James Chamblee
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 Posted:
Sat Jul 02, 2005 4:02 pm Post subject:
Another GOP Congresscritter Caught w. Hand in the Cookie Jar |
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The search warrants were executed at the company's headquarters two
weeks to the day after an MZM official who worked closely with Wade
shredded a large stack of documents on the third floor of MZM's
Washington headquarters, two sources with knowledge of the incident
said independently yesterday.
They said the official destroyed the documents on June 17 in a
waist-high machine during Wade's final hours in the office, an act
that one source described as "weird" because of the timing.
Wade and his attorneys agreed the previous evening that he would
surrender control of the company to other senior MZM officials, and
they also agreed that he could pack up his office papers at a set time
on June 17, one of the sources said.
But Wade angered the firm's new managers by arriving earlier than
agreed, according to this source.
Both sources said he was in the building when the shredding occurred.
The nature of the destroyed documents could not be learned, and the
executive who did the shredding did not reply to phone calls and
e-mails seeking his comment.
The shredding was halted when it became apparent to the new company
managers, the sources said.
Another senior MZM official affixed a note to the door in mid-morning
that day, ordering employees of the company not to enter the room
where the machine was located, they added.
Wade was eventually permitted to take other documents from the
building in boxes, under the supervision of company attorneys, the
sources said.
The sources spoke on the condition that they not be named because of
the sensitivity of the matter.
According to news reports, some former and current MZM employees have
complained that they were pressured to contribute to the company's
political action committee, which could be illegal.
The PAC and MZM employees contributed $50,000 to the 2004 campaign of
Rep. Katherine Harris (R-Fla.), according to the Center for Responsive
Politics, which monitors campaign spending.
Harris sent a letter to MZM employees this week, offering to return
contributions if they were "pressured, overtly or tacitly, in making
this gesture."
According to Adam Goodman, Harris's campaign consultant, the letter
was prompted by the news reports and the congresswoman had not been
contacted by federal investigators.
From The Washington Post, 7/2/05:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/07/01/AR2005070101
905.html
Agents Search Homes, Yacht Of Contractor, Congressman
By Renae Merle and R. Jeffrey Smith
Washington Post Staff Writers
Saturday, July 2, 2005; Page A01
Federal agents armed with search warrants descended on the California
house of Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham yesterday, the latest step in a
criminal investigation into his relationship with the owner of a
District-based government contracting firm.
Agents from the FBI, Internal Revenue Service and Defense Criminal
Investigative Service of the Pentagon inspector general's office
participated in the search of Cunningham's house near San Diego, as
well as the Washington home, office and boat of Mitchell J. Wade.
Wade was until recently the chief executive of MZM Inc., which does
intelligence work for the Pentagon.
____________________________________________________________
Harry
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