Mitchell Wade Will Plead GUILTY-Noose Tightens Around House GOP

[kpete]

Once Again The Noose Tightens Around The House GOP

Submitted by Roy Temple on Fri, 02/24/2006 - 6:30am. GOP AbraMafia | GOP Culture of Corruption
Mitchell Wade, an unindicted co-conspirator in the Rep. Duke Cunningham bribery scandal, will become an "indicted co-conspirator" later today.

According to the AP, Wade will plead guilty to unspecified charges in Washington.

This is extremely bad news for the GOP, as this will give the feds yet another cooperating witness in their ongoing corruption probe of DeLay and others.

Wade, and fellow defense contractor Brent Wilkes, showered GOP House members with campaign contributions, and in at least one case, bribes, in return for earmarked defense contracts. Check out this San Diego Union Tribune story for a sense of the potential scope of this matter.

Wilkes has also ferried around Rep. Tom DeLay and Rep. Roy Blunt on his private jet.

According to a January 25, 2005 AP story, Texas prosecutors have subpoenaed records of communications between Cunningham, DeLay, Blunt and Wilkes over federal legislation that may have benefitted firms with ties to Wilkes.

Though some members of Congress have already returned contributions from Wade, thus far, Blunt has refused to do so.

Given the developments today, surely an indictment of Brent Wilkes can't be far behind, and that will be even worse news for DeLay, Blunt and others, as he seems to have been the ringleader in the defense contracting/bribery scams.

Once he starts talking to the feds, the real pain begins.

http://www.firedupamerica.com/wade_pleads_guilty

[Surya Gayatri]

1. God, if only the wheels of justice didn't turn

so slowly. This is like being strapped to an excruciating medieval torture wheel--one creaking inch at a time. The weight of the system is such that it seems impossible to build up any real forward momentum--just little increments. True lesson in patience.
SG :shrug:

[formercia]

2. that's the way it is

when you have a GOP leadership and an Administration that are doing everything they can to impede the investigations and prosecutions of their cronies. If it were a Democratic administration and a Democratic majority in Congress, I expect things would move along quickly and all of the snakes would get timely due process.

[Surya Gayatri]

3. Yes, obstructing justice at every freakin'

step--ultimately, they will be hauled into court and thrown into the big house, but kicking and screaming every inch of the way. I despise them for what they are putting this nation through. SG

[kpete]

4. more - especially interesting "illegal benefits to Defense Dept officials

Here are early details of Mitchell Wade's agreement with prosecutors.

From the United States Attorney's Office press release just out:

Wade, 46, of Great Falls, Virginia, entered his guilty plea earlier today in U.S. District Court before the Honorable Ricardo M. Urbina to multiple felony counts related to his wholesale corruption of the defense procurement process. The conduct includes Wade making over $1 million in payoffs to then- Congressman Duke Cunningham, providing illegal benefits to Defense Department officials, and attempting to curry favor with two other members of Congress by making illegal campaign
contributions.

lots more details at:

http://www.tpmcafe.com/node/27133