM boss Mitchell Wade pressure his employees into sending campaign contributions to Elizabeth Dole and Virgil Goode? We know Virgil Goode did MZM some big, big favors. Did Senator Dole engage in a similar quid pro quo? No, of course not. Wade was just charmed by Dole and Goode’s thoughtful Christmas cards.
