AP: Report: Cunningham helped contractors (to $70M)

[Eugene]

Posted on Tue, Oct. 17, 2006

Report: Cunningham helped contractors
KATHERINE SHRADER
Associated Press

WASHINGTON - Disgraced former Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham parlayed
his seat on the Intelligence Committee into winning at least $70 million
in authorizations that benefited two contractors who - in turn -
paid him millions in bribes.

That was a key finding, released Tuesday, in a declassified summary of a
report by the panel's independent investigator. It confirms what has long
been suspected: The intelligence committee was one more venue that the
California Republican exploited to help his associates.

The report finds that Cunningham secured the cooperation - or at least
the noninterference - of many people. That included Congress members
who handled bills that govern the spending of contracts, Pentagon
officials who awarded the contracts and officials at agencies where the
contracting work was actually done.

"This was a lot of people to persuade, cajole, deceive, pressure,
intimidate, bribe or otherwise influence to do what they wanted," the
executive summary says.

-snip-

Full article: http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/15780103.htm

Also: Executive summary of the committe report (pdf) - San Diego Union-Tribune