Former Republican Congressman Randy Duke Cunningham heads to a San Diego federal court today. A judge is scheduled to sentence Cunningham who admitted taking $2.4 million in bribes from military contractors evading taxes. KPBS reporter Amita Sharma has more.
Prosecutors want the judge to send Cunningham to prison for 10 years arguing the eight-term congressman from San Diego engaged in unparalleled corruption. Cunningham has admitted taking cash, homes and cars in exchange for steering contracts to defense firms.
His attorneys say those contracts were for military necessities. But prosecutors say Cunningham bullied Pentagon officials into accepting the contracts. San Diego lawyer Marc Carlos believes Cunningham's chances of getting less than 10 years in prison are slim.
Carlos: He put himself in the position of trust and he basically utilized that position of trust in order to steal money from people and it was for greed, absolute 100 percent greed and a sense of entitlement."
Cunningham has diabetes and had a bout with prostate cancer. Defense lawyers say Cunningham won't survive 10 years in prison because of poor health. Amita Sharma, KPBS News.
