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Cunningham: Cooperation With Feds Runs in Family

By Jeralyn, Section Crime in the News
Posted on Tue Nov 29, 2005 at 11:14:33 PM EST
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Rep. Randy Cunningham who resigned in disgrace after his guilty plea to bribery and related charges will cooperate with the feds in investigating others. He was a major Congressional drug warrior - in 1994 he voted for legislation carrying the death penalty for drug kingpins.

Then his son became one. In 1997, Todd Cunningham was arrested and charged in a conspiracy to fly 400 pounds of marijuana into an airport near Boston. He faced a five year mandatory minimum sentence. He cooperated with others in the conspiracy and in 1998, at a hearing that included a "tearful plea" from his father, was only sentenced to two and one half years.

In reporting on his son's sentencing, the AP noted (11/18/98) the elder Cunningham had some other trouble of his own that year:

In September, he made obscene gestures and swore at a constituent during a speech to prostate cancer patients. During the speech, he also described a rectal cancer treatment procedure he had received as "just not natural, unless maybe you're Barney Frank," a gay congressman from Massachusetts. He later apologized for the remarks.

Crooks and Liars has the video of this week's tearful statement.

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    • Cunningham: Cooperation With Feds Runs in Family | 1 comment (1 topical)
    Re: Cunningham: Cooperation With Feds Runs in Fami (none / 0) (#1)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:06:33 PM EST
    It's shameful that so many elected officials support drug policies that ruin so many people's lives just for engaging in activities that the lawmakers themselves engaged in when they were young. For example, how can so many members of Congress sit idly by while tens of thousands of students each year are stripped of their financial aid for getting caught with drugs. Many of these legislators used drugs themselves while THEY were in college. Shameful.

    Cunningham: Cooperation With Feds Runs in Family | 1 comment (1 topical)