CREW DISCOVERS BENEFACTOR FOR EMBATTLED REP. CUNNINGHAM NEVER FILED REQUIRED LOBBYING DISCLOSURE FORMS

17 Jun 2005 // Washington, DC – Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) called for a Member of Congress to file a complaint with the House Ethics Committee requesting an investigation into San Diego Representative Randy “Duke” Cunningham’s (R-CA) relationship with defense contractor Mitchell Wade and Wade’s firm MZM, Inc.

First, it was discovered that Cunningham sold his house at a vastly inflated value to Wade. Next came the revelation that, in Washington, Cunningham is living aboard a 42-foot yacht, named the “Duke Stir,” owned by Wade. This was followed by news reports that Cunningham has supported Wade and MZM in efforts to win Pentagon contracts, that MZM and Wade have donated at least $20,000 to political action committees associated with Cunningham, and that Cunningham is involved with charities that have ties to MZM.
In addition, CREW has now discovered that despite apparently lobbying both Rep. Cunningham and Rep. Virgil Goode (R-VA) extensively (and very successfully) for years, MZM never filed a Lobbying Disclosure Act registration statement. The Charles Group, however, registered to lobby on MZM's behalf on February 5, 2005.

“All of this makes it imperative for the House Ethics Committee to begin an investigation into Cunningham’s conduct,” Melanie Sloan, executive director of CREW said today.

Without a complaint filed against Cunningham, however, the Ethics Committee is under no obligation to conduct an investigation. CREW would file such a complaint, but the House prohibits anyone other than a Member of the House from doing so. Cunningham can now be added to the growing list of Members – i.e. Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-TX) and Rep. Bob Ney (R-OH) – whose egregious conduct has failed to elicit either an ethics complaint or an ethics investigation.

“So far, despite all of the bluster on ethics, no Member of Congress – on either side of the aisle – has shown the courage to actually file an ethics complaint,” Sloan said. “A properly filed complaint would force the gridlocked ethics committee to act because House rules require the Committee to take action within 45 days after a complaint has been filed. Americans deserve accountability from the People’s house. We implore the House Leadership to live up to their moniker and lead.”
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CREW drafted the complaint against Tom DeLay, filed by former Congressman Chris Bell, for which DeLay was admonished last year.

For more information, please visit www.citizensforethics.org or contact Naomi Seligman at 202.588.5565/press@citizensforethics.org.

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) is a non-profit, progressive legal watchdog group dedicated to holding public officials accountable for their actions.