Print

Email story

Comment

Email editor

After bribe case, Young reviews projects

Rep. C.W. Bill Young, who chairs the House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, said he was closely examining requests by a congressman who pleaded guilty Monday to bribery.

By BILL ADAIR
Published November 30, 2005

WASHINGTON - One day after Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham pleaded guilty to taking bribes from a defense contractor, Rep. C.W. Bill Young said he was reviewing Cunningham's requests for defense projects to make sure they were legitimate.

Young, the Indian Shores Republican who chairs the House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, said he was closely examining Cunningham's requests.

"I have gone over everything that Duke asked to be included in the bill," said Young, whose committee oversees spending for military projects. "I find most of it is very legitimate and supported by the Department of Defense. But we are being doubly sure that anything shaky is not going to stay in."

Cunningham, a member of Young's subcommittee and the Select Committee on Intelligence, on Monday resigned from Congress after he tearfully acknowledged taking $2.4-million in bribes from defense contractors and others. Prosecutors said the bribes were paid through checks totaling more than $1-million, cash, antiques, rugs, furniture, vacations and yacht club fees.

Prosecutors said Cunningham, a Republican from Southern California, used his clout to steer defense projects to the people who bribed him. The 33-page guilty plea did not name the alleged conspirators, but details such as business addresses and occupations made some of their identities apparent, including Mitchell Wade, the former president of MZM Inc., a Washington, D.C., company that did classified intelligence work for the military. The company, which has since merged with Athena Innovative Solutions, has an office in Tampa, not far from MacDill Air Force Base, where Special Operations Command is based.

Young, who has known Cunningham for years, said he was shocked to learn his colleague took bribes.

"It's hard to believe," Young said. "I always thought Duke was a really straight arrow."

Young became chairman of the subcommittee in January after serving six years as chairman of the full Appropriations Committee. Young said he was not in charge of the subcommittee when Cunningham was trying to get defense money for the companies.

Young said he was unaware of MZM and others involved with Cunningham until he saw news reports earlier this year. Young checked his records and said he has never had any contact with the companies or received any campaign contributions from them.

Young said he last saw Cunningham on Nov. 18, the final day before the Thanksgiving recess. At the time, Cunningham was still maintaining his innocence and was handing out fliers asking his House colleagues to contribute to his legal defense defense fund.

Young did not contribute, he said.

Cunningham's bribes "reflect so poorly on the whole Congress and the whole system," Young said. "It certainly undermines the public's respect for the political world."

--Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.

[Last modified November 30, 2005, 02:15:38]