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Today's Must Read
If you're a corrupt pol looking for lessons in the Duke Cunningham story, you've found dozens. Don't make a bribe menu, first and foremost. But it's also probably not a good idea to shoot a video of your Hawaii vacation with your (alleged) briber.
Prosecutors entered the following 90-second video into evidence last week during the trial of Brent Wilkes. In it, you can see Wilkes, his nephew Joel Combs (who's testifying against his uncle), and Duke himself silently weaving in and out of coral reefs. And one diver, just to drive home who the trip was all about, is swimming around with a large rock with "DUKE" on it. You can see him in the image above handing it to the man himself.
Ah, the memories. Seth Hettena, the author of a book on Cunningham, Feasting on The Spoils, posted the video on his blog, where he's been covering the trial:
Duke lumbers into view at about the fifty second mark. And of course that's Wilkes at the end there, suddenly bursting out with "Bali Hai!" on the deck of the boat. This is the same guy known at his company for suddenly yelling "Boom shaka laka!" and "Yeah, baby!" when he got good news (like, say, Duke had delivered millions in earmarks). Not so hard to imagine.
This is the same 2003 trip, of course, where Wilkes treated Duke to prostitutes on two consecutive nights. At least they had the good sense not to add a "Goofing Around in A Hot Tub" section to the vacation video.
Comments (14)
Are we to the point, now, that the American government cannot function without corruption?
You don't have to be blind conservative not to see it, just an ignorant one to deny it.
October 26, 2007 10:30 AM | Reply | Permalink
IS there ever a place or a situation in the US where a politician can in fact enjoy the company of friends and it NOT be deemed bribery or corruption? Wilkes clearly profited from his "friends" but was it truely the case of bribery to get said profits? Repug or Demohater... doesn't matter... It clearly crosses lines in all aspects of politics.
October 26, 2007 10:45 AM | Reply | Permalink
On top of everything else, those mothereffers are kicking and grabbing the coral, slaughtering hundreds of years of growth.
October 26, 2007 11:04 AM | Reply | Permalink
Responding to Wondering's post...
Is it your contention that the hookers were "friends" of Cunningham?
October 26, 2007 11:47 AM | Reply | Permalink
Responding to Wondering's post...
Is it your contention that the hookers were "friends" of Cunningham?
October 26, 2007 11:48 AM | Reply | Permalink
Responding to Wondering's post...
Is it your contention that the hookers were "friends" of Cunningham?
October 26, 2007 11:48 AM | Reply | Permalink
These are very BAD divers; witness their careless fin kicks and the fact that every single one touching the coral at some point. As for wearing gloves? That is a definite no-no and against the law in protected reefs.
Greedy, corrupt, arrogant, selfish a$$holes.
October 26, 2007 11:57 AM | Reply | Permalink
"Greedy, corrupt, arrogant, selfish a$$holes."
Thy name is Republican.
October 26, 2007 12:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
Eight years and four months... I wonder how much time Cunningham has been able to get taken off his term in prison so far for "helping" the prosecution?
These clowns, like Cunningham, get lower sentences than others because of their selfless public service (during which time they are reeking havoc upon our Constitution). They then get time taken off for helping with other prosecutions. After that comes the time off for good behavior.
Meanwhile, common folks who have displayed good behavior all their lives get to see the decades and generations of destruction to our entire nation due to the actions of these crooks...
October 26, 2007 12:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
No no no, the new Paradigm is that
CORRUPTION IS GOOD.
Doesn't anybody get it?
Corruption used to be a bad thing, but since 9-11 changed everything, corruption is now a really, really good, neat, positive,NICE thing.
But only, ONLY, if Republicans do it.
Otherwise it is still bad--Baaaad!!!!!!
No moral relativism here, folks, 'cause this is an ABSOLUTE.
Just keep it straight & don't mess up, 'cause these are MORALS we're talkin' 'bout here!
Isn't clear-thinking GREAT?
October 26, 2007 2:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
Like some of the comments above, I was appalled at the bad diving - which, to a diver, is as heinous as the corruption. Touching bottom, using your arms - all big no-nos.
In fact, the manner of diving is commensurate with their attitude towards corruption: it's all about me, with no regard for anything else...
October 26, 2007 6:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
Will the Hawaii AG or the District USAG press charges against violation of diving regulations in protected reefs? Or is arrogance just the watchword where the law is concerned? One law for Washington business as usual men, another law for the rest of us?
October 29, 2007 12:27 AM | Reply | Permalink
Maybe Brent Wilkes can use his influence in jail to get himself a chin implant. One that matches Geragos new hair implants.
He'll need it to do the hula for those new 'boyz' to men he'z going to meet.
Perhaps Bali Hai won't look too bad to him from the bending position since he's been bending the tax payers over for so many years, and for so much of their hard earned money while "tricking" his way into our pocket books, and out of our Constitutional Rights.
As for his meeting a hooker; it's my opinion that one hooker deserves another. If she paid any taxes at all last year then she had already paid what his fees are worth; so why did he pay hers? Even now he's worth less than a few cents to any of us; but she got the larger fee. Does he still have his CPA license?
November 4, 2007 12:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
Maybe Brent Wilkes can use his influence in jail to get himself a chin implant. One that matches Geragos new hair implants.
He'll need it to do the hula for those new 'boyz' to men he'z going to meet.
Perhaps Bali Hai won't look too bad to him from the bending position since he's been bending the tax payers over for so many years, and for so much of their hard earned money while "tricking" his way into our pocket books, and out of our Constitutional Rights.
As for his meeting a hooker; it's my opinion that one hooker deserves another. If she paid any taxes at all last year then she had already paid what his fees are worth; so why did he pay hers? Even now he's worth less than a few cents to any of us; but she got the larger fee. Does he still have his CPA license?
November 4, 2007 1:01 PM | Reply | Permalink