And There's Still That Other Scandal

Representative Cunningham was convicted last month of several charges revolving around corruption and bribery. Think Progress reminds us there may be more developments coming out of the Cunningham conviction.

Cunningham received $630,000 from a military contractor named Brent Wilkes, who is referred to as “co-conspirator No. 1″ in Justice Department documents. Wilkes worked for Audre Inc., a job he took in 1992 when the company was near bankruptcy and desperate for federal contracts. That’s where Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA), the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, comes in.

(snip)

But Hunter isn’t the only committee chairman with problems.

Wilkes employed a lobbyist named Bill Lowery who is unusually close with House Appropriations Committee Chairman Rep. Jerry Lewis.

It is difficult to say where these investigations will go and whether more crimes have been committed but I notice some of the "reformers" in the Republican Party who are already scrambling to be heard may not be much better than those who are already under indictment. Newt Gingrich, who helped to bring in a whole new generation of Republicans, comes to mind. As I recall, he was famous for allowing industry representatives and lobbyists to write their own legislation.

Now I want to repeat a personal observation I have noted elsewhere and I believe it's necessary to keep doing so: most Republicans I have known in my life are honest and hardworking. Usually, over the years, I voted for the other side but if my candidate lost, I went about my business assuming the country couldn't go too wrong until my side had its chance again. What's now happening in Washington has very little to do with the Republican Party many of us remember from years ago. We have a problem.