Political Crossfire Forums

[John Galt]

Calif. Congressman Admits Taking BribesNov 28 2:59 PM US/Eastern

By ELLIOT SPAGAT
Associated Press Writer

SAN DIEGO

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.

Cunningham, 63, entered pleas in U.S. District Court to charges of conspiracy to commit bribery, mail fraud and wire fraud, and tax evasion for underreporting his income in 2004.

Cunningham answered "yes, Your Honor" when asked by U.S. District Judge Larry Burns if he had accepted bribes from someone in exchange for his performance of official duties.

Later, at a news conference, he wiped away tears as he announced his resignation.

"I can't undo what I have done but I can atone," he said.

Cunningham, an eight-term Republican congressman, had already announced in July that he would not seek re-election next year.

House Ethics rules say that any lawmaker convicted of a felony no longer should vote or participate in committee work. Under Republican caucus rules, Cunningham also would have lost his chairmanship of the House Intelligence subcommittee on terrorism and human intelligence.

The former Vietnam War flying ace was known on Capitol Hill for his interest in defense issues and his occasional temperamental outbursts.

After the hearing, Cunningham was taken away for fingerprinting and released on his own recognizance until a Feb. 27 sentencing hearing. He could receive up to 10 years in prison.

He also agreed to forfeit to the government his Rancho Santa Fe home, more than $1.8 million in cash and antiques and rugs.

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.

He drew little notice outside his San Diego-area district before the San Diego Union-Tribune reported last June that he'd sold the home to Wade.

Cunningham's pleas came amid a series of GOP scandals. Rep. Tom DeLay of Texas had to step down as majority leader after he was indicted in a campaign finance case; a stock sale by Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist is being looked at by regulators; and Vice President Dick Cheney's chief of staff was indicted in the CIA leak case.

___

Associated Press reporter Erica Werner in Washington contributed to this report.

http://www.breitbart.com/news/2005/11/28/D8E5M32OA.html

[Winchester]

I wonder how much of this type of crap goes on and goes unreported.

Time to make an example of him. :evil:

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

Lock this

[DavidXV]

Mr. Smith wrote: Lock this But yours is in news and current events and this one is in front page... therefore no conflict, it's not a dupe.

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

DavidXV wrote: Mr. Smith wrote: Lock this But yours is in news and current events and this one is in front page... therefore no conflict, it's not a dupe.

okay, nevermind.

[Classically Liberal]

Winchester wrote: I wonder how much of this type of crap goes on and goes unreported.

Time to make an example of him. :evil:

I cannot claim extensive knowledge of the National climate. But, I do know what goes on in my state legislature, and this incident is tame in comparison. Make no mistakes, democratic leaders only pursue positions to empower or enrich themselves at our expense.

[psholtz]

When do you figure George W is going to resign over taking bribes?

[Winchester]

Classically Liberal wrote: Winchester wrote: I wonder how much of this type of crap goes on and goes unreported.

Time to make an example of him. :evil:

I cannot claim extensive knowledge of the National climate. But, I do know what goes on in my state legislature, and this incident is tame in comparison. Make no mistakes, democratic leaders only pursue positions to empower or enrich themselves at our expense.

We had our former governor/lt governor buy a chunk of land on the cheap several years ago (for 1/3 of what it was purchased for 2 years prior) that she wanted real bad, happened to be from a corporation that had some issues with our legislature concerning enviromental cleanup. I don't think it came to light till after her term, but she got away with it and saw nothing wrong with what she did.

Here's a link to the story.

Link

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

psholtz wrote: When do you figure George W is going to resign over taking bribes?

He won't, he will pull some trick, and get out of it. :(

[John Galt]

Gifts Rep. Cunningham Admitted Receiving
Nov 29 10:45 AM US/Eastern
Email this story

By The Associated Press
news://newsclip.ap.org/CALI10411282021@news.ap.org


Some of the payments accepted by Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham as


detailed in his plea agreement:

_ $200,000 toward the purchase of his Arlington, Va., condominium.

_ $140,000 to a third party for the "Duke-Stir" yacht, which was moved to his boat slip for his use.

_ $16,867.13 to a marine services company for repairs to his own yacht, the "Kelly C."

_ $12,000 paid to an antique store for three night stands, a leaded glass cabinet, a washstand, a buffet and four armoires.

_ $6,632 paid to a furniture store for a leather sofa and a sleigh- style bed.

_ $7,200 paid to an antique store for a circa 1850 Louis Phillipe period commode and a circa 1830 Restoration period commode.

_ $13,500 toward the purchase of a Rolls-Royce.

_ $17,889.96 for repairs to the Rolls-Royce. (:lol:)

_ $11,393.56 paid to a moving company to ship his belongings from his Arlington condominium to his San Diego-area home.

_ $2,081.30 paid to a Washington, D.C., hotel for his daughter's graduation party.

_ $9,200 paid to a manufacturer for two Laser Shot shooting simulators.

_ $10,000 paid to various hotels, resorts and restaurants for his meals and entertainment expenses.

_ Hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash to him and a company he controlled.

_ Source: Plea agreement filed in U.S. District Court.

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

John Galt wrote:
_ $13,500 toward the purchase of a Rolls-Royce.

_ $17,889.96 for repairs to the Rolls-Royce. (:lol:)

:lol:

[rxb fan]

well, at least he's admitting it...

[norulers]

"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.

And what politician is not a crook? All politicians are lying, thieving, murdering scoundrals. There is no room for integrity and dignity in a capitalist republic where it is every man for himself at the expense of humanity and the environment. Politicians are bought daily. Many of them are major corporate stock holders and have been CEOs of multi-conglumerants; e.g.,

http://www.rense.com/general25/whoresofwar.htm