| Sunday, May 14, 2006 |
| Where Does Wilkes' Money Lead? |
 Well, much has happened in recent weeks on the "Duke" Cunningham / Brent Wilkes / Mitchell Wade scandal front, primarily related to the CIA business end. Related to that we discovered that the Chairman of the powerful House Appropriations committee Jerry Lewis (R-CA) is currently being quite carefully looked at. Indicted Republican super-lobbyist Jack Abramoff used to refer to Lewis' committee as the "favor factory" for all the earmarks he was able to finagle for his clients. This will go in several directions. Obviously the Cunningham direction, but also the Abramoff direction, and at least one other, that of the direction of former Republican congressman Bill Lowery (CA), who is considered to be Wilkes' mentor.
But where will Wilkes' trail lead?
From the AP:
Prosecutors allege Wilkes paid Cunningham, a former member of the House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, more than $626,000 in bribes between 2000 and 2004 to win government contracts for his companies. But it's Wilkes' links to other lawmakers, lobbyists and government officials that has dramatically expanded the case.
"It's all about Wilkes paying people to get contracts,'' said Melanie Sloan, a former federal prosecutor in Washington and executive director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. "Anybody who Brent Wilkes has been making substantial contributions to, they're going to be looking at. They'd have to.''
Here is a list of members of congress who have received at least $10,000 from Wilkes and his wife Regina since 1995. The sums reflect money directed not only to the candidates campaign, but also the candidate's PAC. From OpenSecrets.com:
Tom DeLay (R-TX) = $25,000
Former House Majority Leader, and member of the House Appropriations Committee
Randall "Duke" Cunningham (R-CA) = $19,500
A former member of the House Appropriations Committee, the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, and the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense
Jerry Lewis (R-CA) = $18,000
Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee
John Doolittle (R-CA) = $15,000
Member of the House Appropriations Committee, and the House Resources Committee
Duncan Hunter (R-CA) = $13,200
Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee Bob Livingston (R-NJ) = $10,000
Former Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee
Billy Tauzin (R-LA) = $10,000
Former Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee
The top Wilkes-earner amongst Democrats was Charles S. Robb (D-VA) who "coincidentally" co-chaired the Robb-Silbermann Commission which was tasked by the White House to look into pre-Iraq War intelligence failures. One of the commissions reccomendations going forward was to invest heavily in the super-secret CIFA (Counter-intelligence Field Activity) which contracts out billions of dollars worth of work to companies like Wilkes' ADCS and fellow co-conspirator Mitchell Wade's MZM, Inc.
Robb received a total of $6,000 from Wilkes from 1995 to Wilkes' indictment last year. It is also interesting to note that a total of three employees from MZM (Mitchell Wade's former company) sat on the Robb-Silbermann Commission, including the current President and CEO (though the name of the company has been changed to Athena Innovative Solutions, Inc. since being purchased by Veritas Capital).
Fun Fact: With the exception of John Doolittle, who is quite likely one of the most corrupt members of congress, among the California congressmen listed above all hail from the Southern California area (San Diego/San Bernardino) including former congressman Bill Lowery who was essentially squeezed out of congress in 1992 when districts were redrawn following the the 1990 census and Cunningham moved in to "share" the district. Don't feel sad for him though, Bill has done quite well in the meantime as a Washington DC based lobbyist. |
posted by MindSquash the Brain Worm @ 7:17 AM   |
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