Former Congressman Randall "Duke" Cunningham Sentenced to 8 Years

[Guest]

This sad tale has now come to an end.

Duke will spend at least 7 years at the federal prison in Taft, CA according to this story.

It's easy for us to sit back and say, "Yeah, give it to him, he got what he deserved", but I also believe it's the rotten system of the beltway that can lead good, honest men down a gilded path of corruption.

I'm sure that no one is more surprised or ashamed that it could have happened to someone like Duke, because if it could happen to someone like him, it could happen to anyone.

mh

[Amazon 7]

No Mark... I dont think it could happen to anyone.

The system there is horribly corrupt and needs to be done away with once and for all.

I do beleive that someone can serve their constituents and not fall prey to the temptations of the lobbyists. I also beleive that ending the lobbyists influence would be better for our country instead of the monied special interests that can buy and sell people who are weak morally. The whole system of campaign fundraising is a corrupting influence and needs to dissappear.

[tcnelson 1]

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I also believe it's the rotten system of the beltway that can lead good, honest men down a gilded path of corruption.

true, but i expect those same people to be able to remain honest and forthright. leadership has never been easy. it requires dedication.

it comes down to character. it's not easy to not give in to temptation. we all know this.

"Don't talk to me like that assface...I don't work for you yet." - Fletch
NBFT, Deseoso Rodriguez RB#1329

[mnealtx 0]

I agree with you both - the lobbyists need to go away, and congresspeople need to listen to and bide by the wishes of their constituents.

In regards to Duke Cunningham - nobody FORCED him to make those deals and take that money - he DECIDED to, and got caught. He deserves what came to him as a result of that.

Mike
I love you, Shannon and Jim.
POPS 9708 , SCR 14706

[skycop 0]

When I was a kid I looked up to Duke Cunningham.
As a Law Enforcement Officer I looked up to him as the co-sponsor for the federal right to carry for LEO's. This cut the red tape from state to state in reference to carrying concealed in other states for all LEO's.
Turns out he was a turd...............
I guess it goes back to temptation, it can cross all lines. I kinda feel sorry for the man I guess, he lost 100lbs in a few months and atoned for his misdeeds. He truely WAS a hero and let greed overcome all else.
I'm tired and grumpy because I worked all night, and I guess I'm just really disappointed.
Good night (morning for most)..............

"Just 'cause I'm simple, don't mean I'm stewpid!"

[Guest]

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No Mark... I dont think it could happen to anyone.

The system there is horribly corrupt and needs to be done away with once and for all.

I do beleive that someone can serve their constituents and not fall prey to the temptations of the lobbyists. I also beleive that ending the lobbyists influence would be better for our country instead of the monied special interests that can buy and sell people who are weak morally. The whole system of campaign fundraising is a corrupting influence and needs to disappear.

I agree. I don't think Cunningham was any better or worse from the moral standpoint than the rest of us. He was in a place and situation where pied-piper enticements can easily take one's eye off the ball, and once one starts down that path, it snowballs, until one day the brakes are suddenly applied and the internal blinders are forcibly taken off by higher authority, but by then of course it's too late.

Show-biz whackos are notorious for their rotten, corrupt lifestyles, and aren't subject to the restrictions placed on those in positions of public trust. Why is it then that the show-biz pukes are revered, and politicians are reviled?

I guess one could easily think of the Beltway as a kind of black hole event horizon: you can look, but don't get too close, or you'll get pulled down, and there is no escape. It's just a rotten shame, that such a great and brave man let himself get trapped like that. His profound failure reflects on our society as well. We failed him too. There's plenty of blame to go around, and it doesn't just fall upon the shoulders of Duke Cunningham.

One thing that bothers me about the case is that Duke was a man of honor, and when he was busted, he admitted his guilt.

Unfortunately, that just gave the federal prosecutor an easy slam-dunk. Had he forced the prosecutor to prove the case, it would have dragged on for years, but he would have had a lighter sentence. He got almost the maximum, because he took the heat.

mh

[Guest]

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I agree with you both - the lobbyists need to go away, and congresspeople need to listen to and bide by the wishes of their constituents.

In regards to Duke Cunningham - nobody FORCED him to make those deals and take that money - he DECIDED to, and got caught. He deserves what came to him as a result of that.

Yes he does, but I believe it was at least partly due to his being in a place where even honest, decent people can be corrupted. If a giant like Duke Cunningham can be ruined, there's little safety for anyone inside the Beltway, and how does that reflect upon "we the people"?

In other words, if this kind of thing can happen to the best of us, where does that leave the rest of us? Up the creek, methinks.

[narcimund 0]

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because if it could happen to someone like him, it could happen to anyone.
...
let himself get trapped like that
...
We failed him too.
...
even honest, decent people can be corrupted

All this interesting phrasing reminds me of the immortal words of ... well, you'll see who:

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Victim-culture. It's too easy to assign the blame for one's shortcomings on the actions of others.

First Class Citizen Twice Over

[warpedskydiver 0]

I have the utmost respect for a man who in the face of ubelievable odds would not abandon someone to death even though he was ordered to:

I also believe the man is accepting his punishment in the same way he lived his life...

He made a MISTAKE he took responsibility and is now paying the consequences.

WE SHOULD ALL LEARN SOMETHING FROM THAT


I also am in favor of finding out who in both major parties is guilty of equal or even more haneous crimes...AND PROSECUTE THEM TO THE FULLEST EXTENT OF THE LAW!!!


we would afterwards probably need to replace all but maybe 20 congressmen and senators...


I even have doubts there are 20 that are honest and have not violated the law or skirted the law
THINK ABOUT THAT!

[Keith 0]

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He made a MISTAKE he took responsibility and is now paying the consequences.

Actually, no, he didn't take responsibility. He lied and lied, then only admitted guilt when they came to him with overwhelming and irrefutable evidence and offered him a deal if he'd rat out his coconspirators. Which he proptly did.

Keith

Don't Fuck with me Keith - J. Mandeville

[Guest]

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because if it could happen to someone like him, it could happen to anyone.
...
let himself get trapped like that
...
We failed him too.
...
even honest, decent people can be corrupted

All this interesting phrasing reminds me of the immortal words of ... well, you'll see who:

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Victim-culture. It's too easy to assign the blame for one's shortcomings on the actions of others.

Cunningham didn't blame anyone else.

mh

[narcimund 0]

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Cunningham didn't blame anyone else.

Good for him. However, YOU are blaming everyone else.

It happened TO him.

WE failed him.

He GOT TRAPPED

He WAS corrupted.

All passive language to imply he was just sitting there honorably when the insidious crime was perpetrated upon him. Poor congressman!

Edited to add: Actually, I'm not going to go through this cycle of trying to say it plainer and plainer for you like we always have to do.

If anyone else wants clarification, just ask. Otherwise I'll assume everyone understands me except you, Mark, and that you never will.

First Class Citizen Twice Over

[Guest]

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Cunningham didn't blame anyone else.

Good for him. However, YOU are blaming everyone else.

It happened TO him.

WE failed him.

He GOT TRAPPED

He WAS corrupted.

All passive language to imply he was just sitting there honorably when the insidious crime was perpetrated upon him. Poor congressman!

Edited to add: Actually, I'm not going to go through this cycle of trying to say it plainer and plainer for you like we always have to do.

If anyone else wants clarification, just ask. Otherwise I'll assume everyone understands me except you, Mark, and that you never will.

Please read my remarks in their entirety, and pray tell, explain to me what this case has to do with the Militant Homosexual Agenda® ?

"The mouse does not know life until it is in the mouth of the cat."

[Lindsey 0]

In my experience, the direction that ones life takes is directly attributable to the person's actions and character. A good person...and even a not-so-respectable person... can make a lot of mistakes without seeing too many consequences. But honest people usually possess qualities that have them feeling remorseful for their dishonest actions, so they correct their behavior. By the time you're involved in corrupt activities to this magnitude, then I don't see how in the world such a person can be referred to as "decent" or "honest" ever again. Nothing just happened to him.

linz

--
A conservative is just a liberal who's been mugged. A liberal is just a conservative who's been to jail

[narcimund 0]

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Please read my remarks in their entirety, and pray tell, explain to me what this case has to do with the Militant Homosexual Agenda® ?

I'll repeat:

Actually, I'm not going to go through this cycle of trying to say it plainer and plainer for you like we always have to do.

If anyone else wants clarification, just ask. Otherwise I'll assume everyone understands me except you, Mark, and that you never will.

First Class Citizen Twice Over

[Guest]

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In my experience, the direction that ones life takes is directly attributable to the person's actions and character. A good person...and even a not-so-respectable person... can make a lot of mistakes without seeing too many consequences. But honest people usually possess qualities that have them feeling remorseful for their dishonest actions, so they correct their behavior. By the time you're involved in corrupt activities to this magnitude, then I don't see how in the world such a person can be referred to as "decent" or "honest" ever again. Nothing just happened to him.

linz

I am in agreement. But I still believe that if the system weren't so rotten to begin with, it would be more difficult to take that first corrupt step. The entire point that I was trying to make is (and this was apparently lost on Narci, who's obviously still cheesed at me over the NAMBLA debate a while back) was that yes, Duke was corrupt, but he sure didn't start out that way. At what point did he tell himself it was okay to make these dirty deals? When did he decide the ethics laws didn't apply to him? How could someone be so dishonest with themselves, let alone their constituents?

It's easy to say, "Well, he's just rotten, he always was", but that isn't true. Somehow, somewhere, he changed for the worse, and we're all worse off for it.

"The mouse does not know life until it is in the mouth of the cat."

[SkyDekker 1,465]

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It's easy to say, "Well, he's just rotten, he always was", but that isn't true. Somehow, somewhere, he changed for the worse, and we're all worse off for it

Funny, I never see you aks those question for a black guy who grew up in poverty and chose to start dealing in drugs, cause it was an easy opportunity to start making lots of money. You don't really seem to have as much compassion for that person.

[Rookie120 0]

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Funny, I never see you aks those question for a black guy who grew up in poverty and chose to start dealing in drugs, cause it was an easy opportunity to start making lots of money. You don't really seem to have as much compassion for that person.

I dont care what he did in the past or who he is anymore. He is a piece of shit in my mind. He took advantage of the system that he was supposed to be in for the people and turned it into what could he get out of it. I wish more of these SOB's would be walking the same line as he is now. My sentence for everybody guilty would be at least 20 years in federal pound you in the ass prison. I'm just happy he didnt have 10 years of trials and appeals. He admitted his guilt and took the punishment. If it was only that easy all the time.

If you find yourself in a fair fight, your tactics suck!

[Gravitymaster 0]

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Funny, I never see you aks those question for a black guy who grew up in poverty and chose to start dealing in drugs, cause it was an easy opportunity to start making lots of money. You don't really seem to have as much compassion for that person.

I dont care what he did in the past or who he is anymore. He is a piece of shit in my mind. He took advantage of the system that he was supposed to be in for the people and turned it into what could he get out of it. I wish more of these SOB's would be walking the same line as he is now. My sentence for everybody guilty would be at least 20 years in federal pound you in the ass prison. I'm just happy he didnt have 10 years of trials and appeals. He admitted his guilt and took the punishment. If it was only that easy all the time.

WOW....You believe that someone convicted of a crime like this deserves to be raped in prison for 20 years? Would you apply the same standard to a woman who was convicted of theft? Should part of her sentence be to submit to a daily raping by the guards? Would you want our lawmakers to pass laws that requires sentences for certain crimes to involve sexual assault in prison?

[racer42 0]

The Congressman from my district doesn't meet with lobbyists. At all. He lets his staffers handle them, because he has to.

Some politicians actually are public servants.

L.A.S.T. #24
Co-Founder Biscuit Brothers Freefly Team
Electric Toaster #3
Co-Founder Team Non Sequitor
Co-Founder Team Happy Sock

[kallend 2,175]

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I agree with you both - the lobbyists need to go away, and congresspeople need to listen to and bide by the wishes of their constituents.

In regards to Duke Cunningham - nobody FORCED him to make those deals and take that money - he DECIDED to, and got caught. He deserves what came to him as a result of that.

Absolutely (there, that surprised you). Honest people don't succumb to corruption.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[ViperPilot 0]

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In regards to Duke Cunningham - nobody FORCED him to make those deals and take that money - he DECIDED to, and got caught. He deserves what came to him as a result of that.

Exactly...the guy was an asshat, he deserved it.

[billvon 3,132]

>I don't think Cunningham was any better or worse from the moral standpoint than the rest of us.

I think he was worse. He was a criminal. Most people here are not, even when temptation tempts them to steal/cheat/swindle. Is a gear thief no better or worse than any of us, just because your Sabre2 was sitting there, tempting him? Is a guy who steals your car no better or worse than you, other than the fact that he happened to have a slim jim?

>Show-biz whackos are notorious for their rotten, corrupt lifestyles, and
>aren't subject to the restrictions placed on those in positions of public
>trust. Why is it then that the show-biz pukes are revered, and politicians
>are reviled?

Show-biz pukes who break the law generally go to jail; politicians who obey the law don't. I respect many politicians more than most actors - most of the people I know share my sentiment on that.

>It's just a rotten shame, that such a great and brave man let himself
>get trapped like that.

Again, if a guy stole your car and wrecked it, and his pal called you up and said "hey, dude, he's a great and brave man, moral as all get-out - he was just tempted, and he succumbed" - would you just eat the cost?

>His profound failure reflects on our society as well. We failed him too.
>There's plenty of blame to go around, and it doesn't just fall upon the
>shoulders of Duke Cunningham.

No, it's pretty much on his shoulders. He admitted guilt; good for him. It also means there's pretty much no question who to blame.

>Unfortunately, that just gave the federal prosecutor an easy
>slam-dunk. Had he forced the prosecutor to prove the case, it would
>have dragged on for years . . . .

Yep. We'll see how long the Delay thing drags out. I have no doubt they will be able to delay it well past his last election.

[Guest]

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We'll see how long the Delay thing drags out. I have no doubt they will be able to delay it well past his last election.

heh
In looking at my earlier remarks and the replies I received, it seems that Cunningham is universally reviled. I find his corruption offensive too, but those feelings are in conflict with the memory of who he used to be.

mh

"The mouse does not know life until it is in the mouth of the cat."

[kallend 2,175]

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We'll see how long the Delay thing drags out. I have no doubt they will be able to delay it well past his last election.

heh
In looking at my earlier remarks and the replies I received, it seems that Cunningham is universally reviled. I find his corruption offensive too, but those feelings are in conflict with the memory of who he used to be.

mh

The bigger they come, the harder they fall. The ancient Greeks had a single word for it.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.