The Dukester is Down. Who’s Next?

So, Republican Representative Randy “Duke” Cunningham has pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit bribery, tax evasion and fraud. Not that we are shocked. This has been a long time coming as was reported in the WAPO. He also has resigned his seat in Congress. The question is who is next?

Representative Cunningham was engaged in the “Pay for Play Scheme” which seems to be the natural quid pro quo of the Republican K Street types these days.

According to the NYT’s:

“Representative Randy Cunningham of California resigned from Congress today after admitting to a federal judge that he had taken $2.4 million in bribes from a military contractor.

Mr. Cunningham, 63, made a brief and tearful announcement to a group of reporters outside a federal courthouse in San Diego after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery. He admitted to taking money from a military contractor in exchange for his supporting the contractor's efforts to secure Defense Department contracts. The eight-term Republican congressman, one of the most highly decorated fighter pilots of the Vietnam War, also pleaded guilty to charges of mail fraud, wire fraud and tax evasion for underreporting his income in 2004.”

[snip]

“Mr. Cunningham, who has long been known as Duke, was also living in Washington on a yacht, renamed the "Duke-Stir," according to the indictment, that was owned by Mr. Wade. The firm was also getting more federal military-related business in recent years, during a time when Mr. Cunningham was on a subcommittee overseeing military spending.

Mr. Cunningham's resignation is the latest blow to Republicans dealing with other ethics investigations. Rep. Tom DeLay of Texas had to step down as majority leader after he was indicted in a campaign finance case. Investigators are looking into a stock sale by the Senate majority leader, Bill Frist of Tennessee. And I. Lewis Libby, Vice President Dick Cheney's former chief of staff, was indicted in the C.I.A. leak case.

Rep. Cunningham’s crimes will cost him, and possibly the Republican Congress, but he was just a part of the smaller scheme. Now, with the Abramoff larger scandal many others maybe forced to pay the price.

My bet on the next Republican Representative is Bob Ney. He is Exhibit A in the Scanlon indictment and the K Street “Pay for Play Scheme" implemented by Tom Delay and Grover Norquist.

"Pass the Popcorn."