Embattled San Diego Congressman Randy "Duke" Cunningham has resigned. The eight-term Republican stepped down yesterday, after pleading guilty in federal court of conspiracy to commit bribery and tax evasion.
Cunningham had been under investigation for months, for allegedly using his position in Congress to help a defense contractor get federal jobs. Cunningham was a member of the powerful House Appropriations Committee. KPBS Reporter Kenny Goldberg has the story.
In June, news reports surfaced that Duke Cunningham had sold his Rancho Santa Fe home to a defense contractor in 2003 for an inflated price. The contractor later received millions of dollars in Pentagon contracts.
A federal grand jury and the FBI launched investigations. For months, Cunningham maintained he did nothing wrong.
Yesterday in front of the San Diego federal courthouse, Cunningham admitted he had lied.
Duke Cunningham: "Because I was not strong enough to face the truth, I misled my family, friends, staff, colleagues, the public, and even myself. For all of this, I am deeply sorry. The truth is, I broke the law, concealed my conduct, and disgraced my office."
In a lengthy plea agreement, Cunningham admitted to taking $2.5 million dollars in bribes. He says the payments came from several unidentified conspirators in the form of cash, antiques, and vacations.
Cunningham is a former Navy Top Gun pilot. He broke down when he talked about the impact of his misdeeds.
Cunningham: "In my life, I have had great joy, and great sorrow. And now I know great shame. I learned in Vietnam that the true measure of a man, is how he responds to adversity. I can't undo what I've done, but I can atone."
Cunningham's district covers a wide section of San Diego County, including a number of coastal communities. Voters in the heavily Republican area have sent Duke to Congress for eight consecutive terms.
News of Cunningham's guilty pleas and resignation hit local residents hard. Lois Murphy is a longtime Cunningham supporter from Carlsbad.
Lois Murphy: "It's shocking, really shocking. We always looked up to him, and I can't believe he would plead guilty. But if he did, he did."
Fellow Carlsbad resident Dale Roberts says he's glad Cunningham has accepted responsibility for his actions. At the same time, Roberts says perhaps the political environment in Washington is partly to blame.
Dale Roberts: "Maybe there's some great temptation out there when you're a politician in his position. I mean, you go back to Washington and maybe there's some poison back there. I think it's tough, even for people with a great track record like him. Sometime there is temptations out there that make you do things you wouldn't maybe ordinarily do."
Others in the district aren't as charitable. Brad Bartlett lives in Escondido.
Brad Bartlett: "I think that one of the most important things in public office is integrity and honesty, if not in life in general. And if he's not going to be an honest person, and he has not been honest in the past, it definitely lowers my opinion of him as a person, and as a representative of our government."
In any case, the once popular congressman is now an admitted felon.
The North County Times has backed Cunningham since his early days in Congress.
Times editor Kent Davy says it's an incredible turn of events.
Kent Davy: "Here is a man who was one top of the world at one time, considered to be America's hero, and has now been brought, as low as you can possibly go, most certainly is going to prison, and it looks like from this plea agreement, for a long time, conceivably eleven years."
In addition to prison time, Cunningham will have to forfeit his home, and return $1.8 million to the government. He also faces more than a quarter million dollars in fines.
When Cunningham's resignation becomes official, California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger will have to call a special election. That election is expected to take place sometime next spring.
Kenny Goldberg, KPBS News.
