Former Congressman's Bribes Put on Display (Cunningham)

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http://aolsvc.news.aol.com/news/article.adp?id=20051206224009990013

"POWAY, Calif. (Dec. 7) - Federal agents gave reporters a peek Tuesday at about 40 pieces of antique furniture accepted by a former congressman as part of $2.4 million in bribes from defense contractors seeking government business.

The furnishings included French dressers with burled walnut and marble, a sleigh-style bed and a hand-woven Persian carpet that stretched more than 30 feet and had a $5,500 price tag still attached.

Cunningham agreed to forfeit the furnishings, along with the mansion itself and $1.8 million in cash, when he pleaded guilty Nov. 28 to charges of conspiracy and income tax evasion. He could receive as much as 10 years in prison when he is sentenced in February."

I bet more than anything, the Freakers will be pissed to know he took French, er sorry, "freedom" stuff.

The prosecutors are making a mistake. This stuff, all of it, including the $1.8 Million in cash should be "lying in state" in the Rotunda. Americans should be able to line up and pass in procession to see what it takes to buy the government, and then the entire stinking pile of shit ought to be forever interred in the Smithsonian.

I think Dems ought to have this stuff go on tour all over the country, just like King Tuts Tomb.

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1. The carpet still had the price tag attached

As appalling as Cunningham's corruption is, this little tidbit shows the wholly gratuitous (sorry) nature of this crap: Cunningham didn't need this stuff, didn't really have any use for it, it was just an exercise in accumulation. Mindless acquisition is all it was.

I hope the fucker goes to jail for a long, long time. And the fuckers who bribed him go away for twice as long. Each.

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5. More that that

I hope this story and the investigations to follow finishes the Republican Party once and for all.

This is a huge story, and I guarantee you if it were Democrats involved, we'd be hearing a lot more about it.

Instead of auctioning off his bribes and using the money to promote future law enforcement, why not auction it off and send the money back to the American taxpayers. That's where it came from.

It's class warfare where they steal from the average American and give it to the billionaire defense contractors. Shout it from the rooftops. "I'm Mad as Hell, and I'm not going to take it anymore".

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2. Lying in state - what a fine idea!

I think you've nailed that one. If every slimeball politician knew the evidence of their misdeeds would "ly in state" if they got caught, a few of them might think twice about doing it.

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3. If we can't get it in the Rotunda

The DEMS should at least display replicas of the items in front of the Capital. Think of the news this could create.

First, a Dem Congressman submits a proposal on the house floor that he wants "the loot from Republican Congressman Cunningham to 'lie in state' in the Rotunda so that the American people can see where their tax money is going, and how much it takes to buy the government". They should also state that, "barring a display in the Rotunda, I ask that the Constitution 'lie in state', because the Republicans have killed it".

Then I would have big semi-trucks pull up to the capital with either the actual Republican Cunningham bribes, or replicas, and would put them on display in front of the steps of the Capital and invite the American people to "see what your tax money has bought".

Think of the news coverage. Think of poor old Tom Delay passing by the largess with tears streaming down his face as he mourns the loss of bribery and hookers, once thought to be staples of Republican power.

Just think of the possibilities.

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4. One Self Serving Kick

because I'd like the DEMs to use my idea.