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An Article
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California Congressman Randy Cunningham Caught in Culture of Corruption
November 28, 2005
By
Democratic National Committee Communications
(View author info)
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Politicians should not have written and passed laws protecting political criminals and burdening citizens with their huge pensions and benefits.
Laws that enslave citizens and their grandchildren to provide extravagent lifestyles to political criminals have no place in a civilized society.
America's citizens need to protect themselves from economic enslavement by providing oversight of salaries, pensions and benefits of politicians and corporations.
Posted Dec 1 2005 9:35PM CET
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Username withheld
, California |
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Donors to lawmaker angered at his 'greed'
Cunningham bribery case repulses many - By Alex Roth
Bribery case shows House panel laxness, critics claim
Penelope Bax's contribution came in the form of $2,000 worth of flowers that she donated to a 2004 Cunningham fundraiser held in Rancho Santa Fe in his home district. Bax, a florist, attended the fundraiser and had her picture taken with the Republican.
Dr. Robert Hertzka of Rancho Santa Fe said he was stunned by Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham's wrongdoing. Hertzka made a $1,000 personal donation to Cunningham in 2003.
"What would make him want to drive around in a Rolls-Royce?" said Barbara Bray, 77, a retired Rancho Santa Fe businesswoman who gave Cunningham $200 in 1997. "That's just stupid greed."
According to prosecutors, the illegal payments from defense contractors came in many forms - cash, antiques, Persian rugs, a $2,000 contribution for his daughter's college graduation party.
What stunned some donors is that Cunningham began taking the bribes when he enjoyed a comfortable position in life. He lived in a nice house in Del Mar and had a military pension and a six-figure salary as a congressman.
"I don't know why he resorted to anything like that," said Richard Blackington, 75, a retired Navy commander from Coronado who contributed $1,000 to Cunningham in 1997. "A congressional salary isn't $1.95 an hour, certainly."
Dr. Robert Hertzka, a Rancho Santa Fe anesthesiologist and a past chairman of the American Medical Association's political action committee, said the revelations surprised him because Cunningham never seemed to be obsessed with money.
Hertzka, who lobbied Cunningham for the AMA over the years and also made a $1,000 personal donation to the congressman in 2003.
Some donors say Cunningham's downfall is symptomatic of the problems with the political process - the big money, the lobbyists, the temptations of power.
Susan Kazmarek, a Realtor based in Rancho Santa Fe, called Cunningham's unraveling painful to behold.
more....
Posted Dec 1 2005 8:09PM CET
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Experts say Cunningham likely to get retirement pay - by Onell R. Soto
Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham will likely get government checks for the rest of his life from his retirement pay for serving 21 years in the Navy and 15 in Congress, despite his tax evasion and conspiracy convictions.
Only a conviction for crimes such as treason, trading secrets with the enemy or perjury causes former federal workers to lose their retirement benefits, said Mike Orenstein, a spokesman for the federal Office of Personnel Management.
Former Rep. Dan Rostenkowski, a Chicago Democrat who served 36 years in Congress and was sentenced to 17 months in prison after pleading guilty to mail fraud, draws a pension worth more than $100,000 a year.
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Posted Dec 1 2005 7:56PM CET
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