Could we see more members of Congress charged in connection with the investigation into the Duke Cunningham bribery scandal?
Lawyers for Mitchell Wade, the former defense contractor who pleaded guilty in 2006 to bribing his friend Cunningham, filed a “sentencing memo” last week claiming that Wade had helped prosecutors’ efforts to look into “at least five other members of Congress” who were under investigation for “corruption similar to that of Mr. Cunningham.”
The Washington Post adds:
Although none of those members is named, two are under investigation, according to the memorandum, and “three others have come under scrutiny for their receipt of straw contributions” from former Wade employees and one for the possible receipt of undisclosed gifts.
The existence of the memo — which argued for a more lenient sentence for Wade — was first reported on the blog of the investigative reporter Seth Hettena, who has published a book on the Cunningham scandal.
Hettena writes that former GOP Florida congresswoman Katherine Harris (yes, that Katherine Harris), and Virginia Republican Rep. Virgil Goode — who has apparently lost his Virginia seat — are likely on that list of five. (We told you about Harris’ and Goode’s connections to the scandal back in 2006).
Hettena adds: “Wade wanted to open facilities in their districts and made $78,000 in “straw” contributions to grease the wheels. Neither Harris nor Goode has been charged with wrongdoing.”
