The Duke-Stir will be sentenced this week for his minor malfeasance while treating his congressional seat like a corrupt S&L. Here's how ol' Duke's scam worked:
Convicted former representative Randy "Duke" Cunningham (R-Calif.) should be sentenced to the maximum 10 years in prison because of "unparalleled corruption" that included a "bribe menu" on congressional letterhead telling a defense contractor what payments were required for different levels of federal funding, federal prosecutors said in court papers yesterday.
...
For instance, it said that Cunningham offered one of the contractors, identifiable in the court papers as Mitchell Wade, head of a Washington company called MZM Inc., $16 million in government contracts in return for the title to a boat Wade had just bought for $140,000. A copy of the notes is included in the filing, showing, the government said, that Cunningham charged an additional $50,000 for every $1 million more.
When the payments reached $340,000, the rate for each $1 million of federal funding dropped to $25,000, the document said.
Wow! What a deal! Get to the $340,000 bribe level, and get a break on your graft payments to DukeCo. Where do I sign up for that? There's an incentive to pump more cash to Cunningham...just hit that 340K mark and get a reduced rate.
Blue-light special on Contracts, Aisle 2...going fast! You have figure that Cunningham isn't operating in a vacuum here. He's not bright enough to have figured this out all by himself, he had a mentor, and probably hmmmm, they were republicans and likely still around. I certainly hope there's not a delay in finding them.
You know as well as I do, Jo - THIS is the tip of the iceberg on the graft tip.
Unless DoucheBush gets impeached, Duke is probally going to walk sometime around January 20, 2009.
Mark. My. Words.
posted by: Barndog on 02.18.06 at 06:20 AM [permalink]
The problem with Democracy is, We need more Democracy.
The problem with C-SPAN is, We need more C-SPAN.
http://www.cspanjunkies.org/
To: U.S. Congress and the FCC
We, the undersigned, while believing in the importance of a Free Market and Freedom of Speech, also believe in the importance of The Public Airwaves to be used as mandated by the FCC "...In the Public Interest, Necessity, and Convenience." We believe the use of The Public Airwaves is crucial to spread knowledge, culture, and civics. We therefore write to petition you to consider major changes in the allocation of the Broadcast Spectrum.
The Public Airwaves are a Vast Toxic Wasteland.
Congress needs to hold hearing on THE STATE OF THE AIRWAVES.
They would find:
1) That the Broadcast and Cable companies have not lived up to using the Public Airwaves, as the FCC mandated "... in the spirit of Public Interest, Necessity, and Convenience."
2) That the FCC and Congress have " given away, rent free", the Public Airwaves.
3) That the Broadcast and Cable companies have "... made so much money doing IT'S worst, IT can't afford to do better."
In the 1990's the FCC, with much support from the Congress, auctioned off portions of the Broadcast Spectrum. One portion of the Spectrum that was being auctioned would potentially reach 16 million customers (citizens). Almost as many people as the population of the state of Texas.
That particular portion sold for $3.00. Three dollars! When former FCC chairman Reed was asked to comment, he said "...I wish I had three dollars".
This cavalier policy and stewardship of the Public Airwaves has been good for the Broadcast and Cable companies, and their stock holders. And absolutely hideous for Civics, Public Affairs, and Democracy.
Before 2009, the FCC will give away more of the Public Airwaves, worth between 80-100 billion dollars. Once again, the Public will be outside, looking in, as the Broadcast Spectrum goes to the highest campaign contributors.
What does the Public receive from the License holders, for their use of the Broadcast Spectrum? Inexpensive Cable and Satellite packages? Intellectually stimulating programs broadcast into our homes at no charge? Choices and Diversity? Event coverage and programming with redeemable qualities? Or is it "...500 channels and still there's nothing worth watching".
There are many Independent, Grassroots, and Localized ways to use the Broadcast Spectrum. But on the National level, the Country needs more Public affairs, more Civics. The unedited, undefiled paradigm C-SPAN has perfected, is the only thing We can all agree on. It promotes Democracy and Participation. Not even the corporate media conglomerates can be against Democracy.
We therefore call on the Congress, and the FCC, to hold hearings on the benefits of more C-SPAN. And to take steps to move forward with the endeavor of creating more C-SPAN Companion Networks. When there is more than enough Broadcast Spectrum to dedicate to Civics, Culture, History and Democracy, We should not allow greed to get in the way of the Public Interest, Necessity and Convenience.
Nothing on the "Band of Brothers" I see. The DNC abondoned us with the Hackett backstab. The party does not support Veterans, except as surfs..sure, they want more benefits for us, which is nice. Bottom line, they do not respect our opinions, or value our leadership.
Same goes with Murtha. They have not backed him either. Sorry I am off topic Joe, but with a "Democrat Veteran" webpage, I would think you would have a post about Hackett, about Veterans and how the party is (mis) handling us. You really want to support a party that voted for this war, and is standing behind that vote? Sure, the lesser of two evils...well...HOO YAH JOE!
I will bet you, they do not fund the Band of Brothers in any meaningfull way at the DNC, and that they are forced to scrape money together to try and put up a fight.
This is as much about image as anything, and the image of Schummer and Reid calling Hackett on the phone to pull funding, to support a carreer poltician who is a tea drinking liberal, over a true progressive combat veteran who speaks his mind, tells me one thing...MORE OF THE SAME FROM THE DNC, AND ANOTHER REPUBLICAN WIN IN 06.Desi has been hitting this hard over at Mia Culpa. You should check it out.
With Hackett Departure, Old Politics Win
The Associated Press
Wednesday 15 February 2006
Washington - With a shove from party leaders, Iraq war veteran Paul Hackett abruptly quit a key Senate race in Ohio and further exposed a disconnect between the Democratic establishment and Internet-fueled challengers.
The political novice withdrew under intense pressure from party leaders in Washington, clearing the field for Rep. Sherrod Brown - a 30-year veteran of Democratic politics with more than $2.5 million in the bank.
Phil Singer, spokesman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, said Hackett's decision to quit gives the party a better chance of beating two-term GOP Sen. Mike DeWine in November. Hackett drew his strongest support from Democratic activists outside Washington and Ohio who donated money and time via the Internet, including many who considered his military record an asset against DeWine.
"Hackett would have probably won this seat," David Nir, one of three founders of the liberal Web site SwingStateProject.com, contended in a blog posting Tuesday. "It's much harder for me to envision the 'northeastern Ohio liberal' Sherrod Brown breaking the 49-percent barrier, particularly with DeWine moving to the center."
Not everyone agreed in the world of Weblogs, or blogs, but there was plenty of anger and many threatened not to help Brown. Matt Stoller, a leading voice on the liberal blog MyDD.com who wasn't involved in the Ohio Senate race, said Hackett represented a failure by bloggers to compete.
"Establishment Democrats are still more powerful than we are, by orders of magnitude," Stoller wrote. "While we can put tens of thousands into a race, they can dwarf that with millions."
Hackett said the party's decision "highlights the challenge that's still there" to close the gap between Washington and the party's grassroots.
In 2004 bloggers helped former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean leapfrog establishment candidates in the months leading up to the Democratic presidential primaries, but he quickly fell once the voting started.
Last month, Sen. John Kerry made a point of posting a message on the liberal Weblog DailyKos to assure bloggers that he and Sen. Edward Kennedy would push to block a Senate vote on the confirmation of Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito. They couldn't get enough support to mount a filibuster.
On Tuesday, soon after Hackett said he was quitting politics, the largest liberal Internet organization, MoveOn.org, notified its 3.3 million members of a new strategy: working to oust conservative Democratic incumbents.
Another grassroots group that backed Hackett, Democratic war veterans, expressed outrage as well.
"Hackett brought credibility on the No. 1 issue facing the nation - the war in Iraq," said Jon Soltz, an Iraq combat veteran and executive director of the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America Political Action Committee. "The Democratic Party loses credibility on that issue because he is no longer running, and because they had a hand in his decision."
Hackett said he had ended his 11-month political career. It reached its zenith last summer when his House campaign in a conservative Cincinnati-area district raised $850,000 in two months, $500,000 of it through blogs.
Republicans contended the Democrats hurt themselves.
"The Democrat party bosses dumped a candidate with mainstream vote-getting potential for one of their most liberal members," said Dan Ronayne, spokesman for the National Republican Senatorial Committee. "In doing so, the Democrats have settled on a candidate who is fundamentally out of touch with the mainstream values of Ohioans. Happy Valentine's Day, indeed."
NOT ONLY THAT, BUT IT IS BEING REPORTED IN THE PRESS THAT HACKETT WAS ALSO SWIFTBOATED BY HIS OWN PARTY...hoo yah!
Correct - Major Hackett was swiftboated by Chuck Schumer and Harry Reid. Along with the DCCC chair from Illinois (he paid off Sherrod Brown's $250k + debt to the DCCC "fund", and got the ball rolling in cutting off funding to Hackett).
I'm through with this asshole party.
They have nothing coming. PERIOD.
And this is how you win elections? No, this is how you keep the same the same.
Wait for it to happen to the "Band of Brothers" - coming to the Democratic party sometime this summer.
Mark my words. Just watch. Surfs. That's all we are. If you haven't figured it out by now - well I have no other advise for you my friends.
Semper Fidelis - and carry on.
posted by: Barndog on 02.19.06 at 06:19 AM [permalink]
Hi PC,
I suspect Jo has already been doing serious homework and is preparing a comprehensive post about the elections this year. There is a recent post on Alternate Brain that addresses the Band of Brothers and the 2005 elections, and if you can suggest more links it would be wonderful and truly appreciated. I was disappointed about Hackett, too, and that's why I want to get info out there!
posted by: Nina on 02.19.06 at 11:34 AM [permalink]
That's war profiteer Duke Cunningham you're taliking about, li'l ol' Mr Mini-Haliburton Cunningham? He's a sleazebag who can teach other sleazebags about sleaze.
posted by: Nina on 02.19.06 at 12:02 PM [permalink]
Jo,
FDL today, #245 :) I won't tell you which number mine is, but I voted for you, and so did a lot of people.
posted by: Nina on 02.19.06 at 12:24 PM [permalink]
...the Band of Brothers and the 2006 elections... Duhhhhh. And let's work on this to show that lousy DCCC something, too.
posted by: Nina on 02.19.06 at 02:41 PM [permalink]
Cunningham is amazingly corrupt and, unbelievably stupid. Envelops of cash, "bribe menus" on his congressional stationary, new cars/boat/furniture/houses.
I guess he figured that he could get away with it because the rest of his Republican pals were pulling off similar heists. The difference is that they used a little discretion.
