Watchdog group wants Cunningham off committees

14 Sep 2005 // Citing national security concerns, a Washington D.C.-based governmental watchdog group called Common Cause will issue a formal call Tuesday for Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham to step down from his position on two powerful defense related subcommittees, a spokeswoman for the California arm of that organization said Monday.

Cunningham is the target of a federal grand jury investigation and faces accusations from federal prosecutors for allegedly demanding a bribe from a Washington defense contractor in exchange for steering business to the company.

At the heart of the grand jury investigation is Cunningham's 2003 sale of his Del Mar Heights home to the owner of defense contractor MZM, Inc. for a price that apparently was hundreds of thousands of dollars above market rate.

While Cunningham has acknowledged that he showed "poor judgement" in that transaction, he has continued to say he has not done anything illegal or unethical.

Common Cause officials said they plan to send letters to the congressman, the House Ethics Committee and several members of Congress today calling for the eight-term congressman and former Navy ace pilot to give up his jobs on the House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and as chairman of that committee's Subcommittee on Terrorism, Analysis and Counterintelligence, said Kathay Feng, executive director for California Common Cause. The group is the state arm of the national organization.

"Our concern is that decisions made that affect the safety of our troops are based on intelligence and not personal benefits," Feng said Monday. She added that Common Cause will also call on the House Ethics Committee to investigate Cunningham.

Feng added that Cunningham's legal entanglements make it impossible for him to focus on the nation's security.

"It is absolutely imperative that ... a new committee member be found who can spend their time focused on intelligence and the defense of our country," Feng said.

A spokeswoman for Cunningham said Monday she wasn't surprised that Common Cause is attacking Cunningham and called the group a partisan organization.

"It's a little ironic that a left-wing organization like Common Cause is suddenly concerned about the security of this nation," said Cunningham Chief of Staff Harmony Allen.

Feng, however, steadfastly defended her organization as being nonpartisan.

"We certainly don't discriminate when it comes to scrutinizing elected officials ... regardless of the party," Feng said.

Allen said that if the group's concern was genuine, and not just a political attack, "they would want Duke Cunningham right where he has been for the last 36 years: dedicating himself to the defense of this nation," she said. "Duke has stated repeatedly that he has done nothing wrong; this is America and you are innocent until proven guilty and no charges have been brought."

On July 14, the 63-year-old lawmaker announced that he would not seek re-election to his 50th District seat.