Cunningham's statement: Not good news for the K St gang and others

[understandinglife]

O’Melveny & Myers LLP
www.omm.com
MEDIA RELEASE

For Immediate Release
Monday, November 28, 2005

Statement By Randy “Duke” Cunningham

I am resigning from the House of Representatives because I’ve compromised the trust of my constituents.

When I announced several months ago that I would not seek re-election, I publicly declared my innocence because I was not strong enough to face the truth. So, I misled my family, staff, friends, colleagues, the public -- even myself. For all of this, I am deeply sorry.

The truth is -- I broke the law, concealed my conduct, and disgraced my high office. I know that I will forfeit my freedom, my reputation, my worldly possessions, and most importantly, the trust of my friends and family.

Some time ago, I asked my lawyers to inform the U.S. Attorney Carol Lam that I would like to plead guilty and begin serving a prison term. Today is the culmination of that process. I will
continue to cooperate with the government’s ongoing investigation to the best of my ability.

In my life, I have known great joy and great sorrow. And now I know great shame. I learned in Viet Nam that the true measure of a man is how he responds to adversity. I cannot undo what I have done. But I can atone. I am now almost 65 years old and, as I enter the twilight of my life, I intend to use the remaining time that God grants me to make amends.

The first step in that journey is to admit fault and apologize. The next step is to face the consequences of my actions like a man. Today, I have taken the first step and, with God’s grace, I will soon take the second.

Thank you.

Link:
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/politics/cunningham/images/051128cunningham_resign.pdf

65 years old and going to prison. You betcha he's going to do everything he can to make amends, and shorten the sentence.


Peace.

[Debi]

1. Duke - help us all

Tell us who gave money to whom

Tell us how many votes were swayed

Tell us who the other crooked politicians are

Help clean up Congress

[understandinglife]

2. Link to the plea agreement:

http://news.findlaw.com/nytimes/docs/crim/uscnnghm112805plea.pdf


Peace.

[understandinglife]

7. Do note the number of "co-conspirators" enumerated in the plea agreement.

Peace.

[stillcool]

10. not a light-weight among them....

looks pretty scary to me.

[skooooo]

14. How many??

I can't look through 33 pages to pinpoint it, but you've got me curious....

[Richardo]

16. I see 4 mentioned.

"Co-conspirator No. x"

[stillcool]

15. Something on the co-conspirators....

from...
http://www.thelog.com/columnists/columnistsview.asp?c=169214

Cunningham has been immersed in controversy since the sale of his Del Mar-area house to a defense contractor was reported in June by the San Diego Union-Tribune.

The contractor, Mitchell J. Wade, reportedly later resold the Cunningham house at a $700,000 loss. Wade is the founder of MZM Inc., a Washington, D.C.-based de-fense firm that has received $163 million in defense contracts since 2002. Numerous real estate agents and appraisers have stated that Wade overpaid for the house - a sale made more remarkable by the fact that no real estate agent brokered the transaction.


In 2003, Cunningham sold Kelly C to New York developer Thomas Kontogiannis for $600,000. Kontogiannis had been convicted in a bid-rigging scheme involving the New York public schools and was seeking Cunningham’s help in obtaining a pardon from President Bush and the U.S. Department of Justice.

[understandinglife]

20. Some details at "Talk Left":

http://talkleft.com/new_archives/013259.html


Peace.

[Gabi Hayes]

3. First thing he oughta do to make amends is to go to Vietnam and

apologize for the mass murder he committed there.

[WCGreen]

4. I find this statement to be wonderful example that even the

most corrupt can come to an epiphany...

[in_cog_ni_to]

5. Make amends? GOOD! Sing Baby Sing! Blow the whistle on 'em all.

Then you will be forgiven.

[Richardo]

6. Kudos to Duke. He knows the real meaning of 'taking responsibility'

It's not just apologizing. It's taking the consequences of your actions.

Good for him. Now I hope he makes good on his pledge to make amends and rats out the rest of the extortionists.

[AValdoux]

8. Amends should include...

...telling everything he knows about corruption & criminal behavior in Congress. Republican & Democrats, let the chips fall. Also let us know what reallly goes on in conservative christian organizations. What are Falwell, Robertson & Dobson like behind closed doors? Nothing like a clean conscience.


Avaldoux

[0007]

9. he's resigning because he got caught didn't want to get kicked out and now

he's truly sorry? Only because he was nailed. Why is it we always hear the same fucking song from these rotten sons-of-bitches?

Randy "Duke" Cunningham resigned his office today after pleading guilty to fraud, conspiracy to commit bribery and tax evasion in a political corruption case.

U.S. District Judge Larry Burns accepted the pleas from Cunningham, 63, including the congressman's admission in federal court that he had accepted bribes in exchange for performance of his official duties.

[DoYouEverWonder]

11. At least he's admitting that he broke the law

and is claiming that he will come clean. He can be very helpful to investigators I'm sure. If we want to take down the top guys, we need as many 2nd level people as possible talking and making deals. I'd give the dude some leniency if he cooperates.

[chat_noir]

12. Cooperation language

[DURHAM D]

13. My thoughts - the defense contractors were not pushing all of

this money, etc. on Duke - he was demanding it from them. These transactions were being driven by Duke's greed. The really stupid part is that he kept depositing the bribes/extorted funds/checks in his personal bank account. This was not very sophisticated - the bribers and the bribees should have known how to hide all these funds. If I were the defense contractors and real estate agents every time I wrote Duke a check, received the canceled checks back and turned it over and noticed that it was deposited into his personal accounts I would have run away from him at breakneck speed.

What a bunch of arrogant fools.

[Debi]

17. But who was going to hold any of them accountable?

Not Bush or any of his cronies.

It's only now, that the admin. is in such hot water that they can't 'control' who gets investigated and who gets in trouble.

[DURHAM D]

18. This would have been a real simple task for some IRS

mid-level employee. Really, just the IRS could have brought him and the Mrs. down.

[stillcool]

19. There are two defense contractors...

and MZM has merited a lot of ink, and has ties to the DOD...and also, in the indictment it states that the money went through various fronts etc., to conceal it...
MZM's head-liners...
Joseph Romano, executive vice president, is the former head of the Defense Intelligence Agency's Technology Assessment Group.

James C. King, senior vice president, is a retired lieutenant general in the U.S. Army, where he spent 33 years. King established and led the National Imagery and Mapping Agency, which is an agency in the Defense Department that collects and analyzes satellite images. NIMA is currently leading the U.S. government-funded effort to develop a spy satellite that can focus in on something as small as a person. Also, after failing to end public distribution of some topical maps of the U.S., NIMA announced a "review" of all publicly available maps of the U.S. King is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, a private organization that unofficially advises the U.S. government on matters of foreign policy.

Susan Hogan, executive vice president, National Security Liaison, worked for eight years on the Senate Appropriations Committee, where she handled classified defense spending.

Wayne M. Hall, vice president for homeland security and future conflict, is a retired military general. He commanded a military intelligence battalion during the 1991 Gulf War.
http://www.publicintegrity.org/wow/bio.aspx?act=pro&ddlC=40