Rumor post - Wilkes edition

Nothing to really corroborate either of these, but this Brent Wilkes(co-conspirator in the Duke Cunningham mess) seems to be quite a piece of work. Beyond the simple bribing of government officials, we've got these two juicy rumors. (San Diego Union-Tribune)

Wilkes befriended other legislators, too. He ran a hospitality suite, with several bedrooms, in Washington – first in the Watergate Hotel and then in the Westin Grand near Capitol Hill.

To this Josh Marshall says:

I probably should have been a bit more explicit about this last evening but the wording the reporters for the Union-Tribune used was almost certainly code for some sort of legislative love shack Wilkes used to lubricate the pay-for-play operation that made him and his pals so much cash before Duke brought the whole movable feast down on their heads. It may match up with reports about fast times down at the marina on the various Dukeboats.

Also, Laura Rozen who has been digging into the companies associated with Wilkes and some of their questionable contracts, comes out with this.

1rst post: Latest gossip I am hearing from San Diego is that Brent Wilkes is liquidating his considerable assets and -- get this -- thinking of heading towards Belize. Which apparently according to this same gossip does not have an extradition agreement with the US and citizenship can be bought for $30,000. Urban legend? Who knows.


2nd post: And by the way. That gossip about Wilkes liquidating some assets and exploring options for Belize? Not as outlandish as it originally sounded to me. In fact, a certain congressman may have gone with Wilkes on a recent trip there for fun -- and to open a bank account. And it wasn't the Duke.

Sorry for all the rumor, but this guy's just bigger than life. I keep imagining the "Duke" character from Doonesbury. I mean there's crooked, then there's "running to Belize before the FBI finds out you were running hookers for congressman" crooked. Ya know?