Duke Cunningham/Wilkes/Shirlington: More Republican Limo Service Users Indicted

[mod mom]

from Firedoglake:

How Many Slow Rides To Come?
By: Christy Hardin Smith

Looks like several more friendly Republican limo service users have been indicted in the ever-expanding Duke Cunningham/Wilkes/Shirlington Limo fiasco.  As Howie says:

With two key GOP operatives in the Republican Culture of Corruption, Brent Wilkes and Kyle Scooter Dusty Foggo, about to be indicted, extreme paranoia is sweeping the Republican congressional caucus. At least two dozen GOP congressmen were on the receiving end of goodies from these two. If either turns state's evidence, you will see crooked congressmen like Virgil Goode, Jr., Jerry Lewis, Duncan Hunter, John Doolittle and many more joining their pals Cunningham and Ney in prison.

Think of this as a farewell gift from Carol Lam, the Republican prosecutor fired by the Bush Regime– without cause– in order to derail the investigation which had already nailed Cunningham and is close to ending the political careers of at least 4 California Republican congressmen. Do you remember when this investigation was dismissed by Bush operatives as a fantasy existing nowhere but in the fevered minds of bloggers?

As a political bombshell of a potential story, it really doesn't get much more potent than this, does it? Alleged bribery, gambling, limo rides with hookers? What's that, you say, hookers?!? Why…yes. Remember this from the Cunningham indictment days:
Duke Cunningham, of course, is serving out an eight year-plus prison sentence for taking bribes. Federal investigators have been told that Shirlington ferried Duke around town, as well as prostitutes which serviced him.

Yes, I know: ewwwww. And yet, after days and days of "all Anna Nicole, alla time," is there any doubt that all it would take is for the info-tainment-crazy media to get its hands on a video of just one member of Congress in a limo doing who knows what to whom? (Again: ewwwww.  But there you are.)

-snip
http://www.firedoglake.com/2007/02/16/how-many-slow-rides-to-come/#more-7236

[mod mom]

1. but it's coincidence that Abu Gonzo got rid of Carol Lam, right?

[wildbilln864]

2. from Cannonfire...

snip/


Apparently photographs were taken, and investigators are anxiously procuring copies. My heart beats faster in fevered anticipation.
As I said previously, we can presume that the congressmen were not dumb enough to take photos of themselves partying with working girls. Which means that the photos were taken without their permission.

Which means that -- in all likelihood -- we are dealing with a sting operation. A blackmail ring.
/end snip.

I believe blackmail was also used to deny real investigation into the attacks on the World Trade Centers! :grr:

link here.
and still more here.

[Disturbed]

3. This scandal will be a tiny blip on Corp Media Screen.

The RWing will make sure of it.

[wildbilln864]

6. kick!

:hi:

[mod mom]

17. Well, the joke has been that the * administration must have pictures. Let's

not forget the Franklin Cover-up (will be back w links), Jeff Gannon/Gukert and how quickly Porter Goss left.

[mod mom]

18. Franklin Cover-Up link:

Franklin Coverup Scandal
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

(Redirected from Lawrence King)
?
? The Washington Times cover page, June 29, 1989
The Franklin Coverup Scandal began on June 29, 1989, when the front page of the Washington Times bore the headline Homosexual Prostitution Inquiry ensnares VIPs with Reagan, Bush, and officially ended when a grand jury concluded that the charges were a "carefully crafted hoax", although the scandal still feeds conspiracy theories to the present day. The article, by Washington Times journalists Paul M. Rodriguez and George Archibald, alleged that key officials of the Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush administrations were connected to an elaborate Washington, D.C male prostitution ring, and reported that two of these prostitutes even entered the White House late at night. The allegations included, among other things, "abduction and use of minors for sexual perversion."
Key persons named in the allegations were Craig J. Spence, a Washington D.C. based Republican lobbyist (who committed suicide in 1989), and Lawrence King, then manager of the Franklin Community Federal Credit Union in Nebraska. King was one of the Republican party's rising stars, performing the national anthem at the 1984 and 1988 Republican National Conventions. According to the December 15, 1989 New York Times, Nebraska State Senator Ernie Chambers came forward with reports of "boys and girls, some of them from foster homes, who had been transported around the country by airplane to provide sexual favors, for which they were rewarded."

-snip
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawrence_King

On Gannon:

"Cable television news reports have recently linked an alleged male prostitute to the present White House since George W. Bush permitted James Guckert to use an unprecedented Secret Service-approved alias (Jeff Gannon) while having access to the White House for two years as a pool reporter serving the younger Bush--before which Gannon had advertised himself on internet pornography sites as a male "escort" charging $200 an hour. John DeCamp told this writer "I believe Johnny Gosch and Jeff Gannon are one and the same person--but I am not in a position to know positively." "
 

"George W. Bush has not explained how Guckert/Gannon--who had advertised himself as a male escort--could apparently operate in the White House as a reporter for two years using a Secret Service-approved alias and regularly be called upon by George W. Bush and press secretary Scott McClellan during nationally televised presidential press conferences."

-snip
http://www.thelawparty.org/FranklinCoverup/franklin.htm

[mod mom]

19. Wonkette: Porter Goss Played More than Cards:

? ? ? ? ?

BREAKING: Porter Goss Played More Than Cards

?Porter Goss has just resigned as director of the CIA, and President Bush has accepted his resgination.

So why is Porter Goss leaving? Is it because of those torture allegations from last fall? Intelligence failures relating to Iraq? The recent scandals over CIA leaking?

Um, we don’t think so. We bet it has something to do with this — limos, and hookers, and other good stuff.

Bush: “Over the years, I’ve established a very close personal relationship with Porter.” Well, Mr. President, you weren’t the only one…

-snip
http://wonkette.com/politics/porter-goss/breaking-porter-goss-played-more-than-cards-171938.php

[autorank]

4. Memo to self - Do NOT mess with Carol Lam - K&R

For all those out there curbing their activism due to fear of this or that...observe the above.

The US Attorney just put one right in the fact of the WH by indicting these guys before she served her last day. Force her out, you get some serious push back...but I speculate too much. This was just when they'd come out, right.

Win win...indictements result in conviction - justice and the people win. indictments result in withdrawn indictments - the public wins due to a full on exposure of the WH motivations for firing the federal attorneys.

Special thanks to Sen. Arlen Specter,R, PA who enabled Bush to fire these federal prosecutors (something not allowed for this very reason) by putting some language in one of the hideous bills
just past which allowed Bush to do this.

Specter, why did you do that????? YOu're a very smart guy!!!!! Why?

[cascadiance]

13. I think it also helps if we tell prosecutors like Ms. Lam that we've got her back!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x226163

I really think ProgressivePost.com for following through on the idea they and I worked out when I couldn't spend as much time on it as I wanted to when other things came up the last couple of weeks.

Hopefully we can give more gestures ot other prosecutors out there that make similar efforts to communicate to them that the people will support them and that them leaving isn't "the end of the line"!

And in following in Carol Lam's tradition, thanks to the two individuals that sent me valentine hearts the other day too!

[AlCzervik]

5. Doolittle is in so deep with Wilkes and is spending a lot of money on

legal fee's. We're all holding a collective breath waiting on him to get indicted. Mark Geragos is Wilkes lawyer, i didn't know that until i read my local paper this morning.

[napi21]

20. Doesn't Geragos usually ONLY handle high profile cases?

Yes, I know he's commands the BIG BUCKS, but it sure seems to me that clients who are afraid their case will be handled in the Press are the ones who hire Mark.

[AlCzervik]

21. i think Geragos will defend anyone with deep enough pockets.

Here is a statement from Wilkes on Geragos's web site.
http://www.geragos.com/
Front page.

[malaise]

7. Is this the most corrupt regime in US history?

Good fugging grief.

:popcorn: :popcorn:

[Joe Chi Minh]

8. I think so. Because of the unremitting level of folly involved. Right off the radar.

[malaise]

10. One word describes them

Hubris.

[wildbilln864]

9. Yes I believe it is!

And the most dangerous to our great country!

[malaise]

11. Oh I'm sure about that part

It's frightening that they think they can get away with it.

[Morgana LaFey]

12. Well, no wonder Carol Lam had to be removed

Sheesh -- you can't just go wiping out Congress like that!!

Actually, didn't we learn the other day that what she was finding out reached into the White House???

[SalmonChantedEvening]

14. Call the cooks at San Quentin!!

Tell them Mr. Hunter is on the way, so have plenty of lemon chicken ready.

Dig in Duncan! :rofl:

[eppur_se_muova]

15. Exxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxellent. nt

[wildbilln864]

16. kick!

:hi:

[wildbilln864]

22. Kick!

:hi: