In Southern California, the scandal involving Ted Stevens sounds all too familiar.  They've seen it before:

Few San Diegans would know Sen. Ted Stevens if they saw him. But most San Diegans know all about the type of corruption the powerful Alaska Republican stands accused of. 

They've seen it all before: the persistent grasping for extra dollars; the unending demands for special treatment; the haughty indignation when challenged.

And, most of all, they are familiar with the overweening sense of entitlement that lies behind most cases of congressional corruption. They've seen it in one of their neighbors, a man they sent to Washington with high hopes and deep pride – former Rep. Randy “Duke” Cunningham.

Few members of Congress personified the culture of corruption like Randy "Duke" Cunningham.  He's serving time in federal prison, but wants George Bush to get him out.  Via TPM Muckraker:

Despite his stint in federal prison, Randy "Duke" Cunningham hasn't lost hope.

The convicted former Republican lawmaker from California has submitted a petition for a presidential pardon, according to the New York Times.

The 66-year-old inmate is about 19 months into a sentence of eight years and four months.

Following the sentencing of Brent Wilkes, today's New York Times editorial invokes the specter of Randy "Duke" Cunningham and asks the U.S. House to create a strong, functioning office for ethics. The House Ethics Committee has shown its failings by never dealing with Cunningham or the other imprisoned former member, Bob Ney. That needs to change:

At the top of the House’s agenda should be approving a proposed independent Office of Congressional Ethics as a bulwark against Mr. Cunningham’s way of doing business. While members like Mr. Cunningham and Bob Ney, Republican of Ohio, sold out the public, the House ethics committee became a separate study in scandal. It sat by mutely while Jack Abramoff, the superlobbyist, spun schemes that eroded public trust, until prosecutors had to move in.

This see-no-evil approach has to end. The proposed new ethics office would be an early warning system, with six nonpartisan appointees chosen by the two party leaders to investigate charges of lawmakers’ misconduct. Allegations that the office finds to be serious would be referred to a supposedly more rigorous ethics committee for further investigation. The new office would keep track of all of the complaints and report publicly on their final disposition.

We urge Speaker Nancy Pelosi to drive this measure to approval. It’s not perfect: the new office should have subpoena power, something anxious lawmakers are resisting. Failing that, there should be other mechanisms for providing investigative muscle.

Former Congressman Randy "Duke" Cunningham is now a federal inmate, convicted of conspiracy and tax evasion.  One of his alleged bribers was Brent Wilkes -- and Cunningham assisted prosecutors build the case against Wilkes. 

Cunningham's sentence was eight years and four months.  Today, Wilkes got a 12 year sentence: 

Brent Wilkes, the Poway defense contractor who federal prosecutors contend was the mastermind behind the largest congressional bribery scheme in history, was sentenced to 12 years in prison Tuesday.

The hearing before U.S. District Judge Larry A. Burns, was still going on early Tuesday afternoon.

Wilkes, 53, who had been free on bond, was convicted on Nov. 5 of conspiracy, bribery, fraud and money laundering in connection with the bribery scheme that brought down former Rep. Randy “Duke” Cunningham, a once highly respected war hero.

Last fall, the Wall Street Journal took an in-depth look at the earmarks in the intelligence budget often called the "black budget" because of the secrecy surrounding those expenditures. The WSJ focused on the earmarks in that budget secured by then-Rep. Jim Gibbons (R-NV).

Earmarks in that budget are no longer secret according to The Hill:

In a break with tradition, Congress has revealed close to $80 million in earmarks boosting spy technology and training as part of the 2008 defense appropriations bill.

Both the aggregate intelligence budget and intelligence-related earmarks were secret until this year. President Bush signed into law in August a bill that enacted many of the Sept. 11 commission’s recommendations, including a provision declassifying the intelligence budget total. In October, Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell said that the fiscal 2007 budget for spy agencies, excluding military intelligence, came to $43.5 billion.

Earmarks in the intelligence budget were at the center of the bribery case of former Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham:

The disclosure of member projects comes a year after former Rep. Duke Cunningham (R-Calif.) went to jail for taking bribes in exchange of directing funding to companies in the intelligence portion of the defense bill. According to media reports, the government already spends close to 70 percent of its intelligence budget on private contracts, so it is not surprising that most earmarks in the bill benefit contractors.

On the same day CREW released "Beyond DeLay,"  a stark reminder of the corruption of a  member of Congress named to our first list of the most corrupt, Randy "Duke" Cunningham, was foisted upon the U.S. House.  Thirteen members received subpoenas in a case involving Brent Wilkes.  He's on trial for alleging bribing Cunningham, who is currently in federal prison: 

"This subpoena is a mystery," said Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., who represents a district near Cunningham's. "I have no knowledge of information pertaining to the charges pending against Mr. Wilkes that would aid either the defense or the prosecution in this case."

In addition to Issa, Blunt, R-Mo., and Hastert, R-Ill., Wilkes' attorneys are seeking testimony from:

_Rep. Jerry Weller, R-Ill.

_House Intelligence Committee Chairman Silvestre Reyes, D-Texas.

_House Armed Services Committee Chairman Ike Skelton, D-Mo.

_House Appropriations defense subcommittee chairman John Murtha, D-Pa.

_California Republican Reps. Duncan Hunter, John Doolittle, and Jerry Lewis. Hunter chaired the Armed Services Committee and Lewis chaired the Appropriations Committee in the last Congress.

_Republicans Reps. Peter Hoekstra and Joe Knollenberg of Michigan. Hoekstra chaired the House Intelligence Committee in the last Congress.

_Democratic Rep. Norm Dicks of Washington.

The subpoenas from U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California were read on the House floor late Monday in accordance with House rules requiring lawmakers to inform the House speaker if they've been subpoenaed.

All the lawmakers said in notifications to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi that after consulting with House attorneys they had decided not to comply with the subpoena.

Former Congressman Randy "Duke" Cunningham is back in his old district these days.  But, he's incarcerated and wearing a prison jumpsuit.  The San Diego News-Tribune reports that Cunningham is aiding prosecutors on the cases of three of his former associates: 

Cunningham arrived Sunday night in the custody of federal prison authorities, wore an orange jumpsuit and was placed in a fifth-floor special segregation unit in the downtown federal jail.

Law enforcement sources said Cunningham was brought to San Diego from a prison in Tucson, where he has been serving his sentence of eight years and four months, for follow-up interviews with federal prosecutors.

The prosecutors are preparing for three trials of Cunningham's alleged co-conspirators: Poway defense contractor Brent Wilkes, former CIA official Kyle “Dusty” Foggo, and New York mortgage broker John Michael.

Cunningham is expected to remain in San Diego until prosecutors are certain they no longer need his help to prepare for the trials, according to federal law enforcement sources who requested anonymity because they are not supposed to speak publicly about ongoing investigations.

His presence should not be interpreted to mean he has cooperated enough to earn a reduction in his sentence, the sources said.

It also looks like another former colleague, who has also pleaded guilty to charges stemming from the Cunningham scandal, is helping out prosecutors:

In a separate development, Cunningham co-conspirator Thomas Kontogiannis also made an appearance in San Diego yesterday. Kontogiannis, a New York developer, pleaded guilty in a secret proceeding in February to laundering $1.1 million in bribe money for Cunningham.

He was downtown for an interview with federal probation officials and to go through a formal booking procedure at the U.S. Marshals Office. Last month, Judge Larry Burns ordered Kontogiannis to do both, court records show.

Kontogiannis also is cooperating with prosecutors in the upcoming trials. He declined to comment when approached outside the federal courthouse yesterday.

 

Former Congressman Randy "Duke" Cunningham is serving in time in federal prison for conspiracy and tax evasion. According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, in talks with federal investigators, Cunningham "described a level of corruption on his part more extensive than previously known." What we knew was pretty bad, but it was worse:

According to an 11-page FBI summary of the sessions, obtained by Copley News Service, Cunningham was very much the initiator of his corrupt actions, demanding bribes, accepting envelopes with cash and displaying an insatiable appetite for more money, more cars, more drink, more fine food and more expensive goods.

Cunningham's answers are bad news for Brent Wilkes, president of Poway-based ADCS Inc., who is fighting bribery charges against him. They set the stage for what could be a dramatic courtroom showdown between the former North County congressman and his longtime benefactor.

Wilkes faces 30 counts in two separate indictments, including charges that he gave Cunningham $600,000 in gifts and cash in exchange for Cunningham's help in getting more than $80 million in defense contracts. Wilkes' two trials are expected to occur this fall. The government has not said if it will bring Cunningham back to San Diego to testify.

Cunningham was able to promote defense contracts for favored companies through the use of legislative “earmarks,” provisions lawmakers could slip anonymously into spending bills without debate, discussion or disclosure that benefit interests in their districts or their political supporters Wilkes has said a $100,000 payment he made to Cunningham in 2000, was not a bribe, but instead was to purchase Cunningham's river yacht, the Kelly C.

“Cunningham said that there was never a sale,” said the FBI report. “Cunningham stated that he and Wilkes created the cover story of a boat sale to explain, if anyone ever found out and asked, his receipt of $100,000 from Wilkes.” Cunningham told investigators that Wilkes fully understood that there would be “no actual change in ownership” of the yacht. The two men agreed to divide the $100,000 into two checks because both “felt that the smaller checks might be less noticeable.”

The documents show that Cunningham had first asked Wilkes for $550,000.

“Wilkes said no to the $550,000 but then countered with an offer of $100,000 if Cunningham would ensure that the support and earmarks would continue to happen. Cunningham promised Wilkes that he would 'fight like hell' for Wilkes/ADCS.”

The FBI report made the point that Cunningham was clear about the quid pro quo:

“Cunningham stated that, by 2000, he had already been receiving numerous benefits from Wilkes that included such things as vacation trips, liquor, cash/maintenance money . According to Cunningham, in return for these benefits, he had been helping Wilkes/ADCS in their efforts to secure government contracts.”

Hat tip to TPM Muckraker for the link to the article. Their post is titled "Cunningham: I'm a LIar and a Crook."

Scathing analysis of the intimidation tactics used by Alaska's Congressman, Don Young, by columnist Froma Harrop.   It's the bullying behavior in Young that draws comparisons to the now-imprisoned Randy "Duke" Cunningham.  And, it's surely no way to run Congress:

Republicans hardly have a lock on corruption in Washington, but they do seem to hold the patent on an especially brazen breed of dodgy politician. This is the official who combines devious dealing with abusive behavior. Alaska Rep. Don Young seems to fit the mold, as did former California Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham, now doing jail time for bribery, fraud and tax evasion.

Sellers of the public interest tend to be amiable fellows, who, upon sensing they've gone too far, back off. But a certain type revels in pushing the limits for all to see. The bully stuff is to scare off critics. And the more blatant the self-dealing, the better. Its in-your-face quality suggests awesome power that can't be touched.

Young was a father of the infamous $200 million "bridge to nowhere" in Alaska. It's a ludicrous waste of the taxpayer money, but something that an Alaska pol could justify as pork. No such veil covers his efforts to ram a controversial highway interchange down the throats of Floridians.

Yesterday, House MInority Leader John Boehner demonstrated the new-found outrage of his caucus on the issue of ethics.  Boehner really wants an ethics investigation of Rep. Jefferson.  Now, keep in mind, there were no ethics investigations of former GOP Representatives Randy "Duke" Cunningham and Bob Ney.  But Boehner wants more -- now:

The Republican resolution called for the ethics committee to investigate Jefferson, who was indicted Monday on 16 counts of bribery and corruption. The resolution, which specifically called on the committee to look into whether Jefferson should be expelled, passed 373-26. Also, 13 members, including members of the ethics committee, voted “present.”

Republicans stressed that Democrats had not renewed the ethics subcommittee investigating Jefferson since taking power five months ago. They noted that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) prevented the subcommittee from being named because she did not select potential members for investigative subcommittees until Tuesday – after Jefferson was indicted.

“It’s somewhat of a sad state of affairs that this committee wasn’t formed until today and it took this indictment to get this subcommittee named,” said House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio).

It's somewhat of a sad state of affairs that the Ethics Committee hasn't done anything for years.  Therein lies the bigger problem.  And, even now, it takes an indictment for the Ethics Committee to launch an investigation.