Guilty Plea by Randy Cunningham.

[yeartolate]

Rep. Randy Cunningham pleads guilty

WASHINGTON (AP) - Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham pleaded guilty to conspiracy and tax violations after an investigation of the California Republican's home sale.

Cunningham has been under investigation since his sale of his home to a defense contractor at an apparently inflated price in 2003 attracted the attention of federal investigators.

He made his plea known at a hearing in federal court in San Diego on Monday.

Cunningham, 63, is an eight-term congressman and Vietnam War flying ace.

In November 2003, he sold his Del Mar, Calif., home to defense contractor Mitchell Wade for $1,675,000. Wade put the house back on the market and sold it after nearly a year for $975,000 - a loss of $700,000 in one of the nation's hottest housing markets.

Cunningham and his wife, Nancy, used the proceeds from the sale to buy a $2.55 million mansion in ritzy Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.

Wade also let Cunningham live rent-free on his yacht, the Duke Stir, at the Capital Yacht Club. His firm, MZM Inc., donated generously to Cunningham's campaigns.

Around the same time, MZM was winning valuable defense contracts at a time when Cunningham sat on the House Appropriations subcommittee that controls defense dollars. In 2004 the little-known company based in Washington, D.C., tripled its revenue and nearly quadrupled its staff, according to information posted on the company Web site.

Though he denied wrongdoing when he announced in July that he wouldn't seek re-election, Cunningham himself acknowledged that the sale didn't look good.

I would like to see serious jailtime (no fluffy minimum security places either) for our representives that abuse their power in such a way (yes, republican or democrat)

These indivduals make a mockery of our government and should pay a very high price.

 

[yeartolate]

Well he just resigned from office. Apparantly he can get up to 10 years.

He sat on the committee that controlled our defense spending --- and the company who was involved in this was winning valuable contracts. 10 years just isn't enough. This shouldn't be accepted as "just playing politics".

 

[Tigger_Magic]

While I am all for extracting an appropriate "pound of flesh" from corrupt & convicted politicans, I believe that Cunningham's punishment is more than appropriate. He's resigned from Congress; has and will continue to suffer some public humiliation; will probably go to prison for some period of time (probably not the full 10 years) -- however, at 63 any length of prison time will be tough to serve. He also forfeits to the government his Rancho Santa Fe home, more than $1.8 million in cash, antiques and rugs. Losing one's home, cash, possessions, job and eventually freedom -- I think it's a good start on paying his debt for the crimes committed.

 

[yeartolate]

Sorry, don't buy it. He was on a very sensitive committee and he took the bribes to influence the outcome.

There has to be a serious penalty that may serve as a dettererance to other officials.

I am tired of the corruption and cronyism that is prevalent in our politics.

 

[dwbakerjr]

Wow... Even tho at age 63 (I'm 61, and still slaving away at my keyboard) a ten year sentence is hard to 'serve', the pile of evidence and witnesses against this guy must have been overwhelming for him to give up all his money, his home, his boats, many valued possessions, and publicly admit wrongdoing... wuff... I wonder if the freedom-of-information laws will allow the public to ever get af ull persepective of what influence he was actually peddling, and for how long..?

 

[Tigger_Magic]

Sorry, don't buy it. He was on a very sensitive committee and he took the bribes to influence the outcome.

There has to be a serious penalty that may serve as a dettererance to other officials.

I am tired of the corruption and cronyism that is prevalent in our politics.

If losing one's job, home, money, possessions, reputation, and freedom is not a serious enough penalty, then what is? Maybe institute the death penalty for taking bribes?

 

[CapeCodTenor]

No arguments here. The man did something wrong he should pay for it.

 

[bimshire]

I say thow the book at the scum.

 

[yeartolate]

If losing one's job, home, money, possessions, reputation, and freedom is not a serious enough penalty, then what is? Maybe institute the death penalty for taking bribes?

I didn't say that.

He isn't going to lose those possessions. To lose them is to say they were his legally to begin with. He isn't "losing his job" - once he committed the crime it wasn't his to keep. Losing a home that was purchased with bribe money - get real - he got that money illegally so the house wasn't "legally" his to keep. He is losing what wasn't his.

I agree with the poster that said if he fessed up, there probably was a heap of other crimes/evidence he will be hiding by this plea. But then again, I am cynical by nature.

 

[dcentity2000]

I believe that Cunningham's punishment is more than appropriate. He's resigned from Congress; has and will continue to suffer some public humiliation; will probably go to prison for some period of time (probably not the full 10 years) -- however, at 63 any length of prison time will be tough to serve. He also forfeits to the government his Rancho Santa Fe home, more than $1.8 million in cash, antiques and rugs. Losing one's home, cash, possessions, job and eventually freedom -- I think it's a good start on paying his debt for the crimes committed.

Fully agree.



Rich::

 

[Tigger_Magic]

I didn't say that.

He isn't going to lose those possessions. To lose them is to say they were his legally to begin with. He isn't "losing his job" - once he committed the crime it wasn't his to keep. Losing a home that was purchased with bribe money - get real - he got that money illegally so the house wasn't "legally" his to keep. He is losing what wasn't his.

If you are able to delineate what items were purchased with bribe money vs. what items were purchased with money he legally earned, then you might have a point. But I doubt that is possible to do.

The bottom line is that he is suffering a serious penalty that should serve as a wake-up call to every politician everywhere. Sadly, there will be too many who believe they can (and in some cases actually will) get away with it.

 

[yeartolate]

Sorry, don't buy it. At least a major chunk was bought with the proceeds of illgotten (sp) gains. He can't "lose" what wasn't his.

I think what angers me is that we will never know how deep his corruption went. If he REALLY wants to do the USA a service he will cooperate and help expose as much corruption withing this government as we can. He could help close loopholes that encourage corruption. He could expose how and why it was so easy to do this over the course of his tenure. He can expose the companies that offer bribes. That would really help make amends. We need to get a grip on this (sorry) culture of corruption and make it a thing of the past.

Both sides are guilty and it needs to stop.