I’ve been following the story of Rep. Randy “Duke” Cunningham since last June. In just nine months, Cunningham has gone from outrage and bluster to resignation to utter defeat. As of this afternoon, he’s going to federal “pound me in the ass” prison. Cunningham has been sentenced to eight years and four months for accepting bribes from MZM, Inc., as well as two other defense contractors. He’s been told that his sentence will be reduced further if he continues to cooperate with investigators. If he’s not cooperating fully, he will be after he meets Tiny, his new cellmate.
There are two other congressmen caught up in this scandal. One of them is Rep. Katherine Harris. She is the one who appears to be involved the least. But as Cunningham was sentenced, Harris was getting lawyered up — she’s hired hotshot campaign finance attorney Ben Ginsberg, the same Bush/Cheney attorney who advised the Swift Boat Vets. The Tampa Tribune writes:
On the sixth day after she was identified as a recipient of illegal campaign contributions, the Republican congresswoman from Longboat Key stayed behind closed doors. She issued a statement in which she denied knowing that contributions made to her by defense contractor Mitchell Wade had been illegal.
She also had her employees release a partial series of documents, requested by the Tribune, that relate to her attempts at obtaining federal tax dollars for dozens of special interests since 2004.
Six days behind closed doors, issuing defensive statements, releasing documents about spending — she’s clearly handling this matter deftly.
So if the most-involved congressman is headed off to prison and the least-involved congressman is barricading herself, I have to wonder — what’s the congressman in the middle, my own Rep. Virgil Goode, doing these days? Has he lawyered up? Are any media outlets asking that he release his records of his communications with MZM and NGIC, or a record of his earmarks?
Cunningham and Harris are unlucky — both of their districts contain major print media outlets. Goode has only small dailies — the Daily Progress, the Register-Bee, the Times, and the News and Advance. And three of those are owned by Media General, which has a months-old hiring freeze that has their overworked and underpaid employees more overworked and underpaid than ever.
The ball’s in your court, guys. Ask the tough questions. Demand answers. Print the responses, no matter how flaccid and anemic. You can do it.
There’s nothing amusing about prison rape.
Clearly, you’ve never seen “Office Space.” I laughed like hell.
You forgot the Farmville Herald. Today, they had a hilarious letter from State Senator Frank Ruff, where he claimed that Virgil’s character is ‘beyond reproach’. I laughed so hard I almost choked, and then i got mad.
This piece of partisan garbage can be seen at their website. They are an independant paper in a largely Democratic county. I have been trying for years to get them to cover the abuses by the Cumberland County Supervisors and School Board.
It is time to ask for the earmark documents. They will prove that shortly after a bundle of checks made its way to Virgil’s office, he asked for funding for an MZM facility either in Martinsville or Charlottesville.
I would love to see Virgil squirm under a media spotlight. Or a prison one.
I wouldn’t say I forgot them. :)
Does this mean you’ve never heard of them?
They are another exercise in media frustration.
;)
Oh, no, I’m familiar with ’em. Heck, I read both the Gazette Virginian and the News & Record every week, just for a balanced view of South Boston. I just wouldn’t include them in a tally of papers liable to do any kind of investigative journalism. :)
Waldo likes when War Heroes suffer tragedy. Too bad Waldo doesn’t cheer as wildly when VIOLENT criminals are put behind bars. Cunningham was a man who did more for his country in a few short years in Vietnam than you’ll ever do in your life and you know something, it makes him better than you sniveling liberal babies will ever be, even with the conviction. Shot down in his F-4 Phantom, recomended for the Medal of Honor, recipient of the Navy Cross, and numerous other medals and citations for bravery, in situations where he placed personal honor above personal gain. These acts deserve mention along with, if not BEFORE, his conviction and failings. Those of you who loathe the military as Hillary does, should suffer the fates due to all cowards.
P.S. Waldo, Filing petty lawsuits against the city over so called “civil rights abuses” when you’re 19 years old is about the most retarded shit a kid can do. Trying to get the taxpayers to pay because your feelings got hurt is the quick way to end a political career before it ever gets off the ground.
I guess that leaves me out, since I am a Navy veteran.
All the great deeds in the world do not matter if you finish your life taking millions of dollars in bribes, in order to further the very ‘death’ industy that made him a hero.
We all know who he is; he is the one who got tempted by materialism and greed, and sold out his country for it. Treason would be a more fitting charge.
And, by the way, it seemed to me that the Duke was doing the sniveling when he announced he was a felon and a crook. And that, my friend AWAD, is a Republican.
No offense, of course.
not a republican, not a democrat, am a proud American, and if you did anything other than get shot down, bombed while onboard a ship or recieved contact at any point in your service, then you’re a f$#ing pogue. And we all know why navy guys have their nametags on the seat of their britches, dont we? That death industry you speak of is what kept you safe in your cute little bell bottoms while real men paid the price before and after your service.
I clicked through to see how many posts it took for someone to get bent out of shape about the ‘Office Space’ reference. Hilarity ensued.
I think that’s for Mr. Cunningham to determine, Nell.
Meanwhile, all joking aside. This is a despicable problem in this nation.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5239043
Instead of trying to make second class citizens of unmarried couples and pregnant women, perhapse the VA Delegation could address this issue.
Filing petty lawsuits against the city over so called “civil rights abuses” when you’re 19 years old is about the most retarded shit a kid can do.
Except for things like binge drinking, drunk driving, date rape, staring at a tv screen for hours on end, getting in fights, harrassing people…
Oh, I guess there are lots of more “retarded shit a kid can do”, huh?
Imagine. A 19 year old young man, growing up in the shadows of Jefferson, Madison and Monroe would be concerned with petty concerns like the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. I’d be proud to have a son like that. Oh, wait… I do.
“AWAD” sent me this a year ago now:
The guy’s clearly insane. He’s lucky I didn’t call the police last time.
A little less time at rich kid Summer camp and a little more time doing WORK, might have made that 19 year old kid appreciate the pain that is, paying taxes, only to have carpetbaggers like you sue the government for BS, because you’re “outraged.” The movement is dead Harry. If your son actually had to struggle like normal Democrats he might appreciate the world the rest of us have helped build.
I paid my way through high school by working four jobs. You’re totally insane. Get lost.
Chief, you are reminder that today’s conservatives have more in common with brownshirts than Barry Goldwater.
Eh, there are assholes of all political persuasions. I won’t blame the “AWAD”s of the world on the Republican Party if Republicans will spare Democrats any number of our loonies.