Inquiry Launched on Cunningham Abuses (by GOP?)

http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-na-duke1dec01,1,5398397.story?coll=la-news-a_section&ctrack=1&cset=true

Inquiry Launched on Cunningham Abuses (by GOP?)
The House Intelligence Committee will study whether contracts were steered to companies favored by the disgraced former congressman.

By Greg Miller, Times Staff Writer


WASHINGTON — The House Intelligence Committee plans to investigate whether former Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham, who pleaded guilty this week to bribery and tax evasion, abused his position on the panel to steer contracts to favored companies, the committee's chairman said Wednesday.

Rep. Peter Hoekstra (R-Mich.) said the committee would examine whether Cunningham had influenced spending on classified programs to benefit companies that offered him bribes, as well as whether he had used his access to classified information to give such companies an advantage.

"He's pleaded guilty to some very, very serious charges," Hoekstra said in a telephone interview. "At this point, he no longer gets the benefit of the doubt. We now need to look at worst-case scenarios."

The inquiry by the panel opens a new front in the effort to determine the scope of Cunningham's influence-peddling, which already ranks among the most brazen crimes in recent congressional history. <snip>

If the kid (Repukes) digs through enough of the manure (bribes to Republicans), he's bound to find a pony (bribed Democrat) somewhere in the room . . .

Paraphrasing one of Ronald Reagan's favorite old sayings . . .