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Republican Sleaze on Parade
Topic Started: Jun 26 2005, 03:40 AM (337 Views)
QuirtEvans
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I Owe It All To John D'Oh
Congressman investigated for home sale

Saturday, June 25, 2005; Posted: 8:03 p.m. EDT (00:03 GMT)

SAN DIEGO, California (AP) -- U.S. Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham has a reputation for both brashness and emotion.

The tough-talking former Navy "Top Gun" fighter pilot once said that President Clinton's anti-war activities during the Vietnam War would result in being "tried as a traitor and even shot" if he had lived in another country. He has also unleashed nasty attacks on political opponents and cried during speeches.

But he was nearly silent for almost two weeks after the story broke this month that he had sold his house for nearly $1.7 million to a campaign contributor and close friend -- whose company was enjoying a rush of new business with the Pentagon.

Federal authorities are now investigating the sale. Although any prosecution would be difficult, the scandal has been front page news in Cunningham's wealthy northern San Diego County district and could threaten his 15-year congressional career.

Cunningham, 63, conceded Thursday in a written statement that he showed "poor judgment" in selling his home to longtime friend Mitchell Wade in November 2003.

Wade, the head of a small defense firm called MZM Inc., bought the home in the wealthy coastal community of Del Mar for $1.675 million. He then put the house back on the market and it sold for $975,000. His $700,000 loss amounted to a 60 percent drop in the home's value during a period when the average San Diego County home price increased 25 percent.

Around the same time, little-known MZM started making lists of the nation's most successful defense contractors. Its revenues tripled last year, according to the company Web site, and Wade described the growth as "exponential."

MZM had $65.5 million of contracts for intelligence-related defense work in fiscal 2004, ranking it No. 38 on the Pentagon's list. The company, founded in 1993, opened offices across the country and established a presence in Iraq, fielding a small team of interpreters shortly after the invasion.

At the same time, Wade and his firm were giving increasing amounts of campaign cash. According to PoliitcalMoneyLine.com, Wade and MZM gave at least $35,000 to Cunningham and his and his political action committees since 2000.

Cunningham is a member of the House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, both of which oversee the kind of classified intelligence work that Washington-based MZM does for the military. The congressman noted that he lacks authority to award contracts, though lawmakers can influence who gets them.

Cunningham said he had mentioned he might sell his house at the same time MZM was expanding in the San Diego area. MZM intended to use the house as an office and corporate housing until it could find a more secure site, Cunningham said.

Selling the Del Mar home helped Cunningham buy a $2.55 million seven-bath mansion in Rancho Santa Fe, which census data rank as the nation's wealthiest community of at least 1,000 households. Last week, a group of 25 protesters gathered at the end of his palm-lined driveway, shouting accusations that the congressman accepted bribes.

After The San Diego Union-Tribune broke the story June 12, the normally voluble Republican hid behind vague denials of wrongdoing, insisting he was an exemplary citizen who "never even smoked a marijuana cigarette."

"I would never put the interests of a friend or contractor above the interests of my country," he said.

On Thursday, Cunningham said there was also nothing improper about living while in Washington on Wade's yacht, the "Duke-Stir," an apparent reference to Cunningham's nickname. Cunningham said that instead of rent, he has paid at least $13,000 to cover dock fees and other expenses at the Capital Yacht Club since April 2004.

Cunningham was one of the Vietnam War's most decorated pilots, shooting down five enemy planes. He retired as a Navy commander in 1987 and was elected to Congress three years later.

Federal authorities would have a tough time pursuing a case, according to legal experts. Under a 1999 U.S. Supreme Court ruling, to prove bribery prosecutors would have to show a clear and direct link between the home sale and anything Cunningham did in return. The mere appearance of impropriety isn't sufficient.

"It's rare that those cases are prosecuted because the sale of influence doesn't take place that clearly," said Mark Glaze of the Campaign Legal Center, a nonprofit watchdog that monitors the influence of money on politics.

If he seeks a ninth term in 2006, however, Cunningham may be in for a fight.

"I would advise him to resign," said Cynthia Vicknair, a San Diego political consultant who works with Republicans. "What the Republicans don't need is a primary in which they have a damaged candidate. Damaged is what he is right now."

It would be unwise to underestimate what large groups of ill-informed people acting together can achieve. -- John D'Oh, January 14, 2010.
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apple
one of the angels
sounds fishy but it's hard to say.. Glad to hear Rancho Santa Fe is one of the nation's wealthiest community of at least 1,000 households. My friend just upgraded there.
it behooves me to behold
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Mikhailoh
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If you want trouble, find yourself a redhead
It does indeed sound like less than what we should expect of our legislators on both sides on the fence.

My question to you, Quirt, is do you believe this type of behavior is solely engaged in by Republicans? It seems to me you present it that way, attaching Cunningham's acts to the party. I don't see in the article where the party is involved in any way. What I will do when I can is a little research on ethics violations and see what it shows.
Once in his life, every man is entitled to fall madly in love with a gorgeous redhead - Lucille Ball
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QuirtEvans
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I Owe It All To John D'Oh
There certainly have been some major ethical breaches by Democrats in the past, particularly when the Democrats were the majority party. Jim Wright comes to mind. I haven't heard anything like this with respect to Democrats in Congress lately, though.

Really, you'd expect that defense contractors would be more interested in bribing Republicans right now. Republicans control both houses and the executive branch. What do you think the Democrats can do for defense contractors at the moment? Not much.
It would be unwise to underestimate what large groups of ill-informed people acting together can achieve. -- John D'Oh, January 14, 2010.
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Mikhailoh
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If you want trouble, find yourself a redhead
I did do some digging around on this subject, and have come up with very little worth sharing as far as a comparison of the two parties (my unstated hypothesis being that we will find that little difference between the two in terms of elected representatives' misbehavior).

The only thing that I thought might be worth mentioning is that I did read a couple things, wish I had bookmarked them, that stated congressional members were FAR more ethical today than at almost all times past in American history.

I found that idea both not hard to believe and somewhat frightening.
Once in his life, every man is entitled to fall madly in love with a gorgeous redhead - Lucille Ball
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Bernard
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Senior Carp
Quote:
 
Republican Sleaze...


Must you be so redundant?
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QuirtEvans
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I Owe It All To John D'Oh
OK, Groucho, Republican ethics is a contradiction in terms. :biggrin:

(That was a riff on Groucho Marx, some of you shouldn't spontaneously combust over a joke.)
It would be unwise to underestimate what large groups of ill-informed people acting together can achieve. -- John D'Oh, January 14, 2010.
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Larry
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Mmmmmmm, pie!
Guys, the Republican bashing, AntiAmerican spouting, hate speech forum is over at WTF. You both post there, so why not take your pathological hatred over there where it belongs?

One thing though.... over here, your vile speech is allowed. Over there your garbage is allowed, but no one is allowed to correct you.

The long and short of it is this - dishonesty doesn't fall along party lines. What seems to fall along party lines is patriotism, and an understanding of what America is all about. More of the crooks in the Republican party understand that than do the crooks in the Democrat party.

Now if you've got any more Republican trashing you'd like to engage in, why not take your hatred and ignorance and post it over at We Trounce Freedom?


Of the Pokatwat Tribe

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QuirtEvans
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I Owe It All To John D'Oh
Quote:
 
What seems to fall along party lines is patriotism, and an understanding of what America is all about.


Wrong. And, as much as you might wish you had the title of Exalted and Supreme Ruler, you don't get to define what America is all about. Nor do I, for that matter. And I'll thank you not to question my patriotism.

Quote:
 
Now if you've got any more Republican trashing you'd like to engage in, why not take your hatred and ignorance and post it over at We Trounce Freedom?


Thanks for the suggestion, but I'll post where I like, when I like. As, apparently, will you. There are people here who have interesting viewpoints, even if they don't mirror mine, and they don't patronize WTF.
It would be unwise to underestimate what large groups of ill-informed people acting together can achieve. -- John D'Oh, January 14, 2010.
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Larry
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Mmmmmmm, pie!
Quote:
 
Wrong. And, as much as you might wish you had the title of Exalted and Supreme Ruler, you don't get to define what America is all about. Nor do I, for that matter. And I'll thank you not to question my patriotism.


I believe the ones whose patriotism was in question was the Democrat party, not you specifically. But doesn't it feel nice to be able to voice your views openly? You can't do that some places you know. Ah, but...... WTF, right?

Quote:
 
Thanks for the suggestion, but I'll post where I like, when I like. As, apparently, will you. There are people here who have interesting viewpoints, even if they don't mirror mine, and they don't patronize WTF.


Yes, and isn't it nice that you can come here and actually get to read their viewpoints? And then complain about the "tone"? And then post bait to stir up sh*t?
Of the Pokatwat Tribe

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Steve Miller
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Larry
Jun 27 2005, 04:24 AM
More of the crooks in the Republican party understand that than do the crooks in the Democrat party.


My crooks can whup your crooks?

Source, please.
Wag more
Bark less
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Larry
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Mmmmmmm, pie!
Quote:
 
Source, please.


Goodness... it would take forever to list them. Just notice who it is feeding the enemy propaganda material like a bunch of idiots, and go from there.

Of the Pokatwat Tribe

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