Posted on 11/28/2005 11:50:36 AM PST by standingfirm
SAN DIEGO — Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham pleaded guilty Monday to conspiracy and tax charges involving the sale of his home two years ago to a defense contractor at an inflated price.
Admitting to a judge that he took bribes, Cunningham entered pleas in U.S. District Court to charges of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud and tax evasion for underreporting his income in 2004.
Cunningham, 63, and his wife, Nancy, used the proceeds from the $1,675,000 sale to defense contractor Mitchell Wade to buy a $2.55 million mansion in ritzy 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.
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.
Cunningham, an eight-term congressman, announced in July that he wouldn't seek re-election next year. The former Vietnam War flying ace is known on Capitol Hill for his interest in defense issues and his occasional temperamental outbursts.
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
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Or vice versa.
"Even as a college kid, every one knew that he was something special. He gave a speech once on how important HONOR is for a military officer that I still remember. "
I think we are on to something. This means that the Ace pilot in Vietnam is not actually the Cunningham that he should be, but the Cunningham that he is not. In other words, if Alice will not sit next to Betty on the bus, but will sit next to Charlie, then where does Daphne sit? In more other words, a manchurian candidate mole went to USC, and Mr. Missouri should have been the actual Ace. "Paging Mr. Ludlum, Paging Mr. Ludlum." These are high stakes, my friends. In in about thirty years, both Calif and Missouri will be vying for memorial location rights for the memory of the Duke'ster.
FReepers, support Howard Kaloogian for this vacant seat.
Howard is a Republican who served in the state Assembly, launched the Recall Gray Davis Committee, and founded Move America Forward, a pro-troops organization. He is an ACTIVIST. We need ACTIVISTS. Website:
www.kaloogianforcongress.com
Sniff, sniff...
Here, kitty, kitty, kitty...
IBTZ
"We need ACTIVISTS"
We need another warrior instead of another opportunistic, slick pol. Nothing against this Culligan man, don't know a thing about him. Too tired to google.
His name is Cunningham, not Culligan. I guess you just clicked onto this thread without reading the article, but saw fit to comment(?). FYI, Cunningham is a POS arrogant scumbag politician. I don't give a damn that he was once a war hero and ace pilot. He's a corrupt s.o.b. and has hurt his party while helping the dems and their rant that Republicans are corrupt. Cunningham should serve the rest of his days behind bars.
Actually I meant the Kaloogian guy. Curiosity got the best of me so I looked. Nothing about his family life though, and that usually throws up my "Gaydar". Is he married? Kids? Or is he one of those closet homosexual Republicans? No meaness intended. Just curious. I respect Dobson who endored him, so maybe the guys alright.
I am baffled. I am getting old, but this is nuts. Going to have to find the box with my old Navy stuff. I`m truely baffled
>>Going to have to find the box with my old Navy stuff. I`m truely baffled
Well, let me know what you find. You had me scratchin' my head too!
Slick pols are not activists.
And if you're too tired to Google, or to spell Mr. Kaloogian's name with even approximate correctness,
you're certainly too tired to insinuate that he might be gay. Go to sleep and try again tomorrow, Mr. Jet.
Go to sleep and try again tomorrow, Mr. Jet.
Tomorrow is here!
Interesting. When questioned directly on a potentially explosive issue, you dodge and parry, rather than refute. Again, do you have any specific information on his personal life that you can provide? Such as married life? Kids? Businesses ran? Hobbies? His website provides none of this. And you are doing him, and us, a diservice in promoting a talking head without personal and professional credentials. And I'm not talking about just the state house. A porn star could get elected to a seat in california.
[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.]
It would be wonderful if ALL POLITICIANS TAKING BRIBES ANSWERED YES, YOUR HONOR and retired immediately. Perhaps up to 75% or more of Federal senators gone and many in the House.
The taking of bribes turns the heart.
Oh please. Our congressmen and women are paid paltry wages. I'd like to see any of the pious and unforgiving here live on their salaries and maintain their lifestyle and expenses.
If I was a betting woman, I'd conservatively wager that 95% of them have taken money at some time during their careers. I guarantee those that weren't born wealthy have done it and those that were have a different set of mores from having money thrown at them all their lives.
What some of you fail to realize is that if he were a democrat, then this would be acceptable and understandable. Since he is a pubbie, it is an excuse to bring him and our party down.
Remember this the next time Congress talks about giving themselves raises or when you mark NO on your ballot for your state legislature to get a raise.
Yeah. Cunningham, on his Congressman's salary, couldn't afford a Rolls-Royce, a yacht, silver candlelabras, two antique commodes and that whole list of loot printed by AP yesterday. Boo hoo. If that's what it takes to "maintain lifestyles and expenses" in DC, then the entire place needs to be swept out top to bottom.
Right now it's the Republicans controlling the Defense Committees and Subcommittees and handing out the sweetheart no-bid contracts, and then not exercising oversight. So it's Cunningham that had the opportunity, because he had the power.
Anyone who would sell out American defense - the stuff we buy, with our tax dollars, to keep this country safe - deserves no sympathy. And whether it's a Democrat or Republican really doesn't matter. If it happened, if the guy is a crook, let the chips fall where they may.
You forgot the sarcasm tag.
Republicans shouldn't defend this guy...ever.
It is what it is...
Anyone catch Illinois (D) Rep. Baileys conviction? It was on Yahoo for like 5 minutes. It never mentioned her party 1 time and then, when I went back to link it, it was already off the headline.
Animals.
Anyone who would sell out American defense - the stuff we buy, with our tax dollars, to keep this country safe - deserves no sympathy.
A great point, and one that bears repeating.
Everyone who keeps repeating "But Duke's a War Hero!" seems to want to forget that he sold out the troops to line his own pockets. Disgraceful.
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