Posted on 11/28/2005 9:58:09 AM PST by SoFloFreeper
SAN DIEGO (AP) -- Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham has pleaded guilty to conspiracy and tax evasion charges involving the sale of his home.
Yeah, right...
I don't like the idea of Pelosi and Reid as leaders. But look at it this way. It ASSURES NO HILLARY in 2008. There is NO WAY this country will elect Hillary to go with a Democratic Congress. And as much as I dislike the idea of a Democratic Congress, let's face it, The Pubbies have blown it by being wimps.
I'm pretty sure you meant to say Rahm (I Used To Be A Senior Advisor To Bill Clinton) Emanuel. When it comes to corruption, that resume line pretty much tops anything else.
Whenevery somebody misuses the word "greed", I get angry. Many feel that "greed" is the desire to accumulate personal wealth. I disagree.
I think "greed" can only exist when a person puts aside moral tenants in order to achieve that wealth/power.
Here is a good example :(
OK. I didn't view that as a flip so much as a petard-hoisting.
what was the conspiracy charge? same as the tax charge? Is it illeagle to conspire to sell you home to a buyer willing to pay a higher price? Having said that, I think the term hero is overused - except in this case.
what was the conspiracy charge? same as the tax charge? Is it illeagle to conspire to sell you home to a buyer willing to pay a higher price? Having said that, I think the term hero is overused - except in this case.
local radio just interrupted Rush to play Duke's emotional press conference. He is a good man ;(
CNBC reporting he's resigned. Good riddance and hope he and his wife do a lot of time.
Fox radio news also says resigned.
Calif. Congressman Admits Taking Bribes
By ELLIOT SPAGAT, Associated Press Writer
SAN DIEGO - Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham pleaded guilty Monday to conspiracy and tax charges, admitting taking $2.4 million in bribes in a case that grew from an investigation into the sale of his home to a wide-ranging conspiracy involving payments in cash, vacations and antiques.
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.
Cunningham, an eight-term Republican congressman, announced in July that he wouldn't seek re-election next year. But it was not immediately clear whether he hoped to keep his seat for the remainder of the current term. He planned to address reporters at a news conference later in the morning.
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 lose his chairmanship of the House Intelligence subcommittee on terrorism and human intelligence.
The former Vietnam War flying ace is known on Capitol Hill for his interest in defense issues and his occasional temperamental outbursts.
After the hearing, Cunningham was taken away for fingerprinting. He will be released on his own recognizance until a Feb. 27 sentencing hearing. He could receive a maximum sentence of 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 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.
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.
Also, FRN says it was several million in bribes which is more than just the sale of that house. Oh, Duke, you forgot Shephard's Prayer (Alan, that is).
Tip of the iceberg.
Noe was a pawn. He'll rat on everyone in the loop. It could be ugly.
A few weeks ago the History Channel had a show on famous dogfights and this encounter was one of the featured ones. They did a good job of going into detail about it.
Corrupt politician,most of them are
Duke didn't do anything that every single last congress critter hasn't or doesn't do. The whole instituion is corrupt. "bribery"? Hell, every single last corporqate "contribution" is a bribe for something and every congress critter takes such bribes.
IMO this guys military record is what it is and so is this. One cannot excuse the other and, in fact, his military record makes this all the more egregious.
He's an idiot. Good grief.
What about the Duke of Earl?
This country voted for Bill Clinton with a dem congress already in place.
There is also no conservative candidate out there right now that is electable.
We might get the presidency with a mccain/guliani ticket but that could cause trouble.
McCain would give in to a lot of what pelosi and reid wanted. So the only way to stop garbage legislation is to stop pelosi and reid.
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