Jan. 20, 2021 (San Diego’s East County) -- Former San Diego Congressman Randy “Duke” Cunningham, who previously represented the 50th, 51st, and 44th districts, has received a conditional pardon from Donald J. Trump during the final day of his presidency.
Cunningham, a Republican, served seven years in prison after pleading guilty to bribery, fraud, and tax evasion. He accepted $2.4 million from defense contractors, reportedly the largest Congressional bribe in history, and infamously kept a bribery price list, the San Diego Union reported.
Prior to serving in Congress, he was a commander, fighter pilot and Top Gun instructor in the United States Navy, honored with a Navy Cross, two Silver Stars, a Purple Heart, and 15 Air Medals.
Dean Calbreath, part of the Pulitzer Prize-winning team of investigative reporters who exposed Cunningham's crimes, shared his reaction to today's pardon on Facebook.
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June 2, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) – Ray Lutz, Democratic candidate for the 52nd Congressional District, praised the U.S. Senate's confirmation of Laura Duffy as new U.S. Attorney in San Diegio. Duffy, appointed by President Barack Obama, fills the position once held by Carol Lam, "who was surprisingly dismissed after she successfully prosecuted Randy 'Duke' Cunningham, Dusty Foggo and Brent Wilkes," noted Lutz.
Lam, along with numerous other U.S. Attorneys, was fired by the George W. Bush administration despite winning a conviction against then-Congressman Cunningham for bribery and other charges. Suggestions have long been made by critics of the Bush administration that Lam’s abrupt dismissal may have been an effort to squelch her investigation into another powerful Congressman – Duncan Hunter, then chair of the House Armed Services Committee.
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Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.
June 2, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) – Ray Lutz, Democratic candidate for the 52nd Congressional District, praised the U.S. Senate's confirmation of Laura Duffy as new U.S. Attorney in San Diegio. Duffy, appointed by President Barack Obama, fills the position once held by Carol Lam, "who was surprisingly dismissed after she successfully prosecuted Randy 'Duke' Cunningham, Dusty Foggo and Brent Wilkes," noted Lutz.
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