Originally published December 27 2005
California Republican pleads guilty to charges of bribery
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham, R-Calif., has been found guilty of accepting bribes worth $2.4 million from defense contractors for whom he procured large government contracts through his seat on the House Appropriations defense subcommittee and the intelligence committee.
Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham, R-Calif., resigned from Congress Monday after tearfully confessing to evading taxes and conspiring to pocket $2.4 million in bribes, including a Rolls-Royce, a yacht and a 19th-century Louis-Philippe commode.
The decorated Vietnam-era fighter pilot, 63, entered his guilty plea to a federal court in San Diego and then choked up as he proclaimed: "In my life, I have known great joy and great sorrow. And now I know great shame."
His plea marks the second conviction in a week to emerge from a wave of federal investigations into the cozy � and potentially illegal � relationships between leading members of Congress and lobbyists and contractors. Former public relations executive Michael Scanlon, an associate of former lobbyist Jack Abramoff and also a former aide to Rep. Tom DeLay, pleaded guilty Nov. 21 to conspiring to bribe another congressman and other officials.
Prosecutors said Cunningham, a decorated Vietnam-era fighter pilot and eight-term House member, "demanded, sought and received" illicit payments in the form of cash, home payments, furnishings, cars and vacations from four co-conspirators, including two defense contractors, over the past five years. Cunningham served on the influential House Appropriations defense subcommittee and the intelligence committee.
The plea agreement said Cunningham must forfeit his house in Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.; $1,851,508 in cash; and a long list of furniture and carpets. Sentencing was set for Feb. 27. Cunningham faces up to five years in prison on each of the two counts he pleaded guilty to � conspiracy and tax evasion.
At a news conference after his conviction, a visibly shaken Cunningham could barely read from his prepared statement as he admitted that: "I broke the law, concealed my conduct and disgraced my high office. I know that I will forfeit my freedom, my reputation, my worldly possessions, and most importantly, the trust of my friends and family."
The investigation began in June after reports in San Diego newspapers said defense contractor Mitchell J. Wade, founder of MZM Inc., bought the congressman's house in Del Mar in late 2003 for $1.675 million � $700,000 more than he sold it for � and let Cunningham stay rent-free on his 42-foot yacht, the Duke-Stir, while in Washington.
Cunningham and his wife used the proceeds from the sale to buy a $2.55 million mansion in Rancho Santa Fe. Cunningham took actions to obtain government funding that benefited the two defense contractors and then pressured Pentagon officials to award the necessary contracts to those contractors, the government said.
It was clear from the facts stated in the criminal charges Monday that Wade was one of the four co-conspirators. The identities of the other three co-conspirators are unclear from their descriptions in the criminal complaint.
Cunningham's resignation is not likely to tilt the balance of power in the House in the short run. His district, just north of San Diego, is heavily Republican. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has 14 days from the official day Cunningham vacates his post to set a date for a special election. That election must be held within 120 days.
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