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 Posted:
Sat Jul 02, 2005 4:01 pm Post subject:
CORRUPTION |
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CORRUPTION
Cunningscam Continues
If there was ever a time to get the House Ethics Committee up and running
again, now is that time. In addition to the multiple ethically
questionable trip-ups of House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, there's a new
story unfolding involving a "Duke," a defense contractor and a highly
unusual million-dollar real estate transaction. While the FBI has already
"opened an inquiry" into the conduct of Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham (R-
CA), Rep. Doc Hastings (R-WA) and his stagnant House Ethics Committee can
do nothing.
THE STORY: In late 2003, when Cunningham decided to sell his Del Mar, CA,
home, he didn't rely on the market. Instead, "Cunningham -- who sits on
the defense appropriations subcommittee -- turned to a defense
contractor." After purchasing the house, contractor Mitchell Wade of MZM
Inc. flipped it back on the market "where it languished for 261 days
before selling for $700,000 less than the original price." During this
period, Cunningham used his influential position to "[support] the
contractor's efforts to get tens of millions of dollars in contracts from
the Pentagon." Just how successful were Cunningham's efforts? By the next
year, Wade's little-known MZM had tripled its revenue, nearly quadrupled
its staff, and suddenly landed itself on a list of the top 100 federal
contractors for 2005. Neither Wade nor his company was ever listed as the
buyer of Cunningham's house. "Instead, the [property] records state that
Cunningham sold the house to 1523 New Hampshire Avenue LLC. Nevada state
business records show that Wade owns that company, too. It is the address
of his Washington, D.C., office."
MEET ELIZABETH TODD, THE WORLD'S WORST REALTOR?: In defending the house
deal that netted Cunningham hundreds of thousands of dollars, the
congressman's office stated the defense contractor had "received
comparables from an independent source establishing the value of the
home." The realtor "sent Wade the 'comps' and set the asking price for
Cunningham. Based solely on those comps, Wade accepted the asking
price." In fact, the "comps" weren't that independent. Wade hired this
same realtor for his almost immediate resale of Cunningham's home. And
Cunningham in turn hired her for the $2.55 million "house that he
acquired immediately after selling the Del Mar house," which would have
fetched her a pretty hefty commission. This ever so popular realtor is
Elizabeth Todd, and she certainly is not new to the congressman. In fact,
Todd and two family members "have made 18 separate contributions totaling
$11,500 to Cunningham's congressional campaign committee since 1997."
DUKE'S HOME AWAY FROM HOME: With his successful real estate experiences
in his home state of California, one would assume Cunningham would have
the same luck looking for a home back here in Washington. Apparently not.
While working here in the nation's capitol, Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham
stays on a yacht docked at a Washington yacht club instead. The boat is
"docked at Cunningham's slip." The boat "bears the name 'Duke Stir.'" The
boat is owned by defense contractor Wade.
WRINGING OUT DONATIONS TO THE DUKE: Dubious house sales aren't the only
way Cunningham has gotten money out of Wade and MZM Inc. During the 2002
and 2004 election cycles, MZM's PAC doled out $17,000 to Cunningham. And
though Wade has personally given thousands of dollars to Cunningham since
2001, he didn't stop there. Three former employees of the defense
contractor have given separate accounts of how "its founder, Mitchell
Wade, routinely forced employees to give political donations." One senior
former employee reveals, "By the spring of '02, Mitch was twisting
employees' arms to donate to his MZM PAC. We were called in and told
basically either donate to the MZM PAC or we would be fired." The amounts
to be donated were "based on their level of seniority in the company." In
one instance, employees were "rounded up ... and told to write a check
with the political recipient standing by." If these charges are true,
Wade "can be subject to criminal prosecution."
THE FAMILY AND THE FOUNDATION: In 2004, Cunningham served as vice
chairman on a subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee. In
October of that year, the subcommittee "authorized a $100,000 grant to
The Sure Foundation." Unsurprisingly, the foundation has ties back to
Wade and Cunningham. "Wade is the treasurer of the foundation. Wade's
wife ... is president emeritus of the foundation. Cunningham's wife ...
and one of his daughters ... sit on the advisory council for the
foundation." There are only two other people on the foundation's advisory
council. Cunningham himself "is listed on the website of the Sure
Foundation ... as a member of an 'honorary committee.'"
DUKE IN MORE HOT WATER: Rep. Cunningham has defended himself vehemently
by stating, "My whole life I've lived aboveboard. I've never even smoked
a marijuana cigarette. I don't cheat.... The last thing I would do is get
involved in something that, you know, is wrong." For someone who claims
such innocence, he sure seems to be finding himself in hot water.
Yesterday, Cunningham had "the clerk of the House of Representatives
announce -- without details -- that his office has been subpoenaed." It
was later revealed that the subpoena "had nothing to do with the federal
investigation into the sale of Cunningham's San Diego home to a defense
industry executive."
Breaking: ‘Agents Swarm MZM Headquarters, Cunningham’s Rented Boat’
The feds ratchet CunningScam up a notch — just in from Roll Call (sub
req’d):
Federal agents on Friday searched the offices of a defense contractor
tied to Rep. Duke Cunningham (R-Calif.) as well as the boat Cunningham
lived on for more than a year, the latest sign of a growing investigation
into the relationship between Cunningham and Mitchell Wade, founder of
MZM Inc.
A federal task force that includes officials from the U.S. Attorney’s
offices in both Washington, D.C, and San Diego, the FBI, Internal Revenue
Service and Defense Criminal Investigative Service conducted the
searches, according to Debbie Weierman, a spokeswoman for the FBI’s
Washington office.
Weierman would not discuss details of the probe, although she
confirmed that the FBI has “some operations that are going on today”
related to the Cunningham investigation.
Update: Two other interesting graphs from the Roll Call story below.
Apparently the Duke-Stir is now for sale, and Cunningham is listed as the
contact on the flyers. Ouch.
Cunningham had been living until recently on a boat owned by Wade and
berthed at the Capitol Yacht Club. On Friday, federal agents could be
seen searching the “Duke-Stir.” They later hauled away several boxes of
documents but declined to comment to Roll Call.
Federal agents also questioned employees of the yacht club about the
rules covering residence on vessels there, according to a source close to
the issue. Cunningham, who lived on Wade’s boat from April 2004 until two
weeks ago, said he has paid more than $13,000 in monthly dock fees and
maintenance costs during this period. The Duke-Stir has been put up for
sale by Wade for more than $130,000, with Cunningham listed on flyers as
the contact person for information about the boat.
**************************************************
But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the
same Object, evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it
is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to
provide new Guards for their future security.
-- "The Declaration of Independence"
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