While there are undoubtedly many factors affecting voting patterns here in America, there is little doubt that one of the major problems facing the Republicans this cycle is corruption. This thread is intended to list off the various cases of corruption currently present in the Republican party, for easy referral.
Note that this isn't the thread for listing off Dem corruption. If someone wishes to do this, I would suggest hitting the 'post new topic' button, and then labelling that topic 'Democratic Corruption issues,' or somesuch, and then proceed to write an interesting and thought-provoking post about ethical and legal problems of the Democrats. But don't do it here.
I will divide the corruption into three categories: Convicted, Under Investigation, and Alleged. This list is meant to expand, so I will update it as time goes by (and feel free to add ones that I have missed to the list). Each name will be linked to Wikipedia. Note that this is for background and informational purposes more than it is to support allegations against them; I am well aware of your problems with Wikipedia, future Right-wing poster to this thread, and don't want to hear a bunch of bitching about it.
To begin,
Convicted:
Randy 'Duke' Cunningham: On November 28, 2005, Cunningham pleaded guilty to tax evasion, conspiracy to commit bribery, mail fraud, and wire fraud in federal court in San Diego. The investigation following his guilty plea is still on-going.
Bob Ney: On October 13, 2006, Ney pled guilty to conspiracy and making false statements in relation to the Abramoff scandal and faces a maximum of 10 years in prison as well as fines.
Jack AbramoffDavid Safavian:He was arrested on September 19, 2005, based on "a three-count criminal complaint filed at federal court in Washington, D.C. The complaint charges Safavian with making false statements to a GSA ethics officer and the GSA-OIG, along with obstruction of a GSA-OIG investigation."[1] Safavian was the first person arrested, and the first defendant to face a jury, in the Jack Abramoff lobbying and corruption scandal. His trial started May 25, 2006. Guilty verdicts on four of five felony counts of lying and obstruction were returned June 20.
Thomas Noe: On October 27, 2005, Noe was indicted in a federal investigation on counts of Conspiracy, Conduit Contribution Violations, and False Statements. On October 31, 2005, Noe pled not-guilty to all three charges. On May 31, 2006 Noe reversed his earlier plea and pleaded guilty.[1] On September 12, 2006 Noe was sentenced by the Federal Court in Toledo to a term of 27 months for each of the three felony charges, to be served concurrently. Noe was also fined $136,200. and ordered to serve two years of supervised release and 200 hours of community service upon his release from incarceration. He was allowed to remain on bail pending disposition of state felony charges against him.[2]
George Ryan: In late 2005, George Ryan (along with lobbyist friend and contributor Larry Warner) went to trial for racketeering and bribery. Ryan was represented on a pro bono basis by the law firm Winston & Strawn, led by nationally-known attorney Dan K. Webb. Winston & Strawn's chairman is former four-time Illinois governor, James R. "Big Jim" Thompson. On September 6, 2006, he was sentenced to serve six and a half years in prison.[14] Ryan was ordered to go to prison on January 4, 2007, and the trial judge denied an appeal bond.[15]
New Hampshire Phone Jamming Scandal: Little was heard about the case until June 30, 2004, when Raymond pled guilty to several felony charges in federal court in Concord. McGee followed suit the next month. Marshall's blog noted that Todd Hinnen, the prosecutor in Raymond's case, indicated to the court that Raymond had been contacted about the phone jamming idea by "a former colleague who was then an official in a national political organization." Later on that month, both he and the Union Leader reported that this unnamed third individual had a significant role in the Bush-Cheney presidential campaign.
Neil Volz: was Chief of Staff to Representative Bob Ney (R-Ohio), staff director of the House Administration Committee, and later part of Team Abramoff, when he left Capitol Hill in February 2002 to work for Abramoff in Washington at Greenberg Traurig LLP. On May 8, 2006, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy, including wire fraud and violating House rules, charges stemming from his work both for Ney and for Greenberg Traurig.
Webpage Title: Allen pled guilty on August 4th to one count of misdemeanor theft. He was ordered to pay $850 and given one month of probation.
Bryan j. Doyle: Brian Doyle, the deputy press secretary for the Department of Homeland Security, was arrested on April 4th, 2006 and pleaded no contest on September 19, 2006 to seven counts of use of a computer to seduce a child and sixteen counts of transmitting harmful material to a minor. He will be sentenced on November 17 and faces up to five years in prison. (Cycloptichorn notes: not technically convicted, but a plea of 'no contest' makes this a formality)
Rush Limbaugh: April 28, 2006 -- Arrested and charged with one count of fraud -- concealed information to obtain prescription. Charge held in abeyance pending successful outcome of court supervised drug treatment and counseling.
Chuck McGee: Chuck McGee, the former Executive Director of the New Hampshire Republican State Committee, pled guilty July 28th, 2004 to one count: Conspiracy to engage in interstate telephone communications with the intent to annoy or harass. On March 11th, 2005, he was sentenced to 7 months in prison, which he began serving April 26th, 2005. He served his time and has been released.
Tony Rudy: Tony Rudy pled guilty March 31st, 2006 to one count of Conspiracy. He was a former aide to Tom DeLay, a colleague of Jack Abramoff's and then a lobbyist at Alexander Strategy Group. He was named ("Staffer A") as a coconspirator in Abramoff's plea.
Michael Scanlon: On November 21st, 2005, Michael Scanlon, Jack Abramoff's partner in the Indian fraud and bribery schemes, pled guilty to Conspiracy to Defraud the United States. A status conference is scheduled for December 8th, 2006. Scanlon faces five years in prison, $250,000 in fines, and the restitution of $19.7 million in tribal funds.
Roger Stillwell: was involved in politics, lobbying, and government. He was charged with "falsely certifying that he did not receive reportable gifts" from Jack Abramoff.[1] On August 11, 2006, he pled guilty to a misdemeanor charges, and is scheduled for sentencing October 26.[2]
John Rowland: In 2004, Rowland pleaded guilty to corruption charges. He served ten months in a federal prison until February 10, 2006, followed by four months house arrest at his home in West Hartford, Connecticut until June, 2006. His lieutenant governor was M. Jodi Rell, now the governor of Connecticut.
Larry Franklin: a U.S. Air Force Reserve colonel who has pleaded guilty to passing information about U.S. policy towards Iran to Israel through the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), the foremost pro-Israel lobbying organization in the U.S, while he was working for the Defense Department. Two former employees of that organization are also facing charges that they assisted him in the AIPAC espionage scandal and passing classified information to an Israeli diplomat Naor Gilon. On January 20, 2006, Judge T.S. Ellis, III sentenced Franklin to 151 months (almost 13 years) in prison and fined him $10,000.
Bob Taft: Misuse of state funds/ethics violations. Convicted, four first degree misdemeanors, pleaded no contest (admission of guilt). $4000 fine and public apology, two Federal Grand Juries, one state Grand Jury still investigating Taft.
Whew, that's a lot, and those are just the ones who are convicted!
Now, on to:
Under Investigation:
Tom DeLay: Currently under Indictment in Texas for Money Laundering and Conspiracy. To go along with him, we get:
John Colyandro: See above, and
Jim Ellis, all under indictment for the same thing in Texas.
Kyle 'Dusty' Foggo: Foggo is currently under investigation by the CIA inspector general for involvement in the bribery case of US congressman Randy Cunningham, due to his personal and professional connections with Cunningham co-conspirator Brent Wilkes. Other agencies involved in the investigation include the FBI, IRS, Defense Criminal Investigative Service and the United States Attorney's Office in San Diego.[1]
Lewis 'scooter' Libby: On October 28, 2005, Libby resigned from his position in the White House, immediately after he was indicted on criminal felony charges by a grand jury. He was charged with: one count of obstruction of justice; two counts of perjury; and two counts of making false statements.
Curt Weldon: The Justice Department is investigating whether Republican Rep. Curt Weldon of Pennsylvania traded his political influence for lucrative lobbying and consulting contracts for his daughter, according to sources with direct knowledge of the inquiry.
Bill Frist: On September 20, 2005, the Associated Press reported that Frist sold his HCA shares, which had been in a blind trust, two weeks before the company announced that earnings would not meet expectations, which caused a substantial drop in the share price. A spokeswoman said that Frist told the trustee who managed his HCA shares to sell them on June 13, and Frist had no control over the exact date when they were sold. Frist further claimed that the order was given to avoid allegations of conflict of interest over his participation in healthcare legislation, and that he possessed no non-public information when the stock was sold. The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York has issued subpoenas to investigate the sale, and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is investigating. Frist has retained the Washington, D.C. law firm of Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr to defend him in connection with these investigations.
Brent Wilkes: Brent Wilkes has been identified as "Coconspirator No. 1" in Duke Cunningham's Nov. 28, 2005 plea agreement.
Who can forget
Mark Foley: Foley resigned from Congress on September 29, 2006 as allegations surfaced that he had sent sexually explicit instant messages[1] to Congressional pages and former pages, including some who were minors.[2][3][4] As a result of the disclosures, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement opened investigations of the messages to find possible criminal charges.[5] The House Ethics Committee has also opened an investigation into the response of the House Republican leadership and their staff to earlier warnings of Foley's conduct.[6]
Dennis Hastert: Currently under investigation relating to the Foley incident.
Ted Stevens: In late August, the FBI searched the offices of Stevens and at least five other Alaska legislators and gathered documents relating to Veco, a major oil-field services company that had been heavily involved in lobbying the Legislature on oil-tax policies and other energy issues. FBI agents returned to Stevens' office for a second search Sept. 18.
Arnold Schwarzenegger: Ethics probe for accepting salary from two men's fitness magazines while governor, possible kickback from American Media publisher to Schwarzenegger charity and silence money to a woman who had an extramarital affair with Schwarzenegger. This probe may go criminal.
Ken Calvert: Probed for earmarking Federal transportation funds to improve an I-15 interchange that raised the value of property owned by Calvert near March Air Reserve Base. Department of Transportation did not review Calvert's earmarks as it has done with other House members.
Jerry Lewis: Probed criminally for involvement in Duke Cunningham criminal matter and connections to former GOP Rep. Bill Lowery and Cerberus Capital Management. Recipient of campaign funds from Mitchell Wade (MZM).
Bill Lowery: Being probed criminally for involvement in bribery scandal involving Rep. Jerry Lewis.
Duncan Hunter: Being probed criminally for involvement in bribery scandal involving Rep. Jerry Lewis.
Kenneth Tomlinson: It has been reported on August 30, 2006 that he is being investigated for misuing State Department funds on Voice of America. It has also been reported that he ran his horse business from his government office.
Katherine Harris: Probed for campaign donations from MZM, Inc. (related to Duke Cunningham probe). Identified as "Representative B" in Feb. 24 06 court filings in Washington, DC.
Ralph Reed: Probed for involvement in Abramoff, Kidan, DeLay Indian casino money laundering.
Felix Camacho: Probed for ties to Abramoff and demoting Acting US Attorney for Guam Frederick Black
Galen Fox: Galen Fox was found guilty of sexual battery and abusive sexual contact with another person without their consent. Fox submitted his resignation from the Hawaii state legislature on November 1, 2005. The resignation became effective on December 1, 2005.
Mitch Daniels: Under investigation for soliciting campaign donations in return for INDOT (Indiana Dept. of Transportation contracts)
Roy Blunt: Investigated for trading illegal PAC money with DeLay through Blunt's Rely on Your Beliefs Fund. Received Indian casino money from tribes represented by Abramoff.
Charles Taylor: Probed for ownership of shady Russian bank - whose other major investor is a former KGB general. Recipient of contributions from Abramoff
Don Sherwood: Investigated by DC police for assaulting and choking a 29-year old Maryland woman
Bill Janklow: Guilty, second degree manslaughter, imprisoned. Recipient of contributions from Abramoff
Porter Goss: Under investigation for prostitution ring and contract fraud (Foggo/Cunningham). Resigned as Director May 5, 2006.
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I don't even have time right now to list the 'accused.' The list is tremendously long. You would be hard-pressed to find a Republican who isn't linked to Abramoff in some substantial way.
I will be adding more to the list as they come up; feel free to suggest additions yourself.
Cheers
Cycloptichorn
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