Saturday, April 29, 2006
Watergate II
Call him the "Top Gun" of scandal. Former Republican Congressman Randy Cunningham is already facing prison time for bribery. Now he's wrapped up in a prostitution investigation. (AP photo)
The Republican scandals just get better...and dirtier. Where is that moral majority now?
Disgraced former "Top Gun," Randy "Duke" Cunningham, former Republican Congressman from California, is already facing an 8-year prison sentence for taking more than $2 million in bribes from defense contractors. Many of the lavish furnishings he bought and received as part of the bribery have recently been sold at auction.
As if that wasn't embarrassing enough for Cunningham and the rest of the GOP, the case is taking a sexy new twist--prostitutes. As the Washington Post reports, "Federal authorities are investigating allegations that a California defense contractor arranged for a Washington area limousine company to provide prostitutes to convicted former congressman Randy 'Duke' Cunningham (R-Calif.) and possibly other lawmakers, sources familiar with the probe said yesterday."
To add to the novel-like feel of this story, it's all going down at that infamous den of other Republican scandal--the Watergate Hotel. As the Post reports, "The Cunningham investigation's latest twist came after Mitchell J. Wade, a defense contractor who has admitted bribing the former congressman, told prosecutors that Wilkes had an arrangement with Shirlington Limousine, which in turn had an arrangement with at least one escort service, one source said. Wade said limos would pick up Cunningham and a prostitute and bring them to suites Wilkes maintained at the Watergate Hotel...the source said."
Other media, including CBS and MSNBC are also reporting the story.
Meanwhile, Editor and Publisher awaits a new Woodward and Bernstein.
