(luxury) Articles From (Cunningham) Graft Case to Be Auctioned (by feds)

[DeepModem Mom]

LAT: Articles From Graft Case to Be Auctioned
The IRS displays luxury furnishings seized from home of former Rep. Randy Cunningham. Government agencies will split the proceeds.

By Tony Perry, Times Staff Writer


POWAY, Calif. — The Persian rugs, silver candelabra, vases, armoires, French commode, end tables, mirrors, buffet table, leather sofa, sleigh-style bed and custom oak and leaded-glass doors once adorned Randy "Duke" Cunningham's 8,000-square-foot mansion in Rancho Santa Fe.

On Tuesday, they were spread across the concrete floor of a nondescript warehouse here, displayed by the Internal Revenue Service near crates of possessions seized from convicted drug dealers and financial finaglers. The Cunningham goods will be sold at auction next year under the government's asset-forfeiture program.

"Some people like opulence," said appraiser Dave McPheeters as he surveyed the expensive furnishings that contributed to the loss of Cunningham's reputation, his seat in Congress, and, soon, his freedom. In his plea agreement with federal prosecutors, Cunningham admitted that the goods were given to him by military contractors as bribes.

Cunningham, 63, pleaded guilty last week to taking $2.4 million in bribes and to evading $1 million in taxes. The Republican's formal resignation letter was submitted Tuesday to House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill)....

***

Along with the furnishings, the federal government has also seized the 8,000-square-foot home in Rancho Santa Fe. Cunningham bought the home after military contractor Mitchell Wade bought his former house in Del Mar Heights for an inflated price. The proceeds from the auction of the furnishings will be split between the IRS, FBI, and Defense Criminal Investigative Service....


http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-duke7dec07,0,3485977.story?coll=la-home-headlines

[Ilsa]

1. I wonder if he would have gotten away with it

if he had kept a lower profile?

[sinkingfeeling]

2. Let's have a fund raiser and buy us a 'trophy'. Do we have a display

cabinet?

[realFedUp]

3. That "Duke-stir" boat name plaque would be good

maybe someone can just lift it before
it sinks.

[Vogon_Glory]

6. The Perfect Place To Display It, Too!

If I had enough money and a chance to display my druthers, I think that I'd try to arrange a way to buy the plaque and donate it to the Havana Yacht Club.

[wordpix]

4. fantasizing about this happening to entire BushCo cabal-just think of

the riches and ranches that will be auctioned off to return their criminally gained profits to U.S. Treasury

[mikelgb]

5. I vote the Commode is placed in Statuary Hall

As a monument to Republican hypocrisy and corruption

[realFedUp]

7. actually, the commodes are chests of drawers....

too old and expensive to just be called chests
of drawers, but the Dukester was such a bluenose.

[splat@14]

8. Cunningham is a secondary issue now.

The issue of where the money was coming from and who else is getting it is the priority. I hope the media stays after this.

Link below from an earlier post on DU.

http://cannonfire.blogspot.com/2005/12/deeper-into-wilkesmzm-scandals-updated.html