I’ll take two fleecings with a side of embezzlement.
By on Feb 27th, 2006 at 2:26 pm
I’ll take two fleecings with a side of embezzlement.
“Convicted Rep. Randall ‘Duke’ Cunningham actually priced the illegal services he provided. Prices came in the form of a ‘bribe menu’ that detailed how much it would cost contractors to essentially order multimillion-dollar government contracts, according to documents submitted by federal prosecutors.”
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Declaring total war to smear, intimidate, defame and destroy political opponents is common practice within the Texas GOP. That’s what Texans for Public Justice (TPJ) found out when a Tom Delay ally in Congress triggered an IRS audit of the non-profit. As the Washington Post reported today, the IRS cleared Texans for Public Justice after an audit commenced at the request of House Way and Means Committee member Sam Johnson, a Delay foot soldier and fellow Texas Republican.
For the full story, see:
February 27th, 2006 at 2:31 pm“Hammer Time: Texas GOP Sends IRS After Delay Foes”
what will it cost to get bush a new brain?…HOW MUCH! YOU’VE GOT TO BE KIDDING!!!!
February 27th, 2006 at 2:33 pmThe “menu” was on the back of a congressional notecard? How tacky. With the amount of money he was getting, the “menu” should have been leather-bound with a golden tassel.
February 27th, 2006 at 2:37 pmHe was just streamlining the job. The Duke probably saved taxpayer money.
February 27th, 2006 at 2:37 pmHey everybody, my name is Duke, and I’ll be your server for tonight. Anybody care to start off with a little corruption?
February 27th, 2006 at 2:46 pmPretty sick how they woulkd allow that kind of paper trail.
R2K
February 27th, 2006 at 2:52 pmMs. Harris, what can I get you for a starter?
February 27th, 2006 at 2:53 pm#5
Let’s see… I’ll start off with an appetizer of a $1,000,000 contract for my construction company to build stepladders for moo cows. Then… hmmm… how’s the ‘Silly Pet Projects’ tonight? Good, you say? Okay, let’s go with that, then, the $25,000,000 contract for pants for monkeys.
We’ll revisit the dessert issue later. How’s the humble pie?
February 27th, 2006 at 2:54 pmOur special tonight is a poached election
February 27th, 2006 at 2:55 pmApparently he took his last name too seriously. “Stupidporker” is more apropo.
February 27th, 2006 at 3:01 pmYes, we also have a lovely Ethics Fricassee topped with some bits of shredded Trust of the Public.
Quite tasty. I recommend a nice Jailcell Merlot to compliment the flavor.
February 27th, 2006 at 3:03 pmI really doubt that he’s the one the came up with the idea. I wonder how much the prices have gone up during the past 5 years?
February 27th, 2006 at 3:13 pmAnyone else find it odd that Cunningham’s maximum sentence for untold numbers of bribes is 10 years, but the single person who gave Cunningham $1 million worth of bribes can go to prison for 20 years?
February 27th, 2006 at 3:14 pmok, PhotoShop artists, get to work on a “bribe menu” for us!
February 27th, 2006 at 3:37 pmWe know George Bush has lied to us, spied on us, broken the law and sent Americans to fight an illegal war. The time for just debate and protest is over. We need real action to save our country and our Constitution – Congress must consider the impeachment of George W. Bush. Click here to take action: http://www.ccr-ny.org/impeachment
February 27th, 2006 at 3:39 pm#He was just streamlining the job. The Duke probably saved taxpayer money.
Comment by dlet — February 27, 2006 @ 2:37 pm
hello wwallace
February 27th, 2006 at 3:53 pmTalking Points Memo (TPM) has a great round-up of these points. In fact Josh Marshall has set up a muckraker section with a picture of the menu as well as the indictment,etc. Not to steal any thunder from TP.
February 27th, 2006 at 3:57 pmSay can I get some EYE of NEWT?
February 27th, 2006 at 4:01 pmLeave out the Rhetoric Sauce Please..
And put an APPLE in that damn things mouth forchrissakes before you serve it.
What’s on his plate now? Crow.
February 27th, 2006 at 4:08 pm10- If that’s original, it’s brilliant!
February 27th, 2006 at 4:08 pmbut the single person who gave Cunningham $1 million worth of bribes can go to prison for 20 years?
Something about “honor” among thieves?
February 27th, 2006 at 4:10 pm#Anyone else find it odd that Cunningham’s maximum sentence for untold numbers of bribes is 10 years, but the single person who gave Cunningham $1 million worth of bribes can go to prison for 20 years?
Comment by Universe Man — February 27, 2006 @ 3:14 pm
Its the Hate law in reverse. If you shoot a Cop you get Life.
A congress shoots you he only gets 10 years.
You Gave him the money (bullets to shoot) yet you didnt pull the trigger. But you are more guilty than the truly guilty.
And if you have more money, in an ownership society, you dont pay the same time for a larger crime.
Makes sense.
Bush says smaller govt, he made bigger, debts hes said smaller, got bigger, troops not for nation building, but they were.
Makes sense in Political World. If you Write the Laws, you can do what you want.
Now, can we PLEASE STOP allowing these people, if that, Congressman and politicos to Police themselves?
with their Elitist cronysim Laws?
Or FoXhouseisms.
February 27th, 2006 at 4:10 pm#10 Mr. Ho
February 27th, 2006 at 4:13 pmNo not wwallace. Just unlabeled sarcasm.
Sry #16
February 27th, 2006 at 4:13 pmI do want to thank Mr. Cunningham for adding a new word to my vocabulary: malversation. Look it up.
February 27th, 2006 at 4:13 pmI hear that bribery is in season this time of year…
February 27th, 2006 at 4:16 pmAnybody know if the Selling Your Soul for Campaign Contributions is any good?
Can I get a witness from the congregation? (Cunningham, DeLay, Harris, Ney, Cornyn, Burns, Reed, yada yada yada…)
February 27th, 2006 at 4:20 pmThank you, #20, yes, it’s original, sometimes the spirit moves me…
February 27th, 2006 at 4:23 pmBut I don’t need a higher power to tell me where truly dangerous weapons of destruction to the masses are hidden….
#22
Did you see where Cunningham’s lawyers are asking for mercy for their client–trying to get him less than 10 years??
Cunningham lawyers ask for mercy
Here’s a quote from his lawyers:
February 27th, 2006 at 4:37 pm“The central question before the court is not whether harsh punishment is justified in this case,†the lawyers wrote. “The question is what constitutes harsh punishment for a man of Mr. Cunningham’s age, medical condition and long history of selfless service to his country.â€
HOW MANY OTHER House Members have been receiving bribes and contributions from defense contractors in exchange for ‘yea’ votes on defense spending bills?
And for that matter, to have voted ‘yea’ to the resolution empowering the the most powerful Defense Business Agent there is, the President, to take the U.S. Military into Iraq?
I KNOW PEOPLE are not unaware of the fact, that all the while Republican Randall ‘Duke’ Cunningham was receiving cash, a Rolls Royce, a Yacht, and an antique-laden mansion, he was voting ‘yea’ to every defense spending measure (which is what defense contractors everywhere want), and ‘yea’ to sending 2,294 (so far) U.S. Troops to their deaths in Iraq (which grieves the People everywhere).
HOW MANY OTHER pro-defense spending, pro-war, pro-death House Members are receiving bribes and contributions for their votes, in addition to Republican Randall ‘Duke’ Cunningham?
I KNOW ONE WAY to find out…
…TAKE A VOTE in the House; ask for all those members who support more defense spending, more war, and more death for U.S. Troops in Iraq, ask them to signify by saying ‘yea’.
Not all the members who vote ‘yea’ are taking bribes, but you can be sure that the ones who are taking bribes are voting ‘yea’…
…and the ones who are not, are voting ‘nay’.
February 27th, 2006 at 4:41 pmRegards the call for IMPEACHMENT:
THE LAW is the only means, and the ball has been started to rolling, however so little…
H. Res. 635 (presently in the Rules Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives) calls for:
Creating a select committee to investigate the Administration’s intent to go to war before congressional authorization, manipulation of pre-war intelligence, encouraging and countenancing torture, retaliating against critics, and to make recommendations regarding grounds for possible impeachment.
…in addition to it’s sponsor, Representative John Conyers of Michigan, it presently has 26 cosponsors in the U.S. House of Representatives.
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:HE00635:@@@P
Is your U.S. Representative one of them yet?
February 27th, 2006 at 4:53 pm#31 Thanks for posting this. I just emailed my congressman to ask him to join with the others.
February 27th, 2006 at 5:15 pmSince we seem to be so good about outsourcing many functions of our economy and government, I for one advocate outsourcing the penalty phase of punishment for anyone convicted in the Delay, Abrarmoff, Cunningham, Plamegate, Halliburton scandals to Thailand. I hear they have a novel way to stop criminals………
February 27th, 2006 at 5:56 pmThe corruption within the Republican party is so widespread, it’s difficult to reconcile the recent Gallup poll stating the ‘thugs will win again in 2006. They are better at getting the vote out and while many Americans are turned off by Republicans these days, the ones who vote ain’t necessarily so.
February 27th, 2006 at 7:32 pmPeople must vote the criminals out of office – we can’t afford to wait for them all to go to jail.
Don’t forget to add to the bribe menu the 15% tip to the waiter.
February 28th, 2006 at 6:12 am