Bribing a Congressman Gets You 30 Months

[proud2BlibKansan]

Mitch Wade, the defense contractor who bribed former Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham and then helped to swiftly put the congressman behind bars, was sentenced to 30 months in prison today in return for the extraordinary assistance he provided the government. With time off for good behavior, Wade will serve about two years in prison.

Prosecutors had sought four years in prison and a "significant fine" for the $1.8 million in cash, a yacht, a used Rolls-Royce, antiques and the purchase of the congressman’s Del Mar home for an inflated price. Wade’s attorneys had asked for a year of home detention.

Equally significant, Judge Ricardo Urbina ordered Wade to pay a $250,000 fine. That essentially allows Wade to keep much of the money he made bribing Cunningham, who used his positions on the powerful Defense appropriations subcommittee and the House intelligence committee to steer lucrative contracts to Wade’s firm, MZM Inc. Over three years, MZM was awarded more than $150 million in government contracts. In the end, taxpayers are stuck with the bill for Cunningham’s bribes.

Wade also made $78,000 in illegal campaign contributions to Reps. Katherine Harris and Virgil Goode. (Wade was fined $1 million by the Federal Election Commission, the second-largest fine in its history.) And he provided job offers and other goodies in the Defense Department to ensure favorable treatment for his company.

more . . . http://www.voiceofsandiego.org/articles/2008/12/15/this_just_in/306wade121508.txt