Daily Kos

GOoPer congressman going down, down, down

by kos

Sun Jun 12, 2005 at 10:39:55 PM PDT

They call this sort of thing a bribe.
A defense contractor with ties to Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham took a $700,000 loss on the purchase of the congressman's Del Mar house while the congressman, a member of the influential defense appropriations subcommittee, was supporting the contractor's efforts to get tens of millions of dollars in contracts from the Pentagon.

Mitchell Wade bought the San Diego Republican's house for $1,675,000 in November 2003 and put it back on the market almost immediately for roughly the same price. But the Del Mar house languished unsold and vacant for 261 days before selling for $975,000.

Meanwhile, Cunningham used the proceeds of the $1,675,000 sale to buy a $2.55 million house in Rancho Santa Fe. And Wade, who had been suffering through a flat period in winning Pentagon contracts, was on a tear - reeling in tens of millions of dollars in defense and intelligence-related contracts.

Poor Cunningham. He can hang with DeLay and they can commisserate about how the mean liberal media won't let them be corrupt in peace and quiet.
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  •  Shame (none / 0)

    Does the shame ever stop?

    Hopefully we will get to a point where enough of these criminals are brought to justice, so that these people won't think they can get away with it anymore.

    by KickinIt on Sun Jun 12, 2005 at 10:44:10 PM PDT

    •  What shame? (none / 1)

      I don't see any shame.  Do you?

      We're in this together you idiot. No wonder this country hasn't improved; it's filled with idiots who wave around "Dem" and "GOP" like they're baseball teams.

      by Dragonchild on Mon Jun 13, 2005 at 04:36:01 AM PDT

      [ Parent ]

    •  Either that (none / 0)

      or we will get to a point where these people won't think they even have to hide it any more, and may even praise themselves for their "loyalty" to those who do them a good turn.  

      Anyone placing bets yet?

      The insinuation that the feces of John McCain, a former prisoner of war, would stink, is outrageous!

      by AdmiralNaismith on Mon Jun 13, 2005 at 09:16:52 AM PDT

      [ Parent ]

    •  Enough? (none / 0)

      Shit, one or two would be a hell of a start, but we can't even seem to muster that. Think they can get away with it? They've been getting away with it. Even when they're caught red-fucking-handed, what do they do? Move to Florida, drop off the map, and enjoy the spoils.
      Things that alone would have brought down administrations now roll off the presses with the life expectancy of a San Francisco parking place. Nobody gives a shit. The Boeing tanker report? Eh, last weeks news. No need to follow anything up. Doesn't matter that Rummy signed off on it personally or anything.
      I could go on(and on, and on), but I actually need to get some work done today. God, I hope this sack of festering offal gets his comeuppance, but I'm not holding my breath.

      The lone and level sands stretch far away. -Shelley

      by justme on Mon Jun 13, 2005 at 10:59:10 AM PDT

      [ Parent ]

  •  C;mon now. I'm sure that Mitch ... (none / 0)

    ...just doesn't understand the real estate market in Southern California.

    I am an anti-imperialist. I am opposed to having the eagle put its talons on any other land. -- Mark Twain

    by Meteor Blades on Sun Jun 12, 2005 at 10:44:49 PM PDT

    •  Yeah (none / 0)

      who gets a house that expensive appraised? Really.

      He probably had no clue about the worth of his almost a million dollar estate that he sold for almost twice it's worth ;).

      Everyone's always in favor of saving Hitler's brain. But when you put it in the body of a great white shark, oh! Suddenly you've gone too far!-Futurama

      by McJagger on Mon Jun 13, 2005 at 06:26:16 AM PDT

      [ Parent ]

      •  Plausible Deniability (none / 0)

        If you are trying to bribe a Congressman, the last thing you want is a paper trail. I don't think that San Diego's citizens are quite as stupid as Cunningham and Wade think they are. Right now, I would say that the only defense against the charge of bribery would be an independent appraisal. Of course, if there were an appraisal for that amount, we would have to make sure that the appraisal was truly independent, something that is hard to fathom at this point.

        The lack of an appraisal would show me that Wade and Cunningham knew exactly that this was a bribe. Certainly Cunningham's behavior after the 'sale' tells us that it was a bribe. The good news is that he is an honest crook: once he is bought, he stays bought.

        Single payer universal healthcare coverage saves money and saves lives.

        by freelunch on Mon Jun 13, 2005 at 07:10:20 AM PDT

        [ Parent ]

        •  for a time (none / 0)

          but I have a friend who's a realtor and I can almost guarantee this house was appraised sometime before he even began really going into selling it.

          However, if they didn't, you're exactly right. It would definitely show that they knew precisely what they were doing and wanted to be able to claim ignorance after the fact. It's very difficult for the average person to do the FSBO thing and it seems really shady that he would make such an incredible profit off of it.

          Very convenient.

          Everyone's always in favor of saving Hitler's brain. But when you put it in the body of a great white shark, oh! Suddenly you've gone too far!-Futurama

          by McJagger on Mon Jun 13, 2005 at 07:18:47 AM PDT

          [ Parent ]

          •  Probably no appraisal (none / 0)

            An appraisal would have shown what the house was really worth.  Wouldn't want to have that paper trail.

            Probably Cunningham did exactly what he said in the article, he had a friendly realtor find him a few select "comps" to justify the price Wade paid, and had the "comp" information sent to Wade.

            He may not have known exactly what the property was worth, but he was damn sure that the true market value was several hundred thousand less than what Wade paid.

            And because home transactions are exempt from required Congressional financial disclosures, they were able to keep Wade's payment "off the books".    No doubt the newspaper found out only because they were tipped.

            by socal on Mon Jun 13, 2005 at 07:51:36 AM PDT

            [ Parent ]

            •  When will the Realtor roll over? (none / 1)

              I'm guessing that the Realtor in this case isn't interested in being indicted for conspiracy to bribe a congressman. This should be the weak link in this crime.

              Single payer universal healthcare coverage saves money and saves lives.

              by freelunch on Mon Jun 13, 2005 at 09:33:37 AM PDT

              [ Parent ]

              •  No rollover required (none / 0)

                It's unlikely the realtor herself knows anything incriminating.

                Unless "Duke" was really stupid, all he did with the realtor was call her up, tell her he was thinking of selling his house, and ask her to find a few "comps" in the neighborhood to justify a very aggressive asking price. Then he asked her to fax them to Mr. Wade. If she is a realtor he has worked with before, she'd be happy to do that relatively small amount of legwork, no questions asked.

                Obviously Cunningham would not tell the realtor, "I'm gonna sell my house for way more than it's worth, it's a phony transaction that amounts to a de facto bribe -- could you help me make it look legit?"

                by socal on Mon Jun 13, 2005 at 03:35:45 PM PDT

                [ Parent ]

        •  Fails the smell test (none / 1)

          This one doesn't even come close to passing the smell test.  If what the defense contractor paid was "market", then there should've been other bids in the ballpark.  If the Representative truly wanted to be above-board on this, he shoud've either accepted a competitive (non-conflicted) bid or should've papered the transaction with arm's length appraisals and enough safeguards to demonstrate that there was no conflict.

          It should've been so easy to avoid the appearance of a conflict if the higher price were truly the market value.  The Congressman should've been making a conscious effort to avoid conflicts of interest, either real or perceived.  Instead, it looks like he went for the cash.

          -5.13, -5.13

          by sharkbite on Mon Jun 13, 2005 at 07:47:04 AM PDT

          [ Parent ]

  •  Challengers? (none / 0)

    Who's waiting in the wings to take him on?  I know his district is supposed to be really safe, but that doesn't mean a damn thing if a good Dem can make ethics an issue.

    by lorax on Sun Jun 12, 2005 at 10:45:44 PM PDT

    •  Good luck (none / 0)

      Someone's gonna need it in that district, it's true.  It's not much less red than south Orange County.

      mbr + dv + woyg

      by keirdubois on Sun Jun 12, 2005 at 10:51:42 PM PDT

      [ Parent ]

      •  Yeah (none / 0)

        Francine Busby got 32% against Cunningham's 64%--a pretty poor showing, but not much difference than the usual showing of an incumbent.  I wonder how much some ethics allegations, combined with the general blue tide this year, might soften that.

        by lorax on Sun Jun 12, 2005 at 10:55:02 PM PDT

        [ Parent ]

        •  Well, (none / 0)

          In a military county, maybe not.  But then if military families have really been paying attention then they'd throw all the bums out.

          mbr + dv + woyg

          by keirdubois on Sun Jun 12, 2005 at 11:10:00 PM PDT

          [ Parent ]

          •  Orange and San Diego (4.00 / 2)

            Everyone I know from that part of California (except for the rare Democrat) is hawkish on defense, fiscal conservative (read: rich), and socially liberal.  I think that kind of Democrat could win in the 50th.

            by lorax on Mon Jun 13, 2005 at 12:01:33 AM PDT

            [ Parent ]

            •  Socially liberal? (none / 1)

              We lived in this area for over 30 years, and it is the epicenter of creationism, the place where born again stealth political campaigns got their start.  It is a county dominated by the military and those with that mentality, the economy is driven by the defense industry and real estate speculation, and politics at all levels are corrupt as hell.  Take a gander at what is currently happening right now in the City of San Diego where the Mayor recently stepped down and the Vice-Mayor who will take over is on trial for bribery related to strip clubs!

              by Heart of the Rockies on Mon Jun 13, 2005 at 05:29:44 AM PDT

              [ Parent ]

              •  The coastal areaas (none / 0)

                tend to be more liberal on social and environmental issues, from my experience, and the demographics have been slowly changing. Certainly, I remember the stealth campaigns of the religious right on the Vista school board, and there is still a lot of that mindset, but I think things are slowly changing. Whether they change enough remains to be seen.

                -3.12, -5.90
                McCain Straight Talk: "I don't know enough about it to give you an informed answer ..."

                by AaronInSanDiego on Mon Jun 13, 2005 at 06:27:09 AM PDT

                [ Parent ]

              •  yabbut (none / 0)

                on a vote count basis a city councilwoman (grass roots activist surfer environmentalist) won the popular vote for mayor as a write in candidate

                i used to live in sd and its not all wingnuttery though my zip code is boho 92103

                "Sometimes it's like his record skips or like some coke-dusted and liquor-glazed synapse is unable to fire and he's just stuck" RudePundit

                by christhughes on Mon Jun 13, 2005 at 06:36:39 AM PDT

                [ Parent ]

        •  Actually, it was 58.5 to 36.5 percent (none / 0)

          Still, not close enough...but Francine Busby already has a campaign going in 2006.  She's very personable (unlike Cunningham who frequently shouts at people and calls them bad names), so that's a plus.  However, her experience isn't quite as great as one might like--school board other educational organizations (though that's definitely good for the family vote, especially since she's been good for fundraising in that area).

          Bears hibernate for months. Congress hibernates for years. Is it "spring" yet?

          by westcornersville on Mon Jun 13, 2005 at 12:42:22 AM PDT

          [ Parent ]

        •  58 to 37 (none / 0)

          It's not as hopeless as it seems.  The Cunningham's district got somewhat tougher when they included more coastal areas.  I was one of the voters that helped Susan Davis beat Bilbray, then got re-districted into Cunningham's for the following election.

          He's going down.

          by BCF on Mon Jun 13, 2005 at 07:44:05 AM PDT

          [ Parent ]

        •  Busby the best Candidate We've Had (none / 0)

          Francine ran an excellent campaign last time with little national money, an anemic local party and an all volunteer staff. She was one of only 20 candidates who took a GOP incumbent below 60%. She is going to be the next congresswoman for North County!

          by anisozet on Mon Jun 13, 2005 at 08:38:48 AM PDT

          [ Parent ]

      •  Francine Busby (none / 0)

        When the district boundaries were redrawn, more of San Diego city, including some "purpler" areas, were included. Cunningham mostly gets by on name recognition now. Busby did better than expected, and her campaign for 2006 is up and running, and being more heavily supported by DFA and the Democratic party this time. It's definitely an uphill battle, but not impossible.

        -3.12, -5.90
        McCain Straight Talk: "I don't know enough about it to give you an informed answer ..."

        by AaronInSanDiego on Mon Jun 13, 2005 at 06:20:19 AM PDT

        [ Parent ]

        •  Raging Liberal in the heart of Issa country (none / 0)

          You know, there are more of us than you think out here. I get the sense that people are either afraid to talk politics b/c dissent is still seen as not supporting the troops (not a good idea in a heavily Navy and Marine town) OR they're just flat out asleep at the wheel and have no clue what's going on. They're more concerned with paying the bills and getting by in a place where the cost of housing is way out of pace with wages. Nothing particularly new there, it's just depressing.  

          Hopefully, with all the other crap that's going on in SD politics coupled with the redistricting on the horizon, change will happen sooner rather than later. Until then, I live in one of the reddest districts here - Oceanside, home of Camp Pendleton. Bush Cheney bumper stickers are grossly abundant on the 78 and its environs. Cunningham's not my congressman, Issa is. Here's a man who has more than a few skeletons in his past, but who continues to get elected. Nobody I know votes for him - not even my raging Repub friends. Last election was Issa 62.7, Byron 34.7. He's the one we have to thank for having the Gropinator for Guv.

          San Diego itself is much more liberal than the outlying cities like La Jolla, Del Mar, Carlsbad and Oceanside. (I don't know much about the southern cities like Chula Vista and National City.) What's interesting to me is that San Diego and Orange County are considered to be Republican strongholds, but you don't hear about Riverside county which seems to be growing more red by the hour.

          "Poverty or wealth can make all the differences in securing the substance or only the shadow of constitutional protections." -Wiley Rutledge

          by asimbagirl on Mon Jun 13, 2005 at 09:25:34 AM PDT

          [ Parent ]

  •  Cunningham's hypocrisy on drugs (4.00 / 9)

    Unfortunately, drug-warring politicians have a long history of adhering to the "do as I say, not as I do" philosophy, particularly when it comes to their children.

    Take California Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham. He co-sponsored legislation mandating the death penalty for "drug kingpins," but pleaded for mercy when his son Todd was convicted for smuggling 400 pounds of pot. The seven-term Republican, known for his career-long vitriol against "soft on crime" judges, found himself begging a federal judge to waive his son's five-year mandatory sentence. Fortunately for the San Diego Republican, the judge was "soft" enough to give Todd 30 months in prison -- half the federal "mandatory" minimum.

    Link to the full UPI story:

    http://www.upi.com/view.cfm?StoryID=20030518-110053-1944r

    John McCain's Straight Talk Express runs on fossil fuels.

    by Dump Terry McAuliffe on Sun Jun 12, 2005 at 10:49:05 PM PDT

  •  gotta love this quote... (3.66 / 3)

    "My whole life I've lived aboveboard," Cunningham said. "I've never even smoked a marijuana cigarette. I don't cheat. If a contractor buys me lunch and we meet a second time, I buy the lunch. My whole life has been aboveboard and so this doesn't worry me ... the last thing I would do is get involved in something that, you know, is wrong. And I feel very confident that I haven't done anything wrong."

    how is pot even relevant? i dont cheat either (ha HAH!) and ive smoked plenty of joints. i do plenty of other illicit/illegal things (things the government legislates but should keep their nose out of) and ive never screwed over society as much as you have, sir.

    absolutely absurd.

    every judgment teeters on the brink of error; claiming absolute knowledge is monstrous.

    by cafihapa on Sun Jun 12, 2005 at 10:49:34 PM PDT

  •  Rancho Santa Fe? (none / 0)

    Isn't that where the alien-cultists collectively offed themselves in '97?

    mbr + dv + woyg

    by keirdubois on Sun Jun 12, 2005 at 10:50:20 PM PDT

  •  Can you blame him? (none / 0)

    Rancho Santa Fe is an incredibly beautiful place to live. ^snark^  

    "The original Star Trek is the Word." Bones: Chapter 1, verse 1

    by steelman on Sun Jun 12, 2005 at 10:51:23 PM PDT

  •  What he'll do next is . . . (none / 1)

    time.

    Accident insurance? Sure, Mrs. Dietrichson.

    by WalterNeff on Sun Jun 12, 2005 at 10:54:22 PM PDT

  •  Just wait... (none / 0)

    I'm sure the next agenda on the Republican plate is to bar inquries of financial unethicalness from being brought against people on the right side of the isle.

    With that to tie up Congress for a bit, these allegations will never see the light of day and Cunningham will be able to sit pretty in his $2.5 million estate while Wade rakes in the profits of Capitalism under a Free Market.

    by Zifnab on Sun Jun 12, 2005 at 10:54:24 PM PDT

    •  Agreed, but... (none / 1)

      if for some strange reason the San Diego Union-Tribune and the local news stations decide to run with this story, it could hurt Cunningham a great deal.  

      There's a lot of political scandal taking place here in San Diego right now, and even though this is a Republican city and county dominated by real estate and military interests, the public is getting fed-up.  

      In fact, a liberal democrat named Donna Frye won the last mayoral election as a write-in candidate.  She was only defeated because an Orange County judge ruled against the vote count.  Apparently it was not enough for voters to simply write in her name, they had to fill in the bubble next to it as well.  ~sigh~

      Anyway, it isn't as bad as it all seems here.  There is some hope.

      by ryder92111 on Mon Jun 13, 2005 at 05:56:01 AM PDT

      [ Parent ]

  •  GOP Slogan (none / 0)

    OK, we got Delay, Ohio Coingate and now this. I got a slogan:

    "GOP - Sea to Shining Sea Money laundering machine!"

    Gods Official Party indeed!

    In the beginning, there was nothing. And God said, Let there be light. And there was still nothing, but you could see it.

    by Strephon on Sun Jun 12, 2005 at 10:56:24 PM PDT

  •  Flashback (4.00 / 4)

    From 1996

    In September 1996, Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham, R-Calif., attacked President Clinton for being "cavalier" toward illegal drugs and for appointing  too many "soft on crime" liberal judges. "We must get tough on drug dealers," he declared. "Those who peddle destruction on our children must pay dearly."  Four months later, his son Todd Cunningham was arrested by the Drug Enforcement Administration after helping to transport 400 pounds of marijuana from California to Massachusetts. Although Todd Cunningham confessed to having been part of a smuggling ring that had shipped at much as ten tons of  pot throughout the U.S. - a crime that can lead to a life sentence without parole - he was charged only with distributing 400 pounds of pot. The prosecutor in his case recommended a sentence of fourteen months at a boot camp and a halfway house. Representative Cunningham begged the judge for  leniency. "My son has a good heart," he said, fighting back tears. "Hes never been in trouble before."  

    Todd Cunningham was sentenced to two and a half years in prison. He might have received an even shorter sentence had he not tested positive for cocaine three times while out on bail. "The sentence Todd got had nothing to do with who Duke is," says the congressman's Press secretary. "Duke has always been tough on drugs and remains tough on drugs."

    I wonder where Todd got the feeling that he was above the law?

    "Surprise is the base of all humor, and nothing is more surprising than truth" - Bill Watterson

    by thehim on Sun Jun 12, 2005 at 10:58:14 PM PDT

  •  Couple things about Southern Cal real estate (4.00 / 3)

    at the moment:

    1. Houses are listed at a starting point with the expectation that the selling price will be above what is asked these days

    2. Most houses are worth 15-20% more than they were a year ago

    Anyone in this state will know this was a bribe

    by seanflynn on Sun Jun 12, 2005 at 10:59:48 PM PDT

    •  True, but (none / 1)

      to prove it.  We need comps from the time of sale for Del Mar - that will prove to constituent's it's a bribe.  

      Also, in old CA coastal towns (I can think of Manhattan & Venice Beaches as prime examples), contractors will over-bid properties to bulldoze and make McMansions.

      Thus, the Dem campaign just has to have comps to show the contractor overpaid, then instead of making a McMansion on the property turned around and sold for a loss.  In CA, yeah right!

      see the real John McCain then contribute decitect's actblue

      by decitect on Mon Jun 13, 2005 at 01:56:09 AM PDT

      [ Parent ]

      •  Was the house appraised? BEFORE the sale? (none / 0)

        Because if it was, and the appraisal was for the lower amount, it's pretty obvious what was going on.

        I can't imagine a house that sold for that much UNDER the appraised value in the CA real estate market, unless it burned to the ground after the appraisal.

        by mmacdDE on Mon Jun 13, 2005 at 06:21:53 AM PDT

        [ Parent ]

        •  exactly (none / 0)

          yeah, that's my question as well. It seems ridiculous that a house with that value would not be appraised several times by several different realtors.

          The only way it would have took that significant a dive in cost over that period is if someone built a train station in the backyard.

          If anyone lives in this county you could probably easily find out if it was appraised and what it was appraised for since realtors keep these records.

          Everyone's always in favor of saving Hitler's brain. But when you put it in the body of a great white shark, oh! Suddenly you've gone too far!-Futurama

          by McJagger on Mon Jun 13, 2005 at 06:44:36 AM PDT

          [ Parent ]

        •  Appraisals? (none / 0)

          Appraisals always come in at exactly the asking price, at least around here.

          Housing market is cooling a bit, though.  We're closing escrow at the end of the month, and they accepted an offer $10k below their range.  Also, our house has been on the market 6 WHOLE DAYS and hasn't sold yet.

          I think I'm still gonna be in Cunningham's district, though.  Damn.

          by Stoffel on Mon Jun 13, 2005 at 10:11:33 AM PDT

          [ Parent ]

        •  Follow the money! (none / 0)

          Disclosure: I'm a licensed REALTOR® and do development of affordable housing in SF bay area.

          Follow the money.

          Appraisers do appraisals on behalf of the lenders, that is the money people (are you getting the drift?). Realtors do comps (comparable values) by reviewing recent sales, but they have no money on the line other than a commission.

          The likelihood that a realtor would sell a house for 65% over asking price and NOT ASK QUESTIONS is impossible to swallow. Was a realtor involved? That person's membership in the California Association of Realtors will be questioned for ethical violations. The license with the state Dept of Real Estate may also be at risk for eithe money laundering or wose. The fact the home resold a year later for the original asking price answers the question.  This was not a home for speculation as a tear-down. If so, I'd see if there are some architect plans and fees.  None have been proffered.

          If this was a "private sale" it's possible that no realtor or lender would have been involved in making a loan. So the sale to Wade could have been financed by Wade's company without a lender. Or, the lender could have been a loan broker, personal friend or other wealthy contributor who wouldn't look too closely at the deal. However, not a very smart one!

          So therefore....follow the money!

          There are two threads to follow: Wade's company source of funds and the use of funds resulting from Cunningham's sale.

          What did Cunningham do with the proceeds of the transaction?  He likely paid off the original loan or loans on the property, and then rolled over profit into new property.  But...Is it possible he used the extra cash to pay off campaign loans? (hint, hint)  In short, this was an illegal campaign contribution disguised as a  real estate transaction.

          Turning back to Wade, where did the $1.6m come from?  Did it come from corporate account?  Under Sarbanes Oxley they have rather stringent reporting requirements on sources and uses of funds. So therefore, roll the CFO of Wade's company to turn state's evidence.

          You all remember the Whitewater investigation, right? That was about $50K.  This is a whole lot bigger, and it's obvious it stinks.

          by IdaMena2 on Tue Jun 14, 2005 at 12:02:21 AM PDT

          [ Parent ]

  •  Will he go down? (none / 1)

    I guess that all depends on whether he's expendable to the R leadership.

    Netroots Nation: Changing the face of progressive politics.

    by pontificator on Sun Jun 12, 2005 at 11:00:22 PM PDT

    •  Correct (none / 0)

      If the Repubs can find a decent candidate, and they can't convince the MSM to sweep Cunningham's "home transaction" under the rug, then they'll throw Cunningham overboard and win the district with their new candidate.

      Busby is a good Dem candidate, but the Repub registration edge in this district is too much to beat a Repub candidate who is not tainted.

      by socal on Mon Jun 13, 2005 at 07:39:29 AM PDT

      [ Parent ]

  •  Now, now... (none / 0)

    bribe is such a harsh word! Maybe it was just a coincidence! </sarcasm>

    Seriously, the loss taken on the house probably wasn't planned. At least not that big a loss.

    " 'Vox populi, vox Dei' translates as 'How the hell did we get into this mess!?' "---Robert Heinlein (accuracy of quote not guaranteed)

    by mirrim on Sun Jun 12, 2005 at 11:02:12 PM PDT

    •  And there's always the excuse (none / 0)

      This is all just a misunderstanding.

      Look away. Nothing to see here...

      by href on Sun Jun 12, 2005 at 11:40:15 PM PDT

      [ Parent ]

      •  But Howard Dean said... (none / 1)

        ...blah, blah, blah.

        That's all for this evening on the MSM news. Tomorrow we'll have an equally stupid story to beat to death.

        /Hey, keep your little dog away from the man behind the curtain!

        Inquiry that does not achieve coordination of behaviour is not inquiry but simply wordplay - Richard Rorty

        by BuckMulligan on Mon Jun 13, 2005 at 01:40:43 AM PDT

        [ Parent ]

        •  noticed (none / 0)

          yeah, I noticed that. I don't think it's a bad thing though except for the "christian" part. Basically that's what the republican's have been able to achieve over the past decade. They are able to dominate the news with their rhetoric. Now we have someone willing to fight force with force and it looks good.

          It has the GOP on their heels saying "shows the dems have no direction for this country" etc but they are having to respond to "our" guys, which means we're on the offensive. I guess Dean believes the best offense is a good offense and in politics at the moment, I would have to agree.

          Everyone's always in favor of saving Hitler's brain. But when you put it in the body of a great white shark, oh! Suddenly you've gone too far!-Futurama

          by McJagger on Mon Jun 13, 2005 at 06:53:12 AM PDT

          [ Parent ]

  •  Boeing, Exxon... (none / 1)

    Delay has a point, why does HE get singled out as corrupt when the entire WH is way worse ?

    The Permanent Republican Majority lasted about as long as The Thousand Year Reich

    by lawnorder on Sun Jun 12, 2005 at 11:03:46 PM PDT

    •  because it sticks (none / 1)

      We should single him out because he's the role model for this sort of thing and has a very harsh and strident image and way about him. The more he appears on tv and talks, the better for the dem party.

      Plus, I think there's some texas fatigue setting in with the rest of the country and I think a great number of people would like to see him go down.

      Everyone's always in favor of saving Hitler's brain. But when you put it in the body of a great white shark, oh! Suddenly you've gone too far!-Futurama

      by McJagger on Mon Jun 13, 2005 at 07:00:28 AM PDT

      [ Parent ]

  •  I live in "Dukes" district. (4.00 / 5)

    He's a true slimeball.  His District includes some progressive areas along the coast, and the ultra conservative Inland North County area of Escondido.

    Busby has already been campaigning, and I am sure she will go on the offensive with this latest scandel.  

    It was on the front page of the SD Union this morning.  Our City also has 1) an ongoing City Pension crisis/scandal, 2) Strippergate - 2 Councilmen indicted over accepting brides from a strip club owner (current trial is on-going), 3) the mayor resigning only 5 months after not winning reelection, but relying on the courts to not count all the write-in votes for Donna Frye, maybe people will start to take notice that all is not well in Republican Hypocrisy Land.

    "Si se puede"

    by egarratt on Sun Jun 12, 2005 at 11:16:24 PM PDT

    •  I've been watching San Diego's woes (none / 1)

      for awhile now (SD native, moved a couple years ago) and I'm reminded yet again at why Repugs are and should be so anti-government: they suck at running one.

      CaliBlogger.com A firm grasp of the obvious

      by CaliBlogger on Mon Jun 13, 2005 at 01:20:09 AM PDT

      [ Parent ]

      •  Rather, they don't want one (4.00 / 3)

        If you're rich enough to afford your own accountant, your own education, your own security, your own road, your own house and you don't work for a living, who needs government?

        Well, the people who check your books, teach your kids, take your bullets, pave your roads and clean your house. . . but those are little people.

        We're in this together you idiot. No wonder this country hasn't improved; it's filled with idiots who wave around "Dem" and "GOP" like they're baseball teams.

        by Dragonchild on Mon Jun 13, 2005 at 04:41:15 AM PDT

        [ Parent ]

      •  LOL (none / 0)

        Thanks for the best line in years, and so true.

        by MMColo on Mon Jun 13, 2005 at 07:10:11 AM PDT

        [ Parent ]

    •  I live there too (4.00 / 2)

      I live right in the middle of Escondido and no amount of voting by the wife and I can overcome the lock-step worship for this former Air Force pilot. He's a "hero" of course because he flew all over Vietnam (thousands of feet above the fray) dropping bombs on likely targets. Snort. Yeah, a real hero.

      Cunningham, in my opinion, has always been just as corrupt as Delay.

      I am not surprised that of all the hundreds of homebuyers shopping around when his home went on the market, lo and behold, it got purchased at above market rate by a contractor with several bids for government contracts on Cunningham's congressional committee table.

      Disgusting, I tell ya. Hope Busby crucifies him with those facts in the next election.

      by RickWn on Mon Jun 13, 2005 at 02:39:40 AM PDT

      [ Parent ]

      •  Hmmm, don't know how it happened (none / 0)

        Don't know how it happened, but my reply to Cooley's post down below, got posted above it.

        Anyways, Cooley... I'm with ya.

        by RickWn on Mon Jun 13, 2005 at 02:41:56 AM PDT

        [ Parent ]

      •  Air Force pilot? (none / 0)

        Cunningham was not an Air Force pilot, but a naval aviator - actually a big difference.  He is famous for being the only Navy ace (five MiGs shot down) in Vietnam, including a fabled dogfight with a North Vietnamese ace. He also was the CO of TopGun and his rode his war record into Congress.  He was a genuine hero to many and that is one reason many are willing to overlook his foibles.  However, what appears to be a bribe on his house might be too much for San Diegans.  
        Agree that DelMar is a much nicer place.

        by shogun5 on Mon Jun 13, 2005 at 06:42:54 AM PDT

        [ Parent ]

      •  "Hero" (none / 1)

        As another poster pointed out, Cunningham was a Navy pilot and an ace.  While it's possible that he also flew bombing missions, to characterize his service as "thousands of feet above the fray" hardly accurate or appropriate.  Ask the families any of the thousands of Navy and Air Force servicemen who lost their lives in Viet Nam if they were "above the fray".

        Note that I'm not defending the man.  He certainly looks like the typical corrupt Rethug.  But we need to nail him (and the entire Republican party) for what he is:  not able to be trusted with our nation's millitary or financial future and subject to corruption by the huge sums of money that flow through our government.

        Denigrating his service isn't what we do - it's what the Rethugs do.

        Inca, 1995-2007

        by mlharges on Mon Jun 13, 2005 at 07:33:40 AM PDT

        [ Parent ]

      •  Cunningham (none / 0)

        Cunningham was a NAVY pilot - at least get the facts right.   He was the Navy's only Vietnam ace- shooting down five aircraft in air-air combat.  He also dropped bombs, but not "thousands of feet above the fray."  HE was no-sh*t hero.  That said, he should now be hammered for his corruption - on the house sale, on the boat, and who knows what else.  I am a former San Diegan and retired officer and, like many,  have no truck for those who think that they should get a free ride because they flew jets in the war.  I have seen that attitude before. Hopefully the Federal investigation won't get sidetracked.

        by shogun5 on Wed Jun 22, 2005 at 01:56:30 PM PDT

        [ Parent ]

    •  San Diego (4.00 / 2)

      Adds another link to the "You can't trust Republicans with your pension" list.

      by eafredel on Mon Jun 13, 2005 at 06:00:20 AM PDT

      [ Parent ]

  •  I live in this district (none / 1)

    I am convinced that not only was this a huge, old-fashioned, big-titted bribe (apologies to Robert Duvall / "Network" fans), but that it will play out like one.  This scandal honestly could end Cunningham's career.

    I am less convinced that the Dems can pick up this seat if only for the reason that CA House districts are uniformly gerrymandered.  Cunningham could call in a hell of a lot of military support from absentee voters who may not be up to date on all of his bribery.  Even if he chooses not to run, any generic Republican would probably have a good chance at winning this district.  

    I can't wait for Monday's Ed Schultz show.  That guy is on top of messaging issues even better than you are, Kos.  I'd bet you the six pack of your choice that he'll have the probable Democratic challenger to this seat, Francine Busby, on his show on Monday or Tuesday.

    by Cooley on Sun Jun 12, 2005 at 11:26:09 PM PDT

  •  This is reprehensible but... (none / 1)

    it fits nicely into the frame i use to argue with my coworkers. And that is,"Who benefits from the process of freeing iraq?" It aint us average joe americans and it sure aint average mohammed iraqis. but at least We still have running water right? as of may it's 208 billion. 208 billion of our taxpayer dollars for what exactly? for those whom ike warned us about... "In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist."

    by somasalesman on Mon Jun 13, 2005 at 12:17:08 AM PDT

  •  more logs (none / 0)

    for the bonfire. Pile those rethugs on... pile em on. Purification through fire.

    "...an admirable evasion of whoremaster man, to lay his goatish disposition to the charge of a star!"

    King Lear

    by Norwell on Mon Jun 13, 2005 at 12:43:51 AM PDT

  •  Whatever happened with that SC rep who (none / 0)

    burned down tons of protected forest a few years ago? I don't think he was ever punished for his crime, or for getting the Parks Service to cover it up.

    If this CA rep were a Democrat, they would drum him out of office, but Republicans tend to get away with whatever they want.

    Who are the legislators from that area (the ones who serve in the California assembly/senate)?

    by JamesB3 on Mon Jun 13, 2005 at 12:54:26 AM PDT

  •  Do the Math... (none / 1)

    Am I the only one who is wondering how you can "use the proceeds of the $1,675,000 sale to buy a $2.55 million hous in Rancho Santa Fe?"  Strange math they are using in San Diego these days.

    by steve expat on Mon Jun 13, 2005 at 01:23:20 AM PDT

  •  Wow, this guy's really something (none / 1)

    He has called his political opponents "homos". He was named dumbest member of Congress in 2004. Quite a feat.

    by JamesB3 on Mon Jun 13, 2005 at 01:26:38 AM PDT

  •  Cunningham going down? (none / 0)

    I'll believe it when I see it.

    We're in this together you idiot. No wonder this country hasn't improved; it's filled with idiots who wave around "Dem" and "GOP" like they're baseball teams.

    by Dragonchild on Mon Jun 13, 2005 at 04:48:54 AM PDT

    •  I hope so (none / 0)

      But I ain't holdin my breath...

      threatening a current congressman's son...
      making jokes about shooting a school...

      taking a "bribe"

      most of my neighbors will blindly mark "Cunningham" next time around. sigh

      Ooh look! Top Gun!

      by Narched on Mon Jun 13, 2005 at 09:25:15 AM PDT

      [ Parent ]

  •  CT Gov Rowland Went Down (none / 1)

    partially for a similar bribe from selling a condo at an inflated price to a state contractor.  If done right, this perhaps can be successfully prosecuted.  

    The Noes of Ohio are also sold a high priced condo to a partisan.  I am wondering whether the price was a hidden bribe there too.

    But it is sad to hear this guy was the dumbest Congressperson last year.  Our military pilots are not showing too well what with this guy and Bush and IBM's worst CEO ever John Akers.

    by LIsoundview on Mon Jun 13, 2005 at 04:58:31 AM PDT

  •  MZM, Inc. not just involved with Cunningham (4.00 / 2)

    As with Jack Abramoff, we'll find out that MZM is not only wrapped up with "Duke" Cunningham.

    For one, I think MZM also will have a "problem" over its involvement with Virginia House Republican Virgil Goode.

    Who else is MZM involved in shenanigans with?

    Irregular Politics are called for in these Irregular Times...

    by theolock on Mon Jun 13, 2005 at 05:39:30 AM PDT

  •  Realtor who appraised Duke's old house (none / 0)

    was probably the listing agent for his Rancho Santa Fe home. You can view what is suspect is his palatial $2,555,000 estate here:  http://resource.realtor.com/display/default.asp?sect=17&id=18157240&rt=773

    So she made her bucks on that sale. I bet the "comps" she picked to justify her appraisal were newer, renovated homes. Del Mar has alot of older homes that still don't sell for a million bucks even if they are close to the ocean. Her 2003 appraisal of his property is more than the median price of a Del Mar house even today.

    I think it will be hard for Duke to pretend he didn't know his real estate had been over valued, everybody in SoCal has been following the price of their homes for years now. He found his own buyer and eliminated the commissions by selling it himself. So he must be a pretty savvy guy, or is he just a crook?

    I live in Escondido and volunteered on the Busby campaign last year. She's bright and articulate and will make a great candidate in '06.

    by ritikatootie on Mon Jun 13, 2005 at 07:15:11 AM PDT

  •  Its even worse than you think. (none / 0)

    I sold my house in san diego in Nov. '03. And looked to buy in Del Mar, where Cunningham sold his. I rented for awhile. Big mistake. Beginning in Nov. '03, Del Mar boomed. Beyond belief. Houses were selling 6 months later for 25-35% more. I'm driving by Duke's old house tonight to check it out. I must have looked at 50 homes for sale, in that city between Nov. '03 and May '04. I'll be able to tell what it was worth then. I suspect, that if it sold for $975 in Aug of '04, it must be a dump, and must have been worth significantly LESS than that when it was sold in Nov. '03. There is very little in Del Mar selling for under a million now. 18 months ago, there was. Cunningham sold it for much much more than $700,000 over value. There's no way around it.

    by Kane in CA on Mon Jun 13, 2005 at 08:18:23 AM PDT

  •  BUSBY FOR CONGRESS (none / 0)

    Francine Busby is the excellent candidate we have out here. She was one of 20 candidates who brought a Republican incumbent under 60% last time and she is running strong right now. She is raising a good amount of money and has great name recognition. Out here in San Diego we are so excited to dethrone the DUKE. www.busbyforcongress.com

    Cheers from Solana Beach, Ca.

    by anisozet on Mon Jun 13, 2005 at 08:32:50 AM PDT

  •  The story was above the fold in the Union! (none / 0)

    I thought it was pretty significant that the story was so prominently displayed in such a reactionary old paper.

    I worked for Cubic in the 80s.  The president, Sam Welbourne, spent 18 months in prison in Chino after getting involved in a Abscam.  I think that there was about $10K involved IIRC, but that was a different time, wasn't it?

    My favorite part of the story wasn't the marijuana quote, it was the fact that the man tried to defend himself by pointing out that he hobnobs with CEOs like Irwin Jacobs all the time.  He lives in RSF, he pals around with CEOs, he doesn't work too hard, so how can he be expected understand why Social Security is important to regular people?  

    I heard Francine Busby say she was planning to run againg months ago on KLSD.  Wouldn't hurt to throw her a little turkee, if you care about SD.

    by JBrown on Mon Jun 13, 2005 at 08:37:45 AM PDT

  •  And heading slightly up the coast.... (none / 0)

    Our own party is not immune to the same problem, but somewhat subtler in its approach.

    by JBrown on Mon Jun 13, 2005 at 08:47:17 AM PDT

  •  Fancine Busby (none / 0)

    I meet the woman who ran against this Republican toadie - Francine Busby was was very bright and energetic and won 37% of the vote.  Cunningham only pulled in 57% and he is a 15 year veteran.  Too bad this information did not come out during the election.  At least she has more issues for 2006.

    by carlton858 on Mon Jun 13, 2005 at 08:53:17 AM PDT

  •  Busby (none / 0)

    I live in the Pukes district and it is definitely red. The good news is that the Repugs are not dominated entirely by the Christofascists, but have a large libertarian component.  The libertatrians can be split off by the corruption issue. A Democrat will have a tough time, but it's not impossible. I haven't met Busby, but I hear that she is bright and articulate.  She did fairly well in spite of having very little money. To win she will need to have money. If she can go on the air and hit hard on corruption, she can win.

    My fear is that Puke will not run.

    by surfk9 on Mon Jun 13, 2005 at 09:09:22 AM PDT

  •  Three words. (none / 0)

    Dan Rostenkowski.

    The insinuation that the feces of John McCain, a former prisoner of war, would stink, is outrageous!

    by AdmiralNaismith on Mon Jun 13, 2005 at 09:23:31 AM PDT

    •  Rosty got put away for.. (none / 0)

      much less.  If I remember it was misusing government post office or some sort.  I could be wrong though.

      We Glory in war, in the shedding of human blood. What fools we are.

      by delver rootnose on Mon Jun 13, 2005 at 09:39:48 AM PDT

      [ Parent ]

      •  More to the point (none / 0)

        He lost his re-election bid in a gerrymandered district that heavily favored his party. If it can happen to him, it can happen to Cunningham.  And DeLay, and Hastings, and Ney, and Goode...

        The insinuation that the feces of John McCain, a former prisoner of war, would stink, is outrageous!

        by AdmiralNaismith on Mon Jun 13, 2005 at 10:44:58 AM PDT

        [ Parent ]

  •  I read the article and I.. (none / 0)

    find the most amazing thing is that thie Wade character has been traveling without phone contact.  That I cannot believe.

    We Glory in war, in the shedding of human blood. What fools we are.

    by delver rootnose on Mon Jun 13, 2005 at 09:38:50 AM PDT

    •  without phone contact . . . (none / 0)

      I see minimum wage earners with cell phones these days and don't think twice about it.

      Without phone contact these days means your circling the dark side of the moon, or you got caught with hand in the cookie jar and you don't want to talk.

      "Si se puede"

      by egarratt on Mon Jun 13, 2005 at 10:01:23 AM PDT

      [ Parent ]

  •  This will give them plenty to (none / 0)

    talk about on the prison yard...

    Poor government comes about when good citizens sit on their hands instead of standing on their feet.' -- Robert Baker

    by jaysunb on Mon Jun 13, 2005 at 09:39:50 AM PDT

  •  New maps (none / 0)

    If Arnold's new maps go through, would this district become more Republican?

    by JamesB3 on Mon Jun 13, 2005 at 10:11:29 AM PDT

    •  Probably not. (none / 0)

      The existing maps lopsidedly favor the incumbents of both parties.  Redrawing would make, in SD for example, the 50th and 53rd more Republican and the 49th, 51st and 52nd more Democratic.  It would make seats more competitive, especially in the Central Valley, but anything that seriously threatened Democrats would never make it through the legislature.  

      If the Democrats really wanted to play like the Republicans, they could have reduced the number of Republican CDs by at least five, and guarantee veto-proof Democratic majorities in both houses of the state legislature.  Instead, we pretty much got a guaranteed status quo--Arnold threw everything he had at the leg last election, and couldn't dislodge even one Democrat, which means that now they know they're safe banding together and shutting him out of the government entirely.  Arnold's a lame duck and a girly-man.

      The insinuation that the feces of John McCain, a former prisoner of war, would stink, is outrageous!

      by AdmiralNaismith on Mon Jun 13, 2005 at 10:54:05 AM PDT

      [ Parent ]

  •  SD Real Estate Bubble (none / 0)

    Northern San Diego County coastal area real estate prices are one of the biggest "bubble" markets in the country.  I would say the market has cooled a little bit since 2003, based upon a decrease in the number of listings now compared to then.  I bought my house in 92056 in 2001 for ~$274,000 (3 br/2.5 ba), and the last 3 "comps" in my neighborhood sold for between $450,00 and $525,000 (comps in 2003 were ~$375,000 to ~$450,000).  What I do know is that 2003 lenders started to tighten up a little bit by clamping down on appraisors (note:  my mom is a realtor and a good friend is a notary in the area), which has had an affect on the growth of the bubble since then.  That being the case, there is a case for "plausible deniability" here, albeit a weak one.

    As far as Issa, Cunningham and Duncan Hunter, Cunningham is the least offense of the three to me.  Issa, well Issa was the catalyst that gave us Ah-nold.  Hunter, well according to a former boss of mine who used to work for Hunter back in 1996 (when the Repub. Nat'l Convention was in SD), he and his "like-minded" followers are convinced that Mexicans want to invade and "take back the land" that "they" think we stole from them in the 1800's.  I would venture a guess that there are a lot of Hunter voters out there with the "Minute-men".  He also represents an area (El Cajon) where the Institute for Creation Research is located...nuff said.  As far as Cunningham, I have to give him credit for service to our country (and yes, his exploits as a pilot were the basis for some of those depicted in the move "Top Gun").  That doesn't mean I'm giving him a "pass" on the real estate deal.  I'm just giving reasons why I find him the least offensive of the three.
     

    Do what you can, with what you have, where you are. - T. Roosevelt

    by ranger31 on Mon Jun 13, 2005 at 10:15:03 AM PDT

  •   incumbent (none / 0)

    Cunningham was first elected to Congress beating the incumbent Democrat Jim Bates. Bates should have won easily, except that it became known that he liked to play grab-ass with his female employees.  It was that scandal that brought him down. Cunninghams district has been redrawn for him since then, but nevertheless I believe that a scandal can bring him down. I think that if someone took the time they could find a lot more questionable stuff on this guy.  
    I still say that the worst thing that could happen is that he won't run. He was diagnosed with prostate cancer last year or the year before and I don't know what became of that.

    by surfk9 on Mon Jun 13, 2005 at 11:03:24 AM PDT

Permalink | 112 comments