Five members (and ex members) of Congress are being probed in association with the bribery scandal linked to former California Republican congressman Randall "Duke" Cunningham, according to a little-noticed legal filing on Wednesday, and discovered on Thursday. The document was presented by the attorney for Mitchell Wade, the former defense contractor who pleaded guilty to bribing Cunningham in 2006 and who has cooperated with the government in their investigation.
In addition to the five current or former members of Congress, several government employees and private contractors are also under scrutiny.
Katherine Harris, Virgil Goode and current Republican Rep. Jerry Lewis of California...you're all under extreme scrutiny.
What a pleasure it would be to see the corrupt and egregious Katherine Harris frogmarched in an orange jumpsuit!
Here is a link to the sentencing memo that can be found on Seth Hettina's (an author who has published a book on Cunningham) website. Check out page 4 (of) 43 and page 27 (of) 43; this evaluation for sentencing is also a great look into the world of Duke Cunningham and Brent Wilkes...and shows with unobstructed views their corruption and misdeeds.
http://sethhettena.com/...
This is a fascinating document, especially if you have never seen a sentencing guideline for a convicted criminal. But, on page 27 (of) 43 you will see that the investigation of the (5) congressman or ex-congressman is well under way!
Finally, Mr. Wade assisted the government in connection with inquiries relating to the
activities of at least five other Members of Congress, numerous executive branch employees and
several private contractors. Mr. Wade provided substantial assistance to the government in
connection with its efforts to determine whether other Members of Congress were engaged in
corruption similar to that of Mr. Cunningham. He has discussed potentially-corrupt political
contributions, fundraising activities and other congressional activities with prosecutors on at least
six occasions between September 2005 and May 2006.
Two of the Members of Congress about whom Mr. Wade was questioned by federal
investigators and provided information have been described in the press as under corruption-related investigation by the government. Three others have come under scrutiny for their receipt
of straw contribution funds provided by MZM employees, and, in one instance, for the possible
receipt of undisclosed gifts of food and wine. While none of these individuals has, as of yet,
been charged with a crime, Mr. Wade’s cooperation made it possible for the government to reach
conclusions about the role of various Members of Congress in connection with MZM political
fundraising.
Of the five Congressmembers, two are formally under investigation and three are being examined for their "receipt of straw contributions" -- contributions made to members of Congress in an effort to get facilities opened in their districts. Investigators are also looking at a member of Congress for accepting undisclosed gifts, the crime that sunk Alaska Republican Sen. Ted Stevens this year.
According to the filing, the five are being probed for "corruption similar to that of Mr. Cunningham."
None of the additional congressmembers are named, however, Hettena believes they are "no doubt" Republican Congress people Virgil Goode and Katherine Harris. We all know that Harris became famous during the Florida recount in 2000, and was elected to Congress in 2002 but was defeated in 2006. Goode represents Virginia and was narrowly defeated in November of this year.
Katherine Harris may be the member of Congress who underreported campaign contributions, as it became an issue during her 2006 campaign for Senator. Wade took Harris to dinner at the posh French Georgetown restaurant Michel Richard Citronelle the year before her electoral defeat which cost $2,800, according to Harris' former political strategist Ed Rollins; members of Congress are supposed to report any gifts larger than $50.
http://www.sptimes.com/...
Citronelle's fixed priced menu costs $155 alone. With "wine pairings," a meal is $230. However, she enjoyed some special "vintage" wines valuing in the neighborhood of $2200 dollars.
Virgil Goode's "Wade/Cunningham" connection:
http://www.democraticcentral.com/...
The Federal Election Commission (FEC/Commission) announced today that Mitchell Wade and MZM, Inc. will pay a $1,000,000 civil penalty, the second largest penalty ever paid in the 32-year history of the FEC. The FEC has accepted a conciliation agreement in which Mr. Wade admits to knowingly and willfully violating the Federal Election Campaign Act (the Act) by funneling $78,000 in corporate contributions to two federal candidates. The Commission unanimously approved the conciliation agreement.
FEC Chairman Robert Lenhard stated: "There are serious consequences for those who knowingly and willfully try to funnel illegal contributions into federal election campaigns. The historic civil penalty collected in this case shows that the FEC has a strong and vigorous enforcement program in place."
California's Rep. Jerry Lewis might also be among the five. He has already been linked with Cunningham in a previous investigation. The investigation into Lewis' wrongdoing was squelched when the prosecutor was fired for going after Republicans.
Seth Hettena's blogsite: http://sethhettena.com/...