California Republican took $2.4 million in bribes to steer defense contracts

[Joe Republic]

I'm not giving your Republican friends in Congress a free pass either, Don.  Just so you know not to make the same mistake Jfern did.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

I'm not giving your Republican friends in Congress a free pass either, Don.  Just so you know not to make the same mistake Jfern did.

What mistake, genius?

[Joe Republic]

What mistake, genius?

Your earlier claim that Democrats are a 'gazillion times better' than Republicans.  This may well be just an opinion, but it's severely skewed.  I was merely helping you to not keep throwing stones from that glass house of yours.

Also, I think Scoonie really needs to be called out for this little gem of idiocy:

There's no evidence of charges against any Democrats taking bribes. Hell, there's no reason to bribe a Democrat since none of them have any power.

... though I doubt he'll respond now that I already proved him wrong.

[riceowl]

Now, I'm not defending Cunningham's actions in the least sense of the word, but it is interesting that he can have a record like this:

You must be logged in to read this quote.

...and not get the same accolades for his service that Murtha did.
Probably not comparable at all, but interesting (to me) point of order.

[J. J.]

Yeah, who cares about all of the Bush, Cheney, DeLay, Frist, Hastert scandals. Some Democrat in North Dakota must have done the same.

I'm not sure about North Dakota, but.....

[

• Rep. Alcee Hastings (D-FL) -  federal district court judge impeached and convicted in 1989 of soliciting a bribe; subsequently elected to U.S. House in 1992, where he still serves.
• Rep. Jim Traficant (D-OH) - expelled from the U.S. House in 2002 after being convicted of taking bribes, filing false tax returns and racketeering.  Convicted of ten felony counts, and is currently in prison.
• Sen. Robert Torricelli (D-NJ) - implicated in a bribery and campaign finance scandal.
• Gov. Edwin Edwards (D-LA) - sentenced to 10 years in prison on racketeering charges in 2001.
• Gov. Jim McGreevey (D-NJ) - involved in several incidences of extortion and corruption surrounding his homosexual affair.

.

You had to go back to the '80s? LOL. A lot of those "Democrats" are pretty conservative, like Traficant.

Let's be blunt, Hastings is still being elected after his impeachment and the other four were convicted within the last five years.

And for the others:

Bush, No investigation of him.

Cheney, No investigation of him; staffer under indictment (in an increasingly weak case).

DeLay, under indictment (currently moving to have it quashed), additional investigation.

Frist, Investigation, possibly non-criminal type, no indictment.

Hastert, I couldn't find anything on an investigation.  Are you planning one?

[danwxman]

It's funny that we didn't hear anything about this from O'Reilly or Sean Hannity.

Now if this was a Democrat, you'd bet it would be the top story on both programs.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

What mistake, genius?

Your earlier claim that Democrats are a 'gazillion times better' than Republicans.  This may well be just an opinion, but it's severely skewed.  I was merely helping you to not keep throwing stones from that glass house of yours.

Also, I think Scoonie really needs to be called out for this little gem of idiocy:

There's no evidence of charges against any Democrats taking bribes. Hell, there's no reason to bribe a Democrat since none of them have any power.

... though I doubt he'll respond now that I already proved him wrong.

You claim that the Democratic curroption compares to this Republican corruption? Change your avatar to that of Republican apoligist.

[riceowl]

You know what rocks? Siggies that take 2 clicks to get through.  That rocks.

BTW, someone design a Republican apologist avatar.  I need one. Pronto.

[??????????]

You know what rocks? Siggies that take 2 clicks to get through.  That rocks.

BTW, someone design a Republican apologist avatar.  I need one. Pronto.

I agree. That someone actually likes Doonesbury proves their stupidity.

[riceowl]

Calvin & Hobbes, on the other hand...

[Joe Republic]

You claim that the Democratic curroption compares to this Republican corruption? Change your avatar to that of Republican apoligist.

The fact that there is evidence of it in both parties at all is enough to refute your argument.  The idea that one party is better than other is completely ridiculous, as there are corrupt individuals and genuinely innocent individuals in both.  You really need to accept that.

Also, what does a 'Republican apoligist [sic] avatar' look like?  I'm intrigued.

[Joe Republic]

Also notice Scoonie's cowardice in coming back and refuting his earlier stupidity.

[opebo]

These pro-military nationalists are by definition corrupt, as the entire basis for their political life is a fraud.

[MODU]

You claim that the Democratic curroption compares to this Republican corruption? Change your avatar to that of Republican apoligist.

hahaha . . . your blind partisanship does make for some great morning humor.    Keep it up! 

[minionofmidas]

You know what rocks? Siggies that take 2 clicks to get through.  That rocks.

BTW, someone design a Republican apologist avatar.  I need one. Pronto.

I already installed it as your new avatar.

[nlm]

Crooked Capital

By Howard Kurtz
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, November 30, 2005; 10:39 AM

Is the recent spate of corruption cases a growing problem for the Republicans, or is that just Democratic spin?

You had Duke Cunningham say he's really, really sorry he took a Rolls-Royce, a yacht and other goodies from a contractor. You've got the Jack Abramoff probe raising questions about his relationship with a number of lawmakers, including Tom DeLay (who's got his own indictment to deal with) and Robert Ney (who is Representative No. 1 in the indictment of Abramoff associate Michael Scanlon). Throw in the Frist stock investigation, the Scooter Libby indictment and the Abramoff-related charges against former White House procurement chief David Safavian, and you've got a bunch of GOPers in trouble.

 
Are Nancy Pelosi & Company determined to make political hay over this for the '06 elections? Absolutely. Several of the cases may be unconnected, but this issue is certainly fair game, especially for Dems who remember how the Republicans painted them as the party of unethical excess in seizing control of the Hill in '94 (and went after Jim Wright and Tony Coelho back in the '80s). And the Democrats would love nothing more than to tie these cases to the misleading or misguided (take your choice) Bush administration intel on Iraq.

Of course, the Democrats don't have totally clean hands. Abramoff was friendly with some D's as well. Ohio's Jim (Beam Me Up) Trafficant is in jail on a 2002 bribery conviction. And Louisiana Rep. William Jefferson is under investigation over a telecommunications deal in Niger.

The larger point is that both parties in Washington engage in what critics have called legalized bribery: taking money from special interests while voting on the legislation that affects them; taking golfing and other trips with lobbyists and then doing their bidding on the Hill. The scandal here is what's legal, not the relative few who have run afoul of the law. If Republicans are doing more of it, that may reflect the fact that they run Washington these days.

....

much, much more at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/blog/2005/11/30/BL2005113000463.html

[TheresNoMoney]

Also notice Scoonie's cowardice in coming back and refuting his earlier stupidity.

You had to go back 10-20 years in most cases to find instances of Democratic corruption.  Your only examples in the past 5 years were McGreevy and Traficant (who voted with the Republicans anyway).

I'm talking current.

[phk]

Is JoeRepublic's point that Republicans should be allowed to commit acts of corruption because Democrats did it 10 years ago?

[KEmperor]

Is JoeRepublic's point that Republicans should be allowed to commit acts of corruption because Democrats did it 10 years ago?

No, his point is that the Democrats aren't exactly squeaky clean either.

[phk]

Is JoeRepublic's point that Republicans should be allowed to commit acts of corruption because Democrats did it 10 years ago?

No, his point is that the Democrats aren't exactly squeaky clean either.

Well I see his point as being, Democrats are not squeaky clean, so we should let Republican corruption slide by.

Otherwise its a rather idiotic red herring/strawman.

[MODU]

Is JoeRepublic's point that Republicans should be allowed to commit acts of corruption because Democrats did it 10 years ago?

The point is that political power opens the door for corruption, and no party nor individual is immune.  It takes strong will to to avoid temptation.

Well I see his point as being, Democrats are not squeaky clean, so we should let Republican corruption slide by.

No, that isn't his point.  His point is that both sides are bad.  Corruption itself should not be tollerated.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

I'm talking current.

Congressman for the 1st District in North Carolina (I think the name was Ballance) resigned last year due to his corrupt activities being found out.

Congressman for the Louisiana District based around New Orleans is under investigation for God knows how many things (and he's as guilty as hell).

You get crooks in all parties

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Now, I'm not defending Cunningham's actions in the least sense of the word, but it is interesting that he can have a record like this:

You must be logged in to read this quote.

...and not get the same accolades for his service that Murtha did.
Probably not comparable at all, but interesting (to me) point of order.

Because people were calling Murtha a coward and accused him of hating the military. It's pretty stupid to do that to someone with his service record.

No one's doing that to this guy, just calling him a crook, which he is.

[J. J.]

Now, I'm not defending Cunningham's actions in the least sense of the word, but it is interesting that he can have a record like this:

You must be logged in to read this quote.

...and not get the same accolades for his service that Murtha did.
Probably not comparable at all, but interesting (to me) point of order.

Because people were calling Murtha a coward and accused him of hating the military. It's pretty stupid to do that to someone with his service record.

No one's doing that to this guy, just calling him a crook, which he is.

I don't recall anybody accusing Murtha of "hating the military."

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Damn crook apoligists. In years past, this would have been big news. Thanks to the current Republican culture of corruption, this is hardly getting any play. Quit apoligizing for the crooks destroying America.