Duke Pleaded Guilty to "conspiring to take bribes" AND Tax Evasion

SAN DIEGO – Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham pleaded guilty Monday morning to conspiring to take bribes in exchange for using his influence to help a defense contractor get business.

He also pleaded guilty to one count of income tax evasion.

http://www.sandiegotribune.com/news/politics/cunningham/20051128-0956-bn28duke3.html

(some of the other articles are only stressing the tax charge)

Niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiice.

It's a start.

One weasel down, so many more to go ...............

That's incredible.

That's also wonderful.

May I call you "Santa" from now on?

AWESOME!!! I was just thinking..."didn't Al Capone murder half of Chicago and they put him away for tax evasion." I hope he goes to prison!

Sorry Duke, but I love the smell of justice on a Monday in spite of your 'Top Gun' fame! You should have never left your wingman 'Integrity.'

http://patrickjfitzgerald.blogspot.com

What a patriot! What a Top Gun! What a hero!

What a louse!

Welcome to DU, Patrick. Nice handle ..........

Thanks for the warm welcome - same handle since birth ;)

prosecuting attorney?

Olaf

Welcome to DU!

I just had a look at your profile on your blog. It sounds as though you are THE Patrick Fitzgerald, the one who just indicted Scooter Libby and hopefully will indict Karl Rove (and others?) in the near future. This is assuming you're not putting us on and you're really who I think you are.

If so, WELCOME TO DU!!!! You do realize you've been one of THE heroes around here for months, don't you?

:yourock: :yourock: :yourock:

(Along with the Profile). Also, I took NO pleasure whastsoever in watching him break down and weep. But he toughed it out to the end. He apologized to family and friends for letting them down, and vowed to spend the rest of his remaining years in making amends. No excuses or alibis whatsoever.

This had to be, and I truly feel that this Nation is now on the path to recovery. But I also wish Duke Cunningham well.

pnorman

Not that I'd know, as of late.

I'd heard he was only going to plead guilty to tax evasion, but this is much, much better!

While Duke won't be the prettiest pretty-boy in federal prison, I'm sure he will "make friends" quickly. Lotsa bubbas will love to have a piece of an ace fighter pilot. Top Gun, meet Top Man.


The big, blue Sue (Sukhoi SU-27)

he's going to get a torpedo up the poop deck!


:rofl:

on the House Defense Appropriations Committee?

And when are they going to revoke the contracts of the company that bribed him?

Oh my aching sides! :rofl:

http://www.dukecunningham.org/religiousright.html

note: this site has a bit of :sarcasm:


"I’m also an stealth candidate of the radical religious right (just like the Grossmont or the old Vista school boards). I have a 100% rating from the Christian Coalition. In 2004, I snuck in a last-minute provision in the appropriations bill to transfer the Mt. Soledad Cross to the National Park Service. In 2005, I voted to order U.S. Marshals to not enforce a U.S. Court order removing a Ten Commandants display from an Indiana courthouse lawn. Who cares about the First Amendment to the Constitution (separation of church and state) or what the U.S. courts say?

Here’s a picture of me with my bud, TV evangelist Paul Crouch of Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN). He makes a bundle preaching on TV. Maybe I could do that someday and rake in some more of that heavenly dough-ray-me!

Basically, my view of people is: if they are Christian they are good, and if they are not Christian, they are bad. That’s why I support the Christian Serbs. They do commit genocide (ethnic cleansing) against their (non-Christian) neighbors, but who cares about them? After all, the Bosnians and Kosovars are Muslim and the Croats are Catholic (not real Christians). They aren’t Christian American’s like us, so let my Serbian friends “take care” of them, if you know what I mean!"

Several months ago I met a guy who used to work for TBN. He said he was fired because of his habit of chasing people around the studios with Jan Crouch's gigantic pink wigs. Bwah-ha! Is that her name -- Jan? Almost as much as her hair I love the decor of the set...everything rococo and gilded...as if Christopher Lowell went absolutely insane and had an unlimited budget. That lard-ass Hagee pisses me off though...whole shows about why God supports the war in Iraq, and how it figgers into biblical prophecy. End times, baby! End times!

pretty literally, is just nauseating.

them. It's just so camp. (Tragically ludicrous...ludicrously tragic.)

http://members.tripod.com/~anxietyny/jeezusjan.html

I nearly croaked reading it!

:)

Betraying the public trust during war-time. My, my, my. What will the punditry say about this? Probably nothing, since it's a Republican.

An aquaintence (GOP creep) sent me a LIBS are traitors note today...I then then sent this person a link and news article about Cunningham not being on his list of traitors list.

This is what the jerk sent me back (I blocked his name so he can't send me email lies anymore):

"There is a huge difference between a run of the mill crooked politician of either Party and those who sell out the country. Cunningham isn't a traitor, just a two bit crook. At least he'll be serving time in the slammer."


GOPS think Cunningham did nothing wrong. They will LIE about this till doomsday.

He pleaded guilty to taking bribes in order to get a defense contractor business. That means that he steered business to a crooked contractor who couldn't qualify any other way. War profiteering at the expense of the forces in the field isn't a very serious crime to your former correspondent? My, my, my.

Ok, we (Dems) can all agree that taxes are disproportionate. But isn't tax evasion simply stealing from the gov't? And aren't our tax dollars funding the war? So he isn't supporting our troops!!!!
2 bit, my ass.

Nothing about trust,honesty and integrity?

Nothing like this statement from July 14th which attempts to show it as a simple, well, it could appear to be crooked, but anyone that knows me...

"I fully recognize that I showed poor judgment when I sold my home in DelMar to a friend who did business with the government," Cunningham told reporters. "I should have given more thought to how such a transaction might look to those who don't know me. I have spent an entire life building a reputation of integrity and trust. It pains me beyond words that I have jeopardized your trust."

I'd like to see a shot of truth serum in his ass, to which he would then repsond..."Well, fuck...you got me. I'm as crooked as the man that walks the crooked mile. Hey what was in that shot anyway?"

Olaf

P.S. Fuck him for thinking he is better and slicker than the rest of us. Choke on it you slimy piece of shit. Go back to your constituents now and tell them how you are fighting for them Mr. "Oh so honest and indignant". Not running again? I'm a little unclear how a now confessed felon, convicted of felonies that directly relate to his job description, Gets to finish his CURRENT term, let alome have an option to ruin again? (I meant to type "run", but "ruin" actually seemed to fit better).

pay the piper, it should be noted that his replacement is likely to be another arch conservative, unless the DNC pours significant resources into the race to help Busby. They are not likely to do this because they see this area as a "safe" area for rabid fascists.

to get funding to be promoted here. I'm guessing that they will put more money into this effort now, knowing the support amongst Dems to do so, and that it is so strategic here. The Dems need a victory down here after Frye lost a hard fought battle for mayor. There are people like me that will move away to some other area where we have more representation if something doesn't "give" soon! This is our perfect opportunity. A special election should be HIGH on the Democratic Party's list to take advantage of, where you already have a designated Democratic candidate that is arguably more "incumbent" (given that she ran last time), than a split Republican field would be in an election where a plurality of votes would win.

She's got people from the Democratic Party outside this area helping her now. I talked to one of them at a party recently.

The argument in papers should be. If he doesn't resign now, and resigns after February, our district will be WITHOUT representation until 2006 election. Don't let them get away with taking away our representation as citizens here in San Diego for political purposes.

Rawstory citing AP, just now. Cunningham has resigned.

And I was like, why didn't I see this on DU? So I come back here and wham, front page. :-)

do some people have to lose their lives first?

...that I think he did a brave thing--by pleading guilty, apologizing and for feeling shame.

While his crimes, and subsequent cover-up, were inexcusable--it is hopeful and refreshing to see a politician own up to something.

For once.

Most politicians are corrupt. We can only imagine the dirty deals that happen behind our backs. What Cunningham did is probably no worse than what most of our Senators and Representatives have done.

This guy is pleading guilty. He apologized. He truly feels remorse and shame.

Not fighting these charges---and admitting his wrongdoing--was courageous in my opinion.

He could have used money and high-priced attorneys to duke this out, propagandize and try to confuse everyone. He didn't take that road and I commend him.

VERY MUCH unlike Tom Delay, this guy is taking his medicine.

:bounce: O8) It's a MIRACLE!! Call the pope!! A republican taking responsibility!! O8) :bounce:


:kick::kick::kick:

he got caught.

I tell ya he sets an example for how someone should act in his situation.

In spite of what I think of his politics, which is not much, I have to say that took some brass.

Folks, this man was once one of those with the "Right Stuff". Many may not like the Vietnam War, but his service during that conflict was most honorable. Duke and his Wizo were involved in one of the war's most famous dogfights, involving them vs North Vietnam's greatest ace. The tactics both used in that fight are considered classics and still taught at the Navy's Top Gun School.

So what makes this especially sad is just how far one man can fall.

Like I said, I don't admire his politics, but I think the courage he showed today is a glimmer of the courage he had in the skies of Indochina. He did his duty (whether we agree with it or not) back then, and he did his duty (and now will do his time) today.

Unless the right stuff was corruption, lies, and hypocrisy.

"While he was in flight school, he reportedly was almost court-martialed for illegal conduct. Cunningham denies the allegation -- spelled out in the book "Fall From Glory: The Men Who Sank the U.S. Navy" by Gregory L. Vistica -- that he illegally broke into Miramar offices to compare his personal records with those of fellow pilots. But two of his former commanding officers support the allegation.

In Vietnam, he served with valor -- his plane was shot down the day he became an ace -- yet Cunningham threatened to boycott the ceremony where he was to receive the prestigious Navy Cross. The reason: He wasn't getting a higher honor, the Medal of Honor.

As a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, he flouted the decorum of that chamber, scuffling with one congressman and challenging another to a fight, denouncing Democrats as socialists and calling homosexual soldiers "homos."

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/politics/cunningham/20050715-019-ex-navya.html

For once he did the right thing.

Who else will step down?

Bring it on.

:popcorn:

and he's about to serve a significant jail term, I don't give credit for resigning to save your colleagues from impeaching you. Resign on indictment, not after you are convicted of multiple federal felonies.

This is the rough equivalent of a convicted drunk driver giving up his license the day before the judge takes it away. it's not the honorable thing to do.

and he took a plea to avoid going to jail for double digit years, they had him dead to rights, all he did was save himself (and the taxpayers) the cost of a trial in exchange for a shorter sentence. Now, if he's willing to testify against others, I'll think about it. otherwise, no love.

I admit it. :)

I was thinking about how nice it would be if Frist and DeLay would do that same -- fess up, take responsibility and resign. I'd have alot more respect for them, although a lot more than zero isn't much.

come into play here?

By the time shrub's term ends, there will be so many rupukes needing pardons he won't know where to start. On a serious note it is up to us to keep the heat on the rupukes not to let pardons come into play. All repuke politicians should be made well aware that there will be a political cost to ANY pardons!!! TacomaMikeC

His feelings appeared genuine, rather than glib. He could barely talk past the part of his speech where he admits to disappointing his family and friends. And he actually used the "s" word! Shame. Yes, he admitted to shame, which is admitting to true guilt rather than the "appearance of guilt."

That being said, I look forward to more sincere confessions of guilt and shame from more Republicans. I can admire their back sides as they exit the political arena.

I am thankful that he chose to own up to his corruption, rather than continue to hide it. I pity him a little, but not nearly as much as I love seeing justice done.

It's easy to say oh I'm so sorry, I failed you, blah, blah, blah, once you're caught. But did he come forward and turn himself in before charges were brought? So he owned up, goodie for him. He's one step above delay, which isn't saying much.

I sure fuckin' hope so. This is corrupt slimy criminality of the lowest order. Typical of these people.

Seems like with this scale of corruption we might be able to get a seat pickup in his old district

Get behind her. We don't need a split vote here. She ran against him last election. Let the Republicans split the vote in the special election, or "duke" it out amongst themselves as to who should be "their choice" without a primary.

Sorry, just wishful thinking for the special election to come up before the end of the year! :)

What is procedure out there for this...special election, appointment by the governor?

In this case, it HAS happened, so there WILL be a special election. The Thuginator doesn't have any power in this...

The special election won't have any primaries, nor will it have any runoffs if noone gets a majority of votes. It will be really just like a "recall" so to speak in the way it has a winner take all situation. Except in this case, we have a good "designated hitter" (Busby) and don't need any others to enter the race, while the Republicans are scrambling to find someone they can rally around to get more votes than her without splitting the vote. Quite different than the governor's race where we really didn't have one to rally around, once Bustamante kind of crumbled in debates and some of his stances.

I guess one question I have is if this election might be the same one we have for runoffs of the two City Council seat elections. If there are overlaps between those areas and the 50th district (anyone know if this is the case?), then getting out the Democratic vote in those areas (since typically those seats are occupied by Democrats), might help Busby too.

http://www.sandiegotribune.com/news/politics/cunningham/20051128-1203-bn28elect.html

Process for filling Cunningham's seat




UNION-TRIBUNE

12:03 p.m. November 28, 2005

SAN DIEGO – A special election to replace Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham likely will be held in late January or early February, with a runoff, if necessary, two months later, according to the state Election Code.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has 14 days to call the election to fill the vacancy in the 50th District.

The primary election would be on the Tuesday that falls between eight and nine weeks after the proclamation is issued.

Candidates of all political parties would be on the same ballot.

If no one receives a majority of the votes cast in the primary election, a runoff among the top vote-getters of each political party would be held eight weeks later.

That makes Busby's job a lot harder. In a way, hopefully the farther right wingnut winds up second if she doesn't take a majority of votes. I think that would help her win the runoff. Hope Wyland and the "moderate" Republicans (if there really is such a thing) stay out. Just like I think Frye would have won the runoff against Francis if he'd gotten second instead of Sanders for the same reasons.

Rep. Cunningham Enters Guilty Plea, Resigns
Washington Post - 18 minutes ago
Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham (R-Calif.) pleaded guilty today to fraud, conspiracy to commit bribery and tax evasion. Shortly after entering his plea, Cunningham announced that he is immediately resigning his ...

http://blogs.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2005/11/a_rising_tide_o.html

Cunningham's resignation triggers a special election. Under California law, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) has 14 days to officially declare the seat vacant.  The special general election must be scheduled between 112 and 119 days after Schwarzenegger's original proclamation, with an open primary to be held on the eighth Tuesday before the general-election date. If no candidate secures 50 percent of the vote in the open primary, the top vote-getter from each major party advances to the general election.
Eight Republican candidates were already running to replace Cunningham next year, while 2004 nominee Francine Busby is the lone Democrat running.

your trust."

Well Boo Hoo, the only pain you'll feel is sitting in prison, everyone knows you don't give a shit about "our trust."

Just for indicted Republicans. They ought to appreciate this, seeing as how they're so in favor of more prisons.

:nopity: :nopity:

:nopity: :nopity:

or maybe we could just convert their country club to a prison to save taxpayer dollars.

Just get the hell out of Washington!!!

And he was sobbing when he made his announcement. Sob all you want Mr Cunningham, just remember YOU did all to yourself.

So Mr. Cunningham joins the same community that "Al Capone" joined. How ironic don't you think? Since the Repub party is nothing but a bunch of gangsters anyway.

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

to this cynical girlie.

The new meme....

There are Delay, Libby, the Dukester. Who's next? :rofl:

frist, rove (his days are numbered), ney, burns, and doolittle (see: http://rawstory.com/news/2005/Four_congressmembers_role_in_Abramoff_lobbying_1125.html )

how could I forget Frist and Rove and the Abramoff scandal? I guess I got too excited hearing about Cunningham. :rofl:

Boo hoo, poor me, I'm sorry I got caught.

:nopity:

He has admitted to bribery for his votes in the house. Does that not nullify all of those votes? I bet there are several bills that passed by very slim margins that should be thrown out.

Can the democrats now ask that all of his house votes be nullified?

These things don't happen in a vacuum and pols rarely act alone. Are there others tied into this - maybe at the pentagon?

:popcorn:

Or other folks working on Abramoff's case? Perhaps now that the "goods" are in on Cunningham, he can be "used" to nail the other bigger fish to fry to keep himself out of doing too much jail time.

I'm sure Katherine Harris doesn't like to hear this verdict either, as she was one of the three top recipients (Cunningham was one of them) in congress of those "bribe" contributions from MZM. I wonder if her opponent will throw a bigger cloud of suspicion on her with this conviction.

I could see Delay, Abramoff and Pentagon officials go down here.

Katherine Harris would be a bonus - and she does deserve to go down. Few on either side of the aisle would shed a tear.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2005-11-28-cunningham_x.htm

He has to give this house up. Yikes!

If we dug out all the crooked politicans, I'm sure we'd be amazed at some of the mansions. Not to mention the mansions bought by 'business' people who do the bribing.

Sheesh...makes me sick!

If you want a good laugh, just type in freerepublic.com

for those timid DUers like me?

I see a DEMOCRATIC HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES on the horizon.

and then he takes "responsibility for his actions".
If he hadn't been caught? Then what?

"Mr. Values" is looking at up to 10 years in Federal butt-slammin' prison. That's a full year in the slammer for each 10 rating points received from the Christian Coalition. Ha-Ha. What's the chances he'll rat on fellow Repuke cookie jar crooks in order to get a lighter sentence?

:D

Welcome to DU, Zambero :hi:

I guarantee you if they offered an amnesty on all congressmen and senators who have done similar, and if not all will face an in depth investigation of their affairs (financial and extra marital). 1/3 to 1/2 would resign. Both sides are corrupt in a way most of us are afraid to think about.

:)

I can't believe this is the first time these guys bribed a congressman for contracts. Shouldn't be difficult to follow the money to congressional approval of other contracts.

Will we ever know the identity of the defense contractor who bribed him? If he pleads guilty there probably won't be a trial. If theres no trial, will we ever know? Will charges to the contractor be mandatory?

I told my husband today and he wasn't surprised. My husband was TG as well (RIO), and "Duke" gave a speech to his squadron and he said his first words were: "My name is Duke Cunningham, but YOU can call me SIR." He said the whole squadron thought he was a pr**k. But he/they really liked his RIO, Willie "D".

"Near tears, crooked congressman resigns"




revenge is a dish best served cold. Thats what I heard.

It's best served with pinto beans and muffins. :D

:bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

http://dukecunningham.org/vietnam.html


True or SB'd?

How can a guy think he can keep this kind of stealing on the DL?

It's so typical with these guys! :)

This is typical repuke behavior. These guys are so drunk on their power they think they can get away with anything. They are also major hypocrits. All these Christian Coalition assholes do all this shit and then act holier than thou condemning and judging people and trying to legislate an imposed morality on others. I hope the "dukester" sings on a bunch of his fellow wing nuts.

- 1 for the rethugs!

Democrats better emphasize that the repukes are the party of corruption.

Maybe I missed it, but I thought he mainly apologized to his friends and family, the ones who were sharing his loot. Did he apologize to the public for stealing hard-earned tax money from cab drivers, store clerks and retirees?

I'd like to be compassionate, but I think this guy is mostly embarrassed and sorry that he got caught. I hope they throw the book at him.

who voted him into a position where he could abuse their trust to get himself money and his crony business.

n/t

This is a perfect example of how media reports are mostly skewed right. I bet fox news will keep this low profile. Oh ..... and also that zionist neo-con site "world net daily" will probably not even mention it. NOW....if the shoe were on the other foot {you know, the guy being a Dem instead of a Repug }, they would be falling all over themselves and waving their fingers in the air telling us how bad Dems are.

"Congressman Randy Cunningham Pleads Guilty To Tax Violations"

http://www.libertypost.org/cgi-bin/readart.cgi?ArtNum=1...

They didn't notice the bribery part! Instead, they posted a headline that is designed to conjure up images of how "it's just like how the feds couldn't really get Capone on any real crimes, so they fell back on tax evasion". ("Randy"? I thought he went by "Duke"...)

If that doesn't warm your heart, take a look at what the site's owner (who, incidentally, is a Northrup-Grummon employee) says:

"13. To: happy fun ball (#4)
There ARE no tax cheats.

Just folks smarter than most, who read and understand the law.

Goldi-Lox posted on 2005-11-28 21:42:44 ET Reply Trace"

Don'tcha just admire the hell out of those honest, hardworking, compassionate wingnuts?