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 ...
say it aint so joe
Besides. . .'ritzy-mansion' does not really fit Rancho Sante Fe lifestyle. . .they do better than that. . .
Look, Duke was a Missouri country boy.
He was a less than stellar officer, but he could fly the ass off a Phantom. When he left the Navy, there were not a lot of people holding jobs for him.
It is a common mistake for people to assume that because someone has done something notable in the Services, that this makes them great people. (trust me, it does not)
Randy Cunningham was never a Congressman. "Duke" was a congressman, just a reputation for flying an F-4. Under those credentials, maybe the world is ready for Congressman Pukin? Duke taught me a lot. Does that make me qualified?
The MAJORITY of people in Congress, are people who could not make it in the private sector. I understand that a large percentage of them cannot even qualify for a credit card.
I know that this was probably dragged up by liberals (while they continued looking the other way on Richard Gephardt's strange accounting discrepanies) but we conservatives must stand up for honesty and demand our elected officials obey the law.
He only admitted it because he was CAUGHT! The lieing POS would still be in office today accepting bribes if he hadn't been nailed.
Cunningham and his back seater, Driscoll, were legendary in military flying circles (Vietnam aces). Duke Cunningham is a bona fide war hero, and the cheap shots here need to be tempered accordingly.
That said, I'm highly disappointed in him. I feel he let all of us former aviators, a rather proud fraternity, down. We take personal integrity very seriously. It's sad to see how the DC mindset changed a very good man. He'll pay the price.
Since you dont like Republicans or Democrats, I offer to serve as the new Philosopher King. No need for congress. No need for President. Just nominate me. I will serve at least ten times better than the third party idiots.
really?.....would you be so bold as to say the same thing about Clinton?.....if it is good enough for a Repub to make mistakes and apologize....is it good enough for a Dem.....?....no not a troll...just like it seems when our party does ssomething wrong then it is just a big mistake, but if the Dems do it....they are vile, and corrupt....
.....gotta go for both or neither.......
That wasn't a mistake--it was a CHOICE. A mistake is when I'm adding a column of numbers in my head and I add 2 plus 5 and get 8. Taking a bribe is NOT a mistake. It is corruption.
I will give him credit for this. And also that he was a good soldier and a good veteran.
Nancy Pelosi has a woody today...
There is more than money for an enticement. For some it is drugs, or women,etc. Or an offer they can't refuse like harm befalling them or their children, their wives or loved ones. -Tom
He was a corrupt congressman, but you have to give him credit for admitting it and resigning.
Nonsense. He only "admitted it" because he got caught and wanted to plea down.
A few months ago, he was proclaiming his innocence to anyone who would listen. Now, because there's something in it for him, he admits that he was a crook.
I venture to guess that as long as she was living in the lap of luxury, why ask questions. Who knows. What a way to end up in the "golden years" - totally disgraced. Sad.
It is a sad day indeed but the good news is honesty still counts, even if comes late.
Does honesty still count if it's only employed to secure a lighter sentence?
Yes, thanks. For some reason I thought it was Arab money.
The reason most people don't take bribes is NOT because they weren't offered any. The reeason most people don't take bribes is because many people have more integrity that. This bullsheet about "every man has his price" sure as hail does NOT apply to me. I'd rather sleep at night. If you believe in the relationship between the Creator and his Creation, you wouldn't say such idiotic things.
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