Ex-congressman Cunningham sentenced to 8 years, 4 months for corruption

[Roon]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/

[KingFlorez]

1. Whoa

He didn't get off easy for that one

[edbermac]

2. When is he going in the joint?

Maybe some DU'ers in the area can give him Bon Voyage outside the gates as he's being driven into the Big House...

[VegasWolf]

3. He'll probably be out in 18 months with time off for good behavior. nt

:sarcasm:

[DoYouEverWonder]

7. Not for federal offenses

8 years is 8 years. Bye-bye Duke.

[Jack from Charlotte]

8. Don't think so. Feds usually get a high percentage of the sentence.......

About 80% I think. But AWOL will pardon him and all other reputhugs, too

[derby378]

4. Gimme a DEAN SCREAM!!

YYYEEEAAAAAARRRRGGGGHHHHH!!!!

Eight years and four months! Cunningham beat James Traficant's record!!

:applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause:
:woohoo::woohoo::woohoo::woohoo::woohoo::woohoo::woohoo::woohoo::woohoo:

[PerceptionManagement]

5. One down, so many to go..

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

6. He deserves every hour, minute and second of it.

And no, I won't make cruel jokes at his expense, but he did what he did...willingly...and now's the time to pay the bar tab.

The Duke-Stir really, really deserves 8 years and 4 months in prison and everything that comes with it.

[Faygo Kid]

9. I'm sure Limbaugh will cover this thoroughly. Not.

Not a peep forthcoming from Rush, I am sure. Probably O'Lielly, as well.

[OKNancy]

10. snip and direct link

SAN DIEGO - Former U.S. Rep. Randy “Duke” Cunningham, who collected $2.4 million in homes, yachts, antique furnishings and other bribes on a scale unparalleled in the history of Congress, was sentenced Friday to eight years and four months in prison, the longest term ever meted out to a congressman.

Cunningham, who resigned from Congress in disgrace last year, was spared the 10-year maximum by U.S. District Judge Larry Burns.

Federal prosecutors had asked for the maximum for the former Republican California congressman.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11655893/

[mrdmk]

22. There were some other things about this case that bothers me

I think most of us know about Mitchell Wade

<snip>
Randy Cunningham wasn't the only lawmaker to receive tainted money from former defense contractor Mitchell Wade, who copped to one count of election fraud when he pleaded guilty to four felonies on Friday.

While Cunningham received more than $1 million in bribes from the defense contractor, two other Republican representatives, Virgil Goode of Virginia and Katherine Harris of Florida, received a combined $78,000 in illegal campaign contributions, federal authorities said.

Wade funneled $46,000 to Goode between 2003 and 2005.

Harris, the former Florida election official at the heart of the 2000 presidential vote count controversy who later was elected to Congress, received $32,000 from Wade, according to court documents filed in Washington on Friday.
<end of snip>

link
http://www.northcountytimes.com/articles/2006/02/25/news/top_stories/20_23_022_24_06.txt

And also this goody of strong arming employees to give to the Republican Pac that was set-up.

<snip>
WASHINGTON – Mitchell Wade, founder of the defense contracting firm MZM Inc., pressured employees to donate to a political fund that benefited Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham and other members of Congress, according to three former employees of the company.


Mitchell Wade
Wade, who took a $700,000 loss on the purchase of Cunningham's Del Mar home and allows the congressman to stay on his yacht while in Washington, demanded employees make donations to the company's political action committee, MZM PAC, they said.

"By the spring of '02, Mitch was twisting employees' arms to donate to his MZM PAC," said one former employee. "We were called in and told basically either donate to the MZM PAC or we would be fired."
<end of snip>

link
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/politics/20050622-9999-1n22mzm.html

This is a question; did some of Mitchell Wade front corporations take money from Pentagon Contracts and then funnel the the money back into the RNC coffers?

Some where there seems to be a recollection of this!


edit: forgot link, oopsey :eyes:

[Mandate My Ass]

11. Tom DeLay may have a lump or two

of anxiety over this news.:woohoo:

[BrotherBuzz]

12. Here's hoping Doolittle and Pombo aren't sleeping well tonight, either...

:rofl:

[Mandate My Ass]

14. hee hee

May their bungholes be clenched tighter than a camel's during a sandstorm. Owwwwwwwwwwwwcccchhhhhhh! :rofl:

[kurth]

13. He'll get religion and receive a presidential pardon in 2008

for services rendered.

[acmavm]

15. And let us not forget old Tom Noe of Ohio. This probably gave him a

case of the hershey squirts.

[Rose Siding]

16. Longest sentence for a Congressman, ever

Traficant got 8 for a case involving 24Xs less money, the article says.

[Coexist]

17. 1.8 mil owed in back taxes, too.

[bluestateguy]

18. Not enough. Death penalty should have been considered.

Oh, and there is evidence that his so-called "heroism" in Vietnam was a pure hoax.

He hates America.

He should be executed.

[AndyA]

19. Don't worry, you'll have lots of Repug friends with you in prison

Soon enough! Think of the hours you'll all be able to spend, remembering the good old days when you were screwing the American people and living high on the Hog with their money.

[mrdmk]

20. Hey, if I was involved in 2.4 million dollar scandal with 1.8 million

dollars in back taxes. They would lose the key upon my entering the jail cell a.k.a. I would not see the light of day again. Cunningham should have served 10 years at least and lose all government benefits.


edit: word drop

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

21. And he get's to keep his Congressional pension.

:grr: