Stark purchases satirical ad to jab at GOP congressman

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 6/21/5 | Edward Epstein

[SmithL]

Washington -- Rep. Pete Stark, D-Fremont, pounced Monday on the ethical troubles of a fellow House member, Republican Randy "Duke'' Cunningham of San Diego County, who is under investigation for an alleged sweetheart real estate deal with a defense industry lobbyist.

"Attention Powerful Lobbyists,'' read the headline in a satirical advertisement Stark bought Monday in the online editions of CongressDaily and the Hotline, a political roundup. "House for sale by influential member of Congress."

A San Diego federal grand jury and the FBI are investigating Cunningham, who sits on the House defense appropriations subcommittee, for his sale of a home in Del Mar for $1.7 million to Mitchell Wade, president of the defense contractor MZM Inc., in 2003. The buyer resold the home in 2004 for a $700,000 loss.

Cunningham used proceeds from the sale to buy a $2.5 million home in Rancho Santa Fe.

In Washington, Cunningham lives on a yacht owned by Wade.

While Cunningham has denied doing anything wrong, Stark's ad left no doubt where he stands on the eight-term member's troubles.

Stark paid $500 for the ads aimed at Cunningham.

"From recent practices by defense contractor lobbyists, it appears that you may be able to slip a cool million to a member of Congress with little fear of ethics violations! This could be your firm's crowning achievement: a chance to line the pockets of a Democrat with $1 million,'' the ad continued.

Stark said his ad was intended as "a bit of ridicule'' to get the House Ethics Committee to investigate Cunningham.

[Niteranger68]

Their party practically owns Hollywood, yet this is the best Stark could do??? If you can't make it believable, at least make it funny. This accomplished neither.