Disgraced Congressman 'Wore a Wire'

[annihilation]

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1146700,00.html

Disgraced Congressman 'Wore a Wire'

Sources tell TIME that Duke Cunningham wore a wire after agreeing to cooperate with a graft probe
By TIMOTHY J. BURGER (javascript:void(0))
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Posted Friday, Jan. 06, 2006
Washington's power players have always bragged about being well-wired, but for disgraced former congressman Duke Cunningham, "wired" wasn't just a figure of speech. In a week when legislators are focused on the question of who else might be brought down by ex-lobbyist Jack Abramoff’s cooperation with prosecutors as he seeks lenient sentencing over his two federal guilty pleas this week, sources tell TIME that in a separate investigation, ex-Rep. Cunningham wore a wire to help investigators gather evidence against others just before copping his own plea.
Sources familiar with the situation say Cunningham, a California Republican who pleaded guilty Nov. 28 to taking $2.4 million in bribes—including a yacht, a Rolls Royce and a 19th-century Louis-Philippe commode—from a defense contractor, wore a wire at some point during the short interval between the moment he began cooperating with the feds and the announcement of his guilty plea on Nov. 28.
The identity of those with whom the San Diego congressman met while wearing the wire remains unclear, and is the source of furious—and nervous—speculation by congressional Republicans. A Cunningham lawyer, K. Lee Blalack, refused to confirm or deny the story, and wouldn't say whether Cunningham will implicate any other members of Congress. The FBI is believed to be continuing its probe of defense contractors involved in the Cunningham case. An FBI spokesman declined comment. Asked whether Cunningham, an ace Navy fighter pilot decorated for his service in Vietnam, had worn a wire, the spokesman said the response from a higher-up was, "Like I'd tell you."
—With reporting by Brian Bennett/Washington

[annihilation]

Dirt keeps on building up for congress. You think they can be tried for treason and executed?

[Kilgor]

Dirt keeps on building up for congress. You think they can be tried for treason and executed?

dont be absurd, but this is a very interesting case and its gonna be making alot of high ranking officials very nervous.

[Deuterium]

I have no real info but my guess would be that if he only wore a wire for a short time the Feds didn't get anything from the surveillance. If they were getting good stuff I would guess that he would have been forced to wear the wire for more than just a short time just like in the ABSCAM affair in 1978. I figure he agreed to wear the wire, he tried to get some info and was unsuccessful. He met his part of the plea by wearing the wire.

[Deuterium]

Dirt keeps on building up for congress. You think they can be tried for treason and executed?

Sure if their offenses met the statute for treason. However being corrupt isn't treasonous unless you are somehow working for a foreign power. You can take as much money from a United States citizen or from a US company and only be guilty of other offenses, not treason.

Although people like the Walkers and the Rosenbergs were certainly treasonous they were actually tried for espionage. Interestingly enough, treason is the only crime spelled out by the Constitution.

[dangerclose]

Dirt keeps on building up for congress. You think they can be tried for treason and executed?

If so, most of the democrat leaders would be dead by now.

[ElHombre]

The identity of those with whom the San Diego congressman met while wearing the wire remains unclear, and is the source of furious—and nervous—speculation by congressional Republicans.

this just keeps getting funnier and funnier.

[annihilation]

If so, most of the democrat leaders would be dead by now.

Now one did you have to go after one side? I said congress, not republicans or democrats. They are both the same sh*t.