For the American Football player, see Randall Cunningham. Randall W Cunningham (born March 27, 1963 in Santa Barbara California) is a former American football Quarterback.

Randy "Duke" Cunningham
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California's 44th, 51st and 50th district
In office January 3, 1991 – December 1, 2005
Preceded by	Jim Bates
Succeeded by	Brian Bilbray
Born	December 8, 1941 (1941-12-08) (age 66) Los Angeles, California
Political party	Republican

Randall Harold Cunningham (born December 8, 1941), usually known as Randy or Duke, was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from California's 50th Congressional District from 1991 to 2005. The United States House of Representatives is one of the two chambers of the United States Congress; the other is the Senate. California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. California's 44th congressional district currently covers an area of Southern California from San Clemente in Orange County on the coast north-by-northeast California's 51st congressional district is currently represented in the United States House of Representatives by Democrat Bob Filner. California's 50th congressional district represents a part of north coastal San Diego County. Events 1431 - Joan of Arc is handed over to the Bishop Pierre Cauchon. Year 1991 ( MCMXCI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar. Events 800 - Charlemagne judges the accusations against Pope Leo III in the Vatican Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. This article is about a former US Representative. For the former Miami Dolphins Head Coach see Jim Bates. Brian Phillip Bilbray (born January 28, 1951) is a US Republican Politician, who is a member of the United States House Events 1609 - Biblioteca Ambrosiana opens its reading room the second public library of Europe. Year 1941 ( MCMXLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (the link will display 1941 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Los Angeles (lɑˈsændʒələs los ˈaŋxeles in Spanish) is the largest City in the state of California and the American West Events 1609 - Biblioteca Ambrosiana opens its reading room the second public library of Europe. Year 1941 ( MCMXLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (the link will display 1941 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The United States House of Representatives is one of the two chambers of the United States Congress; the other is the Senate. California's 50th congressional district represents a part of north coastal San Diego County. Year 1991 ( MCMXCI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

Cunningham resigned from the House on November 28, 2005 after pleading guilty to accepting at least $2. For the town in Argentina, see 28 de Noviembre. Events Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. 4 million in bribes and underreporting his income for 2004. Bribery, a form of pecuniary corruption is an act usually implying money or gift given that alters the behaviour of the recipient in ways not consistent with the duties of that person He pled guilty to federal charges of conspiracy to commit bribery, mail fraud, wire fraud, and tax evasion. In the Criminal law, a conspiracy is an agreement between Natural persons to break the law at some time in the future and in some cases with at least one overt act Mail fraud refers to any scheme which attempts to unlawfully obtain money or valuables in which the Postal system is used at any point in the commission of a criminal offense Wire fraud is a legal concept in the United States Code which provides for enhanced penalty of any criminally fraudulent activity if it is determined that the activity involved Tax avoidance is the legal utilization of the Tax regime to one's own advantage in order to reduce the amount of tax that is payable by means that are within the law On March 3, 2006, he received a sentence of eight years and four months in prison and an order to pay $1. Events 1284 - Statute of Rhuddlan incorporated the Principality of Wales into England 1575 - Indian Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. 8 million in restitution. The law of restitution is the law of gains-based recovery It is to be contrasted with the law of compensation, which is the law of loss-based recovery ^[1] Prior to his political career, he was an officer in the United States Navy for 21 years during which time he became a flying ace for actions during the Vietnam War. A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy Aircraft during aerial combat The Vietnam War, also known as the Second Indochina War, or the Vietnam Conflict, occurred in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia

Family

Cunningham was born in Los Angeles to Randall and Lela Cunningham, who both moved there from Oklahoma during the Depression. Los Angeles (lɑˈsændʒələs los ˈaŋxeles in Spanish) is the largest City in the state of California and the American West Oklahoma ( is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. His father was a truck driver for Union Oil at the time. Union Oil Company of California dba Unocal is a defunct company that was a major petroleum explorer and marketer in the late 19th century through the 20th century and into the early ^[2] Around 1945, the family moved to Fresno, California where Cunningham's father purchased a gas station. Year 1945 ( MCMXLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar In 1953, they moved again, this time to rural Shelbina, Missouri, where his parents purchased and managed the Cunningham Variety Store, a five-and-dime. Year 1953 ( MCMLIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Shelbina is a city in Shelby County, Missouri, United States. A variety store or price-point retailer is a Retail store that sells inexpensive items usually with a single Price point for all items in the In Shelbina, Cunningham loved to hunt pheasant and deer with his father. ^[3][4]

Cunningham married his first wife, the former Susan Albrecht, in 1965; they met in college and had one adopted son, Todd. Year 1965 ( MCMLXV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1965 Gregorian calendar. Susan filed for divorce and a restraining order in January 1973 based on her claims of emotional abuse, and the divorce was granted nine months later. ^[5] Cunningham later stated that in that year, his life hit "rock-bottom. "^[6]

In 1973 he met Dan McKinnon, a publisher and son of former Congressman Clinton D. McKinnon. Clinton Dotson McKinnon ( February 5, 1906 &ndash December 29, 2001) is a former American Democratic Politician Dan McKinnon encouraged him to turn his life around, and Cunningham became a born-again Christian. A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth ^[6][7]

Cunningham met his second wife, Nancy D. Jones, at the Miramar Officers' Club in San Diego and they were married February 16, 1974. Events 1249 - Andrew of Longjumeau is dispatched by Louis IX of France as his ambassador to meet with the Khan of the Mongols Year 1974 ( MCMLXXIV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the 1974 Gregorian calendar. ^[4] Nancy was born in 1952 and is also previously married. In 1976, she filed for divorce and a restraining order, stating that he "is a very aggressive spontaneously assaultive person, and I fear for my immediate physical safety and well being. " Nancy later had a change of heart, so at her request, the court dismissed the divorce in January 1977. Nancy's declaration justifying the restraining order has been sealed by court order since 1990, when Duke first ran for congress. They have two daughters, April and Carrie. Dr. Nancy Cunningham is an educator for the Encinitas school district. Encinitas is a coastal city in northern San Diego County California, United States. ^[5]

Education and military service

Randall Harold Cunningham
Duke Cunningham
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Navy
Years of service	1966–1987
Rank	Commander
Battles/wars	Vietnam War
Awards	Navy Cross Silver Star (2) Purple Heart, "Flying Ace" status
Other work	U.S. Representative, California

June 1972 — Lieutenant Randall H. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The Vietnam War, also known as the Second Indochina War, or the Vietnam Conflict, occurred in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia The Navy Cross is the second highest medal that can be awarded by the Department of the Navy and the second highest award given for valor. The Silver Star is the third highest military decoration that can be awarded to a member of any branch of the United States Armed Forces. The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy Aircraft during aerial combat The United States House of Representatives is one of the two chambers of the United States Congress; the other is the Senate. Cunningham (second from left) in a ceremony honoring him and Lieutenant (JG) William P. Driscoll (third from left), the Navy's only Vietnam War air "Aces". William "Willy" "Irish" Driscoll (born March 1947 is a former United States Navy Flight Officer who received the Navy Cross during

Cunningham graduated from Shelbina High School in 1959. The year 1959 ( MCMLIX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. He attended Kirksville Teacher's College for one year before transferring to the University of Missouri. The University of Missouri (also known as the University of Missouri–Columbia, Mizzou, or MU) is a public land-grant and research Cunningham graduated with a bachelor's in education and physical education in 1964; he obtained his M.A. in education the following year. Year 1964 ( MCMLXIV) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the 1964 Gregorian calendar. A Master of Arts ( Latin: Magister Artium) is a Postgraduate academic Master's degree awarded by universities in a large He was hired as a physical education teacher and swimming coach at Hindsdale High School where he stayed for one year. Two members of his swim team competed in the 1968 Olympics, where they earned a gold and a silver medal. The Olympic Games is an international Multi-sport event established for both summer and winter games Cunningham joined the United States Navy in 1967. ^[4]

During his service, Cunningham and his Radar Intercept Officer "Irish" Driscoll became the only Navy aces in the Vietnam War, flying an F-4 Phantom from aboard aircraft carriers, and recording five confirmed kills. A Naval Flight Officer (NFO in the United States Navy and Marine Corps is an officer of the line meaning they can screen for command in the Naval aviation William "Willy" "Irish" Driscoll (born March 1947 is a former United States Navy Flight Officer who received the Navy Cross during A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy Aircraft during aerial combat The Vietnam War, also known as the Second Indochina War, or the Vietnam Conflict, occurred in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia An aircraft carrier is a Warship designed with He was one of the early graduates of the Navy's TOPGUN school that taught dogfighting techniques to F-4 Phantom pilots and Radar Intercept Officers (RIOs). TOPGUN is the popular name of the United States Navy Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor (SFTI program A Naval Flight Officer (NFO in the United States Navy and Marine Corps is an officer of the line meaning they can screen for command in the Naval aviation

It has been alleged that Cunningham downed a MiG-17 piloted by North Vietnam Air Force fighter ace Col. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout Vietnamese Air Force or Không Quân Nhân Dân Việt Nam is the Air force of Vietnam. A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy Aircraft during aerial combat Nguyen Toon, aka, "Colonel Tomb". Nguyen Toon (Nguyễn Tuân or " Colonel Toon" or "Tomb" was a mythical North Vietnamese fighter pilot and Although "Col. Toon" was an American-manufactured myth, several Vietnamese pilots were superb dogfighters, and the North Vietnamese Air Force helped perpetuate the myth of "Colonel Toon", or "Tomb". ^[8] "Colonel Toon" (or whoever he really was) was not only skilled but unorthodox, as Cunningham found out, when the Navy pilot made an elementary tactical error engaging him. The resulting dogfight became extended. Cunningham climbed steeply, and the MiG pilot surprised Cunningham by climbing as well. Remembering his Top Gun training, Cunningham finally forced the MiG out ahead of him and destroyed it with an AIM-9 Sidewinder missile. The AIM-9 Sidewinder is a heat-seeking, short-range Air-to-air missile carried by Fighter aircraft and recently certain gunship helicopters A missile (see also pronunciation differences) is a self-propelled explosive Projectile used as a weapon towards a target

Cunningham was reportedly almost court-martialed while still in flight school for breaking into an office to compare his records with those of his colleagues — a charge denied by Cunningham, but supported by two of his superior officers at the time. A court-martial (plural courts-martial) is a Military court. These military courts can determine Punishments for members of the Military subject ^[9] Regardless of the controversy, there was little doubt about Cunningham's piloting abilities. He was one of the most highly decorated United States Navy pilots in the Vietnam War, receiving the Navy Cross once, the Silver Star twice, the Air Medal 15 times, and the Purple Heart for wounds he received under enemy fire. The Navy Cross is the second highest medal that can be awarded by the Department of the Navy and the second highest award given for valor. The Silver Star is the third highest military decoration that can be awarded to a member of any branch of the United States Armed Forces. The Air Medal is a military decoration of the United States which was established by Executive Order 9158 signed by Franklin D The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving

After returning from Vietnam in 1972, he became an instructor at the Navy's TOPGUN school for fighter pilots at Miramar Naval Air Station in San Diego. TOPGUN is the popular name of the United States Navy Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor (SFTI program Marine Corps Air Station Miramar (MCAS Miramar, formerly Naval Air Station (NAS Miramar is a United States Marine Corps installation that is home to the 3rd Cunningham says many of his real-life experiences in combat and as an instructor were depicted in the popular 1986 movie Top Gun. Events April 12 - Actor Morgan Mason marries The Go-Go's Belinda Carlisle Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger marries Top Gun is a 1986 American Film directed by Tony Scott and produced by Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer in association with ^[10] Though the movie's producer says the film was not based on any specific aviator,^[11] one particularly memorable scene was indeed inspired by Cunningham's own combat experience. The technique Cunningham and Driscoll used to defeat "Colonel Tomb", deploying the aircraft's speed brakes and causing "Tomb" to overshoot, inspired the scenes in Top Gun, where Maverick defeats Jester, and later, an enemy MiG by deploying the brakes and forcing his opponent to overshoot his aircraft.

Cunningham was a commentator on the History Channel program "Dogfights: The Greatest Air Battles", in the Vietnam War segment, where he discussed his experiences as a fighter pilot. History, formerly known as The History Channel, is a Satellite and Cable TV channel, with shows on historical events and persons&mdashoften The episode originally aired September 16, 2005. Another interview with Cunningham was featured on the 1987 PBS broadcast of the NOVA special “Top Gun And Beyond”, during which he recounted his engagement with the fictitious Colonel Tomb.

In 1985 Cunningham earned an MBA from National University, a San Diego night school. The Master of Business Administration ( MBA) is a Master's degree in Business administration, which attracts people from a wide range of academic disciplines A national university is a University created or run by a national government and may not be autonomous from Government interference He retired from the Navy in 1987 as a commander, settling in Del Mar, a suburb of San Diego. Commander is a Military rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service Del Mar is a city in San Diego County, California, United States. He became nationally known as a CNN commentator on naval aircraft in the run-up to the Persian Gulf War. Cable News Network, usually referred to by its Initialism CNN, is a major English language Television network founded in 1980 by Ted Turner

Political career

"Duke Cunningham at TOPGUN, 1992.

Cunningham's visibility as a CNN commentator led several Republican leaders to approach him about running in what was then the 44th District, one of four that divided San Diego. The district had been held for eight years by Democrat Jim Bates, and was considered the most Democratic district in the San Diego area. The Democratic Party is one of two major Political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. This article is about a former US Representative. For the former Miami Dolphins Head Coach see Jim Bates. However, Bates was bogged down in a scandal involving charges of sexual harassment. A scandal is a widely Publicized incident that involves Allegations of wrongdoing, disgrace or moral outrage Cunningham won the Republican nomination in 1990 and hammered Bates about the scandal, promising to be "a congressman we can be proud of. " He won by just one percentage point, meaning that the San Diego area was represented entirely by Republicans for only the second time since the city was split into two districts after the 1960 census.

Congressional freshmen usually do not get much media attention outside of their home districts or states, but Cunningham's status as a Vietnam War hero made him an exception. Colleagues and the media admired him for his special knowledge of the armed forces: he played an important role in the debate on whether to use military force to make Iraq end its occupation of Kuwait. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iraq topics. The State of Kuwait ( دولة الكويت IPA [dawlatt̪ alkuwajt̪]) is a sovereign Arab Emirate on the coast of the Persian Gulf, enclosed ^[9] Guy Vander Jagt of Michigan, longtime chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, said that Cunningham had considerable "drawing power" and was treated as a celebrity by his fellow Republicans. Guy Adrian Vander Jagt ( August 26 1931 – June 22 2007) was a Republican member of the U Michigan ( is a Midwestern state of the United States of America. "NRCC" redirects here For the organization of Canadian collectives see Neighbouring Rights Collective of Canada. ^[12]

After the 1990 census, redistricting renumbered the 44th District as the 51st and created the 50th District, splitting off a significant portion of San Diego County. At the same time, the 51st added several areas of heavily Republican North San Diego County. The new district included the home of Bill Lowery, a fellow Republican who had represented most of the other side of San Diego for the past 12 years. William David "Bill" Lowery (born May 2, 1947) was a Republican politician from California. They faced one another in the Republican primary. Despite Lowery's seniority, his involvement in the House banking scandal hurt him. The House banking scandal broke in early 1992 when it was revealed that the United States House of Representatives allowed members to overdraw their House checking Cunningham repeated his promise from 1990 to be "a congressman we can be proud of. " As polls showed Cunningham with a substantial lead, Lowery dropped out of the primary race, effectively handing Cunningham the nomination. He breezed to victory in November.

Even though the district (renumbered as the 50th after the 2000 census) is not nearly as conservative as the other two Republican-held districts in the San Diego area, Cunningham was reelected six times with no less than 55 percent of the vote.

Cunningham was a member of the Appropriations and Intelligence committees, and chaired the House Intelligence Subcommittee on Human Intelligence Analysis and Counterintelligence during the 109th Congress. The Committee on Appropriations is a committee of the United States House of Representatives. The United States House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence is a committee of the United States House of Representatives, currently chaired by Silvestre He was considered a leading Republican expert on national security issues. He was also a champion of education, using his position on the Appropriations Education Subcommittee to steer federal dollars to schools in San Diego. After surgery for prostate cancer in 1998, he became a champion of early testing for the disease.

Cunningham was known for making intemperate outbursts. For example:

• Making a comment about gay Congressman Barney Frank, where he called the rectal examination for prostate cancer “just not natural, unless maybe you’re Barney Frank. Barnett "Barney" Frank (born March 31, 1940) is an American Politician and a member of the United States House of Representatives ”^[13]
• Displaying his middle finger to a constituent and “for emphasis, [shouting] the two-word meaning of his one-finger salute” during an argument over military spending. ^[14][9]
• Suggesting that the Democratic House leadership should be “lined up and shot” — a call he'd previously made about Vietnam War protesters. ^[9]
• Referring to gay soldiers as “homos” on the floor of the House of Representatives when he said backers of an environmental amendment were “…the same people that would. . . put homos in the military. ”^[13] Congresswoman Pat Schroeder asked if he would yield the floor, but Cunningham told her, “No, I will not. Patricia Nell Scott Schroeder popularly known as Pat Schroeder (born July 30, 1940) American politician, was a Democratic " When Congressman Bernie Sanders, a self-described democratic socialist, attempted to object, Cunningham said, "Sit down, you socialist. Bernard "Bernie" Sanders (born September 8, 1941) is the junior United States Senator from Vermont, elected on November Democratic socialism is a description used by various socialist movements tendencies and organizations to emphasize the democratic character of their political orientation Socialism refers to a broad set of economic theories of social organization advocating state or collective ownership and administration of the Means of production and distribution ”^[15] He later apologized for his comments. ^[13]
• Getting in a shoving match with Congressman Jim Moran over sending troops to Bosnia. James Patrick "Jim" Moran Jr (born 16 May 1945 in Buffalo New York) has represented the of Virginia since 1991 Bosnia and Herzegovina ( Latin script: Bosna i Hercegovina, Cyrillic script: Босна и Херцеговина is a country on the Balkan After Cunningham fled, Moran found him crying in the cloakroom. ^[16]

In the Washingtonian feature "Best & Worst of Congress" of 2004, Cunningham was rated (along with four other House members) as "No Rocket Scientist" by a bipartisan survey of Congressional staff. ^[17]

While Cunningham said that “I cut my own rudder” on issues,^[9] he had a very conservative voting record. ^[18] He was often compared by liberal interest groups to former congressman Bob Dornan, with some justification; both are ardent conservatives, both are former military pilots, and both have become infamous for outbursts against perceived enemies. An interest group (also advocacy group, lobby group, pressure group or special interest group) is an organized collection of people who seek Robert Kenneth "Bob" Dornan (born April 3, 1933) is a Republican and former member of the United States House of Representatives from In 1992, Cunningham, along with Dornan and fellow San Diego Republican Duncan Hunter, challenged the patriotism of then-Democratic presidential candidate Bill Clinton before a near-empty House chamber, but still viewed by C-Span viewers. Duncan Lee Hunter (born May 31, 1948) is an American politician William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton (born William Jefferson Blythe III, August 19 1946 served as the forty-second President of the United States C-SPAN (officially the Cable-Satellite Public Affairs Network) is an American Cable television network dedicated to airing non-stop coverage ^[9]

In September 1996 Cunningham attacked President Clinton for appointing judges who were "soft on crime". "We must get tough on drug dealers," he said, adding that "those who peddle destruction on our children must pay dearly. "^[19] He favored stiff drug penalties and voted for the death penalty for major drug dealers.

Four months later, his son Todd was arrested for helping to transport 400 pounds (181 kg) of marijuana from Massachusetts to California. Cannabis, also known as marijuana or marihuana, or ganja (from Hindi / Sanskrit: गांजा gānjā hemp) is a The Commonwealth of Massachusetts ( is a state located in the New England region of the northeastern United States. Todd Cunningham pleaded guilty to possession and conspiracy to sell marijuana. ^[20] At his son's sentencing hearing, Cunningham fought back tears as he begged the judge for leniency (Todd was sentenced to two and a half years in prison, in part because he tested positive for cocaine three times while on bail). Cocaine ( benzoylmethyl ecgonine) is a Crystalline Tropane Alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the Coca plant ^[21] Cunningham's press secretary responded to accusations of double standards with: "The sentence Todd got had nothing to do with who Duke is. Duke has always been tough on drugs and remains tough on drugs. "

Legislative achievements

Cunningham was the lead sponsor of the Shark Finning Prohibition Act, which banned the practice of shark finning in all US waters and pushed America to the lead on efforts to ban shark finning worldwide. Shark fin soup (or shark's fin soup) is a Chinese cuisine Delicacy since Ming Dynasty, commonly served as part of a Chinese feast, For his efforts Cunningham was named as a "Conservation Hero" by the Audubon Society and the Ocean Wildlife Campaign. The National Audubon Society is an American non-profit Environmental organization dedicated to conservancy

Cunningham co-sponsored, along with Democrat John Murtha, the so-called "Flag Desecration Amendment", which would add the following sentence to the Constitution of the United States

"The Congress shall have power to prohibit the physical desecration of the Flag of the United States. John Patrick “Jack” Murtha Jr (born 17 June 1932 is an American politician from the U The Flag Desecration Amendment, often referred to as the flag burning amendment, is a controversial proposed Constitutional amendment to the United States Constitution The Constitution of the United States of America is the supreme Law of the United States. "

The proposed amendment has passed the House many times, but narrowly missed the requisite 2/3 majority vote for passage in the Senate.

Cunningham was the driving force behind the Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act which was passed and signed into law by President George W. Bush in July 2004. The Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act (LEOSA is a United States federal law, enacted in 2004 that allows two classes of persons -- the "qualified law enforcement George Walker Bush ( born July 6 1946 is the forty-third and current President of the United States. The law grants the authority to non-federal law enforcement officers from any jurisdiction to carry a firearm anywhere within the jurisdiction of the United States.

Scandals and corruption

A scan of a document submitted as evidence by the prosecution and included in their Feb. 2006 sentencing memorandum against Randy "Duke" Cunningham.

Cunningham wrote the original document on his Congressional office stationery for the benefit of "co-conspirator #2" (defense contractor Mitchell Wade). Mitchell J Wade (born June 6, 1963) is a disgraced American Defense contractor implicated in the 2005 resignation of U

The document relates the amounts of monetary bribes to their rewards. The left column represents the amount (in millions) of government military contracts to be awarded, and the right column represents the bribes (in thousands of dollars) required to secure those contracts. The figures in the left column are cumulative; for example, $50,000 in bribes would mean the difference between $18 million and $19 million of awarded contracts.

"BT" is an abbreviation for "Buoy Toy" — making reference to a 42 foot Carver yacht that Cunningham purchased from a gay couple with whom he had previously negotiated a price of $140,000 (noted as "140" to the right). The boat purchase was financed by Mitchell Wade in exchange for $16 million in contracts. Once the boat came into his possession, Cunningham renamed it the "Duke-stir," joking, "I bought the boat, not the lifestyle. "

Allegations

In June 2005 it was revealed that a defense contractor, Mitchell Wade, founder of the defense contracting firm MZM Inc. A defense contractor (or defence contractor, also sometimes called a military contractor) is a Business organization or individual that provides products Mitchell J Wade (born June 6, 1963) is a disgraced American Defense contractor implicated in the 2005 resignation of U (since renamed Athena Innovative Solutions Inc. ), had bought Cunningham's house in Del Mar for $1,675,000. A month later, Wade placed it back on the market where it remained unsold for 8 months until the price was reduced to $975,000. Cunningham was a member of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee; soon after the purchase, Wade began to receive tens of millions of dollars worth of defense and intelligence contracts. Cunningham claimed the deal was legitimate, adding, "I feel very confident that I haven't done anything wrong. "^[22]

Later in June, it was further reported that Cunningham lived in a yacht aptly named the "Duke Stir" while he was in Washington. A yacht is a recreational boat It designates two rather different classes of Watercraft, sailing and power yachts Washington DC ( formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D The yacht was owned by Wade; Cunningham paid only for maintenance. ^[23] An article in the San Diego Union Tribune newspaper, reported that Cunningham liked to invite women to his yacht. The San Diego Union-Tribune is a daily Newspaper published in San Diego California, by the Copley Press. Two of them said that he would change into pajama bottoms and a turtleneck sweater to entertain them with chilled champagne by the light of his favorite lava lamp. Kids in pajamasjpg|thumb| Boys in pyjamas]] Pajamas or pyjamas (see also spelling differences) is a word with several different related meanings in A sweater, pullover, jumper, or jersey is a relatively heavy Shirt intended to cover the torso and arms of the human body (though in some cases Champagne is a Sparkling wine produced by inducing the in-bottle Secondary fermentation of Wine to effect Carbonation. A lava lamp is a novelty item typically used for decoration and ambiance rather than illumination the slow albeit chaotic rise and fall of the randomly-shaped blobs ^[24] The Federal Bureau of Investigation launched an investigation regarding the real estate transaction. His home, MZM corporate offices, and Wade's home were all simultaneously raided by a number of federal agencies with warrants on July 1, 2005. "July 1st" redirects here For the Ayumi Hamasaki song see H (song. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. ^[25]

On July 14, Cunningham announced he would not run for a ninth term in 2006, saying that while he believed he'd be cleared of any wrongdoing, he could not defend himself and run for reelection at the same time. Events 1223 - Louis VIII becomes King of France upon the death of his father Philip II of France. He admitted to displaying "poor judgment" when he sold his house to Wade. ^[26]

Besides Wade, the three other co-conspirators are: Brent Wilkes, founder of San Diego-based ADCS Inc. Brent Roger Wilkes (born May 21, 1954) an American Defense contractor. ; New York businessman Thomas Kontogiannis (whom U. S. Coast Guard records show was involved in a questionable boat deal with Cunningham); and John T. Michael, Kontogiannis' nephew (the owner of a New York-based mortgage company Coastal Capital Corp. Property records show the company made $1. 15 million in real estate loans to Cunningham, two of which were used in the purchase of his Rancho Santa Fe mansion. Court records show that Wade paid off one of those loans). ^[27]

In 1997, Cunningham pushed the Pentagon into buying a $20 million document-digitization system created by ADCS Inc. , one of several defense companies owned by Wilkes. The Pentagon didn't want to buy the system. When it hadn't done so three years later, Cunningham angrily demanded the firing of Lou Kratz, an assistant undersecretary of defense he held responsible for the delays. ^[12] It later emerged that Wilkes reportedly gave Cunningham more than $630,000 in cash and favors. ^[28]

Cunningham was also criticized for selling merchandise on his personal website, such as a $595 buck knife featuring the official Congressional seal. ^[29] He failed to obtain permission to use the seal, which is a federal offense. ^[30]

On April 27, 2006, months after his guilty plea, Scot J. Events 1124 - David I becomes King of Scotland. 1296 - Battle of Dunbar: The Scots are defeated Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Patrow, writing for the Wall Street Journal, reported that, in addition to all the favors, gifts, and money Cunningham received from defense contractors who wanted his help in obtaining contracts, Cunningham may have been provided with prostitutes, hotel rooms, and limousines. Prostitution is the act of performing Sexual activity in exchange for Money. ^[31]

Plea agreement

On November 28, 2005, Cunningham pled guilty to tax evasion, conspiracy to commit bribery, mail fraud, and wire fraud in federal court in San Diego. A politician (from Greek " Polis " is an individual who is involved in influencing public decision making through the influence of Politics or a person A Member of Congress is a Politician who is a member of a Congress. For the town in Argentina, see 28 de Noviembre. Events Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Tax avoidance is the legal utilization of the Tax regime to one's own advantage in order to reduce the amount of tax that is payable by means that are within the law In the Criminal law, a conspiracy is an agreement between Natural persons to break the law at some time in the future and in some cases with at least one overt act Bribery, a form of pecuniary corruption is an act usually implying money or gift given that alters the behaviour of the recipient in ways not consistent with the duties of that person Mail fraud refers to any scheme which attempts to unlawfully obtain money or valuables in which the Postal system is used at any point in the commission of a criminal offense Wire fraud is a legal concept in the United States Code which provides for enhanced penalty of any criminally fraudulent activity if it is determined that the activity involved Among the many bribes Cunningham admitted receiving were the house sale at an inflated price, the free use of the yacht, a used Rolls-Royce, antique furniture, Persian rugs, jewelry, and a $2,000 contribution for his daughter's college graduation party. A Rolls-Royce car may refer to vehicles produced by Rolls-Royce Limited (1906-1973 Rolls-Royce Motors (1973-2003 which was owned ^[32] Cunningham's attorney, Mark Holscher, later said that the government's evidence was so overwhelming that he had no choice but to recommend a guilty plea. ^[33] With the plea bargain, Cunningham faced a maximum of 10 years; had he fought the charges, Cunningham risked spending the rest of his life in prison.

As part of his guilty plea, Cunningham agreed to forfeit his $2. 55 million home in Rancho Santa Fe, which he bought with the proceeds of the sale of the Del Mar house. Rancho Santa Fe is a Census-designated place (CDP in San Diego County, California, United States and a Bedroom community of Cunningham initially tried to sell the Rancho Santa Fe house, but federal prosecutors moved to block the sale after finding evidence it was purchased with Wade's money. (Wade, with others, even paid off the balance Cunningham owed on the mortgage. ) Cunningham will also forfeit more than $1. 8 million in cash, antiques, rugs, and other items.

Also as part of the plea agreement, Cunningham agreed to help the government in its prosecution of others involved in the defense contractor bribery scandal. However, news reports have surfaced stating that Cunningham was not cooperating with investigators despite the agreement. ^[34] A week later, Cunningham, through his lawyer, announced that he was ready to cooperate. ^[35]

Resignation

Cunningham announced that he would resign from the House at a press conference just after entering his plea. He submitted his official resignation letter to the Clerk of the House and to California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on December 6. The Governor of California is the highest executive authority in the state government whose responsibilities include making annual "State of the State" addresses Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger ( German ˌaɐnɔlt aloʏs ˈʃvaɐtsənɛɡɐ born July 30 1947 is an Austrian American Bodybuilder, Actor Events 1060 - Béla I of Hungary is crowned king of Hungary 1240 - Mongol invasion of Rus: Kiev ^[36]

Had Cunningham declined to resign, his role in Congress would have been very limited, as House rules do not allow members convicted of felonies to vote or participate in committee work pending an investigation by the Ethics Committee. The Committee on Standards of Official Conduct, often known simply as the Ethics Committee, is one of the committees of the United States House of Representatives ^[37] It is very likely that he would have been expelled from the House, as happened with Democrat James Traficant three years earlier. James Anthony Traficant Jr (born May 8, 1941) is a former Democratic Representative in the United States Congress from Under Republican caucus rules, he would have lost his subcommittee chairmanship. ^[38]

In marked contrast to his defiant stand earlier in the year, Cunningham was very contrite, sullen and overcome by emotion when he read his prepared statement announcing that he was stepping down:

"When I announced several months ago that I would not seek re-election, I publicly declared my innocence because I was not strong enough to face the truth. So, I misled my family, staff, friends, colleagues, the public — even myself. For all of this, I am deeply sorry. The truth is — I broke the law, concealed my conduct, and disgraced my high office. I know that I will forfeit my freedom, my reputation, my worldly possessions, and most importantly, the trust of my friends and family. . . . In my life, I have known great joy and great sorrow. And now I know great shame. I learned in Viet Nam that the true measure of a man is how he responds to adversity. I cannot undo what I have done. But I can atone. I am now almost 65 years old and, as I enter the twilight of my life, I intend to use the remaining time that God grants me to make amends. "^[39]

Despite his guilty plea, Cunningham may still receive a pension for his 21 years of service in the Navy and almost 15 years in Congress. A pension is a steady income given to a person upon Retirement, typically in the form of a guaranteed annuity. While federal law only allows the government to strip pensions from federal employees guilty of treason, perjury or trading secrets with the enemy, San Diego benefits expert Robert Goldstein told the San Diego Union-Tribune that it is possible the government could still try to take the money from Cunningham. The San Diego Union-Tribune is a daily Newspaper published in San Diego California, by the Copley Press. ^[40]

Reactions

Local

Darrell Issa, a Republican who represents the neighboring 49th District, said after Cunningham's plea that he'd been waiting for Cunningham to explain his behavior "in a way that made sense to us" and that Cunningham's behavior "fell below the standard the public demands of its elected representatives. Darrell E Issa (pronounced Eye -suh (born November 1, 1953) is an American politician and formerly a CEO of a Consumer electronics "^[41] Duncan Hunter, the other Republican who represents the San Diego area, said on November 30 that he and Cunningham spent the rest of November 28 in prayer and that Cunningham wanted to "serve those who are suffering (and) to begin his long road of atonement" for his crimes. Duncan Lee Hunter (born May 31, 1948) is an American politician Events 1700 - Battle of Narva — A Swedish army of 8500 men under Charles XII defeats ^[42] Many of Cunningham's staffers were stunned at the extent of their boss's crimes. ^[43]

Union-Tribune columnist George Condon suggested in a December 1 column that Cunningham's actions "may have put . Events 800 - Charlemagne judges the accusations against Pope Leo III in the Vatican . . troops at greater risk by judging contracts more for what they would do for him than for the military. "^[24]

Francine Busby, Cunningham's Democratic challenger in 2004 and the Democratic candidate for the 50th District in the runoff election to fill Cunningham's vacancy, called November 28th "a sad day for the people" and called for support for her proposed ethics reform bill, the "Clean House Act", saying that "our government in Washington is broken. Francine Pocino Busby (born March 3, 1951) was a 2006 Democratic Candidate for Congress in California 's 50th district "^[44]

National

In an editorial on November 29, the Washington Post called the Cunningham affair "the most brazen bribery conspiracy in modern congressional history. Events 1777 - San Jose California, is founded as el Pueblo de San José de Guadalupe The Washington Post is the largest and most circulated Newspaper in Washington D "^[45] Later that day, President George W. Bush called Cunningham's actions "outrageous" at a press briefing in El Paso. George Walker Bush ( born July 6 1946 is the forty-third and current President of the United States. He also said that Cunningham should "pay a serious price" for his crimes. ^[33] House Speaker Dennis Hastert said in a December 6 statement that Cunningham was a "war hero,"; but that he broke "the public trust he has built through his military and congressional career. The Speaker of the United States House of Representatives is the presiding officer&mdashor speaker &mdashof the United States House of Representatives. See also Illinois's 14th congressional district special election 2008 John Dennis "Denny" Hastert (born January 2, 1942) is an Events 1060 - Béla I of Hungary is crowned king of Hungary 1240 - Mongol invasion of Rus: Kiev "^[46] Several of Cunningham's former colleagues have donated to charity campaign contributions he had given them. ^[47]

On February 9, 2006, Senator John Kerry introduced a bill to prevent lawmakers who have been convicted of official misconduct from collecting taxpayer funded pensions. Events 474 - Zeno crowned as co-emperor of the Byzantine Empire. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. } John Forbes Kerry (born December 11 1943 is an American Politician who is currently serving his fourth term as the junior United States Senator Officially the bill is named the "Federal Pension Forfeiture Act", but unofficially it has been dubbed the "Duke Cunningham Act. "^[48][49]

Sentencing

On March 3, 2006, U. Events 1284 - Statute of Rhuddlan incorporated the Principality of Wales into England 1575 - Indian Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. S. District Judge Larry A. Burns sentenced Cunningham to 100 months (eight years and four months) in prison. ^[50] Federal prosecutors had pushed for the maximum sentence of ten years, but Cunningham's defense lawyers said that at 64 years old and with prostate cancer, Cunningham would likely die in prison if he received the full sentence. ^[51][52] Judge Burns cited his military service in Vietnam, age, and health as the reason the full ten years was not imposed. Prosecutors announced that they were satisfied with the sentence, which is the longest jail term ever given to a former Congressman. ^[53]

On the day of sentencing, Cunningham was 90 pounds (41 kg) lighter than when allegations first surfaced 9 months earlier. After receiving his sentence, Cunningham made a request to see his 91-year-old mother one last time before going to prison. "I made a very wrong turn. I rationalized decisions I knew were wrong. I did that, sir," Cunningham said. The request was denied, and Burns remanded him immediately upon rendering the sentence. ^[54]

Cunningham is currently incarcerated in the minimum security satellite camp at the United States Penitentiary in Tucson, Arizona. Prisons in the United States are operated under strict authority of both the federal and state governments as Incarceration is a Concurrent power Prisons in the United States are operated under strict authority of both the federal and state governments as Incarceration is a Concurrent power Tucson (ˈtuːsɒn is the seat of Pima County Arizona, United States, located 118 miles (188 km) southeast The State of Arizona ( is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. ^[55] His projected release date is June 4, 2013. Events 781 BC - The first historic Solar eclipse is recorded in China. 2013 ( MMXIII) will be a Common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar.

Aftermath

2005

• Almost as soon as Cunningham pled guilty, Intelligence Committee chairman Pete Hoekstra of Michigan (who represents Guy Vander Jagt's former district) announced his panel would investigate whether Cunningham used his post on that committee to steer contracts to favored companies. Peter "Pete" Hoekstra (born October 30 1953 is an American politician from the U Hoekstra said that Cunningham "no longer gets the benefit of the doubt" due to his admission to "very, very serious" crimes. "We need to look at worst-case scenarios," he added. He also shut off Cunningham's access to classified information. While Hoekstra doesn't believe that Cunningham improperly influenced the Intelligence Committee's work, a committee spokesman said that he wanted to make sure its work stayed on the level. ^[56]

• Bill Young of Florida, chairman of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee and former chairman of the full Appropriations Committee, said that he planned to review Cunningham's requests for defense projects. Charles William "Bill" Young, also known as C W Bill Young, (born December 16 1930 in Harmarville Pennsylvania) American Florida ( is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States, bordering Alabama to the northwest and Georgia to the While he felt most of the requests were legitimate and supported by the Pentagon, he said that he needed to be "doubly sure that anything shaky is not going to stay in. "^[57]

• On December 14, prosecutors in former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay's money laundering trial revealed that they are looking into ties between Wilkes and DeLay. Events 1287 - St Lucia's flood: The Zuider Zee sea wall in the Netherlands collapses killing over 50000 people Party leaders of the United States House of Representatives are elected by their respective parties in a closed-door (private Caucus. Thomas Dale DeLay (born April 8 1947 is a former member of the United States House of Representatives from Sugar Land, Texas. Money laundering is the practice of engaging in financial Transactions in order to conceal the Identity, source and/or destination of Money, One of Wilkes' companies donated $15,000 to DeLay's PAC, Texans for a Republican Majority. In the US, a Political Action Committee, or PAC, is the name commonly given to a private group regardless of size organized to elect political candidates Texans for a Republican Majority or TRMPAC (pronounced "trimpac" is a general-purpose Political action committee registered with the Texas Ethics Commission Wilkes also hired a consulting firm that employed DeLay's wife, Christine. ^[58]

2006

• On January 6, Time reported that Cunningham cooperated with law enforcement by wearing a concealed recording device (a "wire") while meeting with associates prior to his guilty plea. Events 1066 - Harold Godwinson is crowned King of England. 1205 - Philip of Swabia becomes King Time (trademarked in capitals as TIME) is a weekly American Newsmagazine, similar to Newsweek and A covert listening device, more commonly known as a bug, is usually a combination of a Miniature Radio transmitter with a Microphone. It is not known whom he met with while wired, but there is speculation Cunningham's misdeeds were not isolated instances and his case could reveal a larger web of corruption. ^[59]

• On February 24, Mitchell Wade pleaded guilty to paying Cunningham more than $1 million in bribes in exchange for millions more in government contracts. Events 303 - Galerius, Roman Emperor, publishes his edict that begins the persecution of Christians in his portion of the Mitchell J Wade (born June 6, 1963) is a disgraced American Defense contractor implicated in the 2005 resignation of U ^[60]

• In March, it was revealed that CIA officials have opened an investigation into the CIA's No. near as long as it used to be several months ago It has been actively summarized and split into sub-articles and there is a dynamic talk page discussion of all 3 official, Kyle Foggo, and his relationship with Wilkes, "one of his closest friends," according to the article. Foggo has said that all of the contracts he oversaw were properly awarded and administered. ^[61]

• A special election to fill the vacancy left by Cunningham took place on April 11. A Special election was held in the 50th Congressional District of California to choose a new member of the United States House of Representatives to replace Events 491 - Flavius Anastasius becomes Byzantine Emperor, with the name of Anastasius I. No candidate obtained the majority necessary to win outright, so a runoff election was scheduled for June 6 between Democrat Busby and Republican Brian Bilbray, who had represented the nearby 49th District from 1995 to 2001. Events 1508 - Maximilian I Holy Roman Emperor, is defeated in Friulia by Venetian forces; he is forced to sign a three-year Brian Phillip Bilbray (born January 28, 1951) is a US Republican Politician, who is a member of the United States House

• On April 17, the staffs of the The San Diego Union-Tribune and Copley News Service were awarded the 2006 Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting for their investigative work in uncovering Cunningham's crimes. Events 69 - After the First Battle of Bedriacum, Vitellius becomes Roman Emperor. The San Diego Union-Tribune is a daily Newspaper published in San Diego California, by the Copley Press. The Pulitzer Prize, ˈpʊlɨtsɚ PULL-it-sər is an American award regarded as the highest national honor in Newspaper journalism, ^[62]

• On May 12, FBI officials raided the Vienna, Virginia home of former CIA official Kyle "Dusty" Foggo in connection with the scandal. Events 1191 - Richard I of England marries Berengaria of Navarre. Vienna is a town in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. The population was 14453 at the 2000 census and it has grown by about 3% since Kyle Dustin "Dusty" Foggo (born March 17, 1954) is a former American government intelligence officer convicted of bribery in the awarding of ^[63]

• On June 6, Republican Brian Bilbray won the runoff election for Cunningham's seat, narrowly defeating Democrat Francine Busby. Events 1508 - Maximilian I Holy Roman Emperor, is defeated in Friulia by Venetian forces; he is forced to sign a three-year ^[64]

• On November 7, Bilbray beat Busby again and retained his seat in the House. Events 1492 - The Ensisheim Meteorite the oldest Meteorite with a known date of impact strikes the Earth around noon in a Wheat ^[65]

2007

• In January, the Justice Department requested the resignation of U.S. Attorney Carol Lam, who led the corruption prosecution of Cunningham. For animal rights group see Justice Department (JD The United States Department of Justice ( DOJ) is a Cabinet department United States Attorneys (also known as federal prosecutors) represent the United States federal government in United States district court and Carol Chien-Hua Lam (林剑华 Pinyin: Lín Jiànhuá (born June 26, 1959) is a former United States Attorney for the Southern District ^[66][67][68] For further information see Dismissal of U.S. attorneys controversy. The

• On February 13, former CIA executive director Kyle Foggo was charged with fraud and other offenses in the Cunningham corruption investigation. near as long as it used to be several months ago It has been actively summarized and split into sub-articles and there is a dynamic talk page discussion of all Kyle Dustin "Dusty" Foggo (born March 17, 1954) is a former American government intelligence officer convicted of bribery in the awarding of The indictment also named Brent Wilkes and John T. Brent Roger Wilkes (born May 21, 1954) an American Defense contractor. Michael.

External links

• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Voting record maintained by The Washington Post
• The San Diego Union-Tribune's coverage of the Cunningham scandal
• Unauthorized Randy Cunningham Page
• PAC donors, Indiv donors, Personal Financial Disclosures, Campaign Disburseents at PoliticalMoneyLine
• List of contributors to Cunningham's campaigns
• Archive of Cunningham's commerce website, topguninc.com (deactivated June 2005)
• Congressman's career buried by blizzard of questions on actions San Diego Union-Tribune, July 15, 2005
• Duke Cunningham: First and Last Surrender (FlashReport, November 30, 2005)
• DeLay's prosecutors dig deeper into California
• Congresspedia article on Duke Cunningham

Documents

• Prosecutor's allegations against Cunningham
• Plea agreement (November 23, 2005)
• Cunningham's resignation statement (Union-Tribune, November 28, 2005)
• Cunningham's Sentencing Memorandum (February 17, 2006)

See also

References