Republican Alert: Duke Really was Really, Really Wired.

As Time Inc. points out apparently the Dukester, disgraced Republican Rep. Randy “Duke” Cunningham and confessed felon, was wired in more ways than one. As I had said before, these are going to be very interesting times for the GOP and its Republican membership.

So much for Family Values and Conservative Values with this hypocritical crowd. Let’s be clear, what these “Free-Market Capitalism Mavens” really value is a “Free-Market Government” where the spoils go to the highest bidder for strictly self-serving purposes and benefit.

Whatever happened to Honest Graft? At least then the citizens reaped some of the benefit. Just ask the citizens of Providence Rhode Island (one of my favorite cities, I must admit) how they feel about convicted felon and former mayor Buddy Cianci. He understood Honest Graft, in the true Plunkett sense, and the city of Providence and citizens benefited from it.

So, when I saw this story all I could do was scream “OOPS,” and laugh my ass off. If it is true it will give a whole new meaning to “Defense Appropriations Committee Meetings.”

Here is what Time is reporting:

Washington's power players have always bragged about being well-wired, but for disgraced former congressman Duke Cunningham, "wired" wasn't just a figure of speech. In a week when legislators are focused on the question of who else might be brought down by ex-lobbyist Jack Abramoff’s cooperation with prosecutors as he seeks lenient sentencing over his two federal guilty pleas this week, sources tell TIME that in a separate investigation, ex-Rep. Cunningham wore a wire to help investigators gather evidence against others just before copping his own plea.

Sources familiar with the situation say Cunningham, a California Republican who pleaded guilty Nov. 28 to taking $2.4 million in bribes—including a yacht, a Rolls Royce and a 19th-century Louis-Philippe commode—from a defense contractor, wore a wire at some point during the short interval between the moment he began cooperating with the feds and the announcement of his guilty plea on Nov. 28.

The identity of those with whom the San Diego congressman met while wearing the wire remains unclear, and is the source of furious—and nervous—speculation by congressional Republicans. A Cunningham lawyer, K. Lee Blalack, refused to confirm or deny the story, and wouldn't say whether Cunningham will implicate any other members of Congress. The FBI is believed to be continuing its probe of defense contractors involved in the Cunningham case. An FBI spokesman declined comment. Asked whether Cunningham, an ace Navy fighter pilot decorated for his service in Vietnam, had worn a wire, the spokesman said the response from a higher-up was, "Like I'd tell you."

So, as the Republican Family Values, Conservative Values, Free-Market Mavens on the Defense Appropriations Committee get together to compare notes and conversations with their former esteemed co-conspirator we can only hope that they have it all on tape. The old “I don’t know him” and “He tricked us” won’t work this time. These guys are all being looked at as part of the Pay-for-Play scheme run on the Hill by DeLay, Inc. and BushCo.

Yes, indeedy, PASS THE POPCORN.