Brent Wilkes is a cartoon
The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Brent Wilkes, defense contractor better known as one of the bribers of Duke Cunningham, was running hookers and limos for congressmen(plural is theirs) and their staff.
Remember, Wilkes is the guy who was rumored to be liquidating his assets and preparing to run to Belize, maybe with a congressman, back in early December.
But honestly, I have to say this, in some strange way I respect these guys. Very often you hear about congressmen changing their vote for $5,000 in campaign donations, and in many ways, that seems far worse to me than the utter corruption engaged in by Duke Cunningham. I'm often amazed how cheaply some of this goes on.
I mean, as crooked as these guys were, at least Duke Cunningham's soul cost millions, a mansion, a yacht, a frickin' Rolls Royce. It's illegal, bust him, but I understand it.
Look at some of the funds surrounding Bob Ney or Katherine Harris. A couple thousand dollars and some golf trips for Ney. How corrupt is Washington when votes can be bought so cheaply? Are there so many congressmen up for sale that it's a buyer's market?
No, please don't answer that.
Remember, Wilkes is the guy who was rumored to be liquidating his assets and preparing to run to Belize, maybe with a congressman, back in early December.
But honestly, I have to say this, in some strange way I respect these guys. Very often you hear about congressmen changing their vote for $5,000 in campaign donations, and in many ways, that seems far worse to me than the utter corruption engaged in by Duke Cunningham. I'm often amazed how cheaply some of this goes on.
I mean, as crooked as these guys were, at least Duke Cunningham's soul cost millions, a mansion, a yacht, a frickin' Rolls Royce. It's illegal, bust him, but I understand it.
Look at some of the funds surrounding Bob Ney or Katherine Harris. A couple thousand dollars and some golf trips for Ney. How corrupt is Washington when votes can be bought so cheaply? Are there so many congressmen up for sale that it's a buyer's market?
No, please don't answer that.
posted by mikevotes at
1:33 PM
5 Comments:
Deflating the cost of a bribe can have serious consequences when it comes to stability. The rule is, ‘once a politician is bought they should stay bought.’ But bargain basement corruption opens the world up to political ‘churning’.
We saw that happen in the Solomon Islands, with their on again off again support for the Prime Minister who bought votes with cash, on the floor of parliament.
You will never get legislation through Congress if it becomes a bidding war for better looking prostitutes or ritzier golf courses.
Cunningham stayed bought which shows how valuable a decent bribe really is to political stability.
By
Cartledge, at 2:19 PM
Pronblem is, were electing people who are failures in the private sector. They have little means to support themselves anfd their campains without dirty money. So alittle reach around here and there is enough to sway them. Look at bush he never made an honest dime, He was bailed out of everything he ever did.
By
Yukkione, at 2:23 PM
Yeah I did a post some time back entitled "GOP Ushers In Graft On the Cheap". Most of 'em sold their souls for minor ducats.
By
Anonymous, at 2:53 PM
Cartledge, that's why the Republican agenda can be passed so easily. Tax cuts, and loopholes for those that can afford lobbyists taken from those that can't.
Left Of Center, I kind of agree.
We've now got a system that attracts a certain type of person who is willing to do anything for money. That's the only way they can even be elected in the first place. So, you're preselecting congressment to have this trait.
And, Kvatch, I've been amazed by the cheapness of bribes for years. Frankly, it's not just GOP. Even when I was a salesman, I would occasionally run across somebody getting a kickback and they could throw millions of dollars for very small amounts.
One case in particular, a guy I eventually turned in, moved $2.4 million in business to a more expensive supplier because the other salesman bought him two deer rifles, he and his brother and gave them the deer lease for the weekend. It cost the big unnamed oil company about half a million dollars.
Mike
By
mikevotes, at 6:14 PM
Mike that was tongue in cheek. My new 'authoritative pundit persona’ should not fool you into believing the substance has improved.
By
Cartledge, at 6:52 PM
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