Wake Up San Diego!

Republican Brian Bilbray continues to deny taking money from Mark Foley

2006-10-05T18:36:00.000-07:00

But, we know he's lying and we have the proof.

This is what Bilbray had to say on a local San Diego news station:

"...as far as I know, and all the research we’ve seen no, there hasn’t been any contributions from Foley," Bilbray says. "They’re talking about taking this contribution that never existed as far as anyone knows."

Here is the proof Republican Brian Bilbray is lying:

http://www.opensecrets.org/pacs/pacgot.asp?strID=C00325969&Cycle=1998

http://www.opensecrets.org/pacs/pacgot.asp?strID=C00325969&Cycle=2000

He accepted money from Foley in 1998 and in 2000.

Bilbray's Democratic challenger Francine Busby took Bilbray to task over his lies:

“The incumbent refuses to face voters who have a right to hear why he lied about accepting contributions from Representative Mark Foley.”

To support Busby in her fight against this liar click here.

What did Republican Brian Bilbray know and when did he know it

2006-10-04T19:03:00.000-07:00

Republican staffers had raised red flag in 1995

“When I got there, I was warned about Foley from former pages and cloakroom Republican staffers,” said Beck-Heyman, who attended a Catholic high school at the time and was nominated for the page program by Republican Rep. Brian Bilbray, who then lived in Imperial Beach. “The warning was to watch out for him.”

Brian Bilbray nominated this boy for the House Page Program and when he got there the boy was warned about Mark Foley.

Now Bilbray is standing by Republican House Speaker Dennis Hastert even though Hastert knew about Foley's inappropriate behavior toward House Pages three years ago.

What is Bilbray all about? Loyalty to party, or protecting children?

Spotlight CA-50: Busby Demands Hastert Resignation, Moral Leadership From Bilbray

2006-10-04T09:57:00.000-07:00

San Diego, CA, October 2, 2006 – Francine Busby, California’s 50th Congressional District candidate, demanded today that House Speaker Dennis Hastert resign. Busby also called on Congress and incumbent Brian Bilbray (R-CA-50) to show moral leadership by calling for Hastert’s immediate removal, and giving political contributions from disgraced Congressman Mark Foley (R-FL-16) to charity.

Numerous concerns continue to plague Bilbray, including serious charges of misconduct and campaign contributions from Representative Foley’s "Florida Republican Leadership PAC" in past elections.

According to Busby, “In light of all the scandals and corruption in Washington, D.C., we have a moral duty to change the direction of this country. It’s time for Bilbray to stand up for the people of the 50th District. Failing to stand up in the face of corruption indicates a lack of a moral compass.”

Busby continued, “Enough is enough. The House leadership must resign. They sat idly by as teenagers were pursued by a pedophile in the House of Representatives. This is just another example of how Bilbray and his cronies in Congress are incapable of leading this country.”

Support Francine

Article 3: Read it, know it, quote it, It's not vague, it's not long, it's not what Bush says

2006-09-18T20:16:00.000-07:00

Article 3

In the case of armed conflict not of an international character occurring in the territory of one of the High Contracting Parties, each party to the conflict shall be bound to apply, as a minimum, the following provisions:

1. Persons taking no active part in the hostilities, including members of armed forces who have laid down their arms and those placed hors de combat by sickness, wounds, detention, or any other cause, shall in all circumstances be treated humanely, without any adverse distinction founded on race, colour, religion or faith, sex, birth or wealth, or any other similar criteria.

To this end the following acts are and shall remain prohibited at any time and in any place whatsoever with respect to the above-mentioned persons:

(a) Violence to life and person, in particular murder of all kinds, mutilation, cruel treatment and torture;

(b) Taking of hostages;

(c) Outrages upon personal dignity, in particular, humiliating and degrading treatment;

(d) The passing of sentences and the carrying out of executions without previous judgment pronounced by a regularly constituted court affording all the judicial guarantees which are recognized as indispensable by civilized peoples.

2. The wounded and sick shall be collected and cared for.

An impartial humanitarian body, such as the International Committee of the Red Cross, may offer its services to the Parties to the conflict.

The Parties to the conflict should further endeavour to bring into force, by means of special agreements, all or part of the other provisions of the present Convention.

The application of the preceding provisions shall not affect the legal status of the Parties to the conflict.

Via pissedonpolitics.com

Spotlight CA-50 It's about Iraq and Francine Busby gets it

2006-09-15T08:57:00.000-07:00

Brain Bilbray, one of the poster boy GOP money changers, will not stand and face his challenger in a debate. Francine Busby, Bilbray's opponent, believes the issue of the day is the war in Iraq. According to Busby, “Voters deserve to hear from all the Congressional candidates in a manner that encourages accountability and open discussion. I stand ready, willing and able to address their concerns and serve their needs.”

Bilbray, like many of the GOP's robotic rubber stampers wants to abdicate his congressional responsibilities and allow "President" Bush carte blanche in the Iraq war. This approach has left the United States military weak, as well as failed to produce any of the promised results in Iraq. According to Busby, “Americans are tired of having our brave men and women killed and wounded in a conflict that tragically and quite predictably has become a civil war. It’s time to listen to the many American generals who are telling us to set an aggressive timetable for exiting Iraq.”

Brain Bilbray does not want to face San Diegans on this issue. He is a cutting and running from the debates as fast as he can. Perhaps if he can't face the voters knowing his rubber stamp has lead to the deaths of thousands of American troops. Or perhaps he just doesn't care what the voters think.

Support Busby: Click Here

Tell Bilbray to debate:
Washington,202 225-5452
Escondido, 760 737-8438

Tell me, where's the Fiscal Discipline Republicans?

2006-04-18T09:33:00.000-07:00

Pissed On Politics

One day left for CA-50 special election

2006-04-10T08:31:00.000-07:00

If you live in the district...VOTE!

If you know someone who lives in the district...call them and try to make sure they vote.

This is a real possibility folks. It is highly likely that Francine Busby will face a runoff in June against one of the Republican candidates.

But, it is also very possible that Francine will get 50% or more of the vote tomorrow and win the seat outright.

EVERY VOTE COUNTS!

Pathetic Republican Douche Bag Uses Fake Photo Of Iraq On Campaign Website

2006-03-29T19:03:00.000-08:00

Can you spot the mistakes in this photo?

This is a picture that Howard Kaloogian, a conservative Republican candidate in San Diego's upcoming congressional special election to replace disgraced GOPer Duke Cunningham, has placed on his Web site. It is billed as a photo that Kaloogian and his party took on a recent trip to Iraq. Here's his provocative caption:

We took this photo of dowtown Baghdad while we were in Iraq. Iraq (including Baghdad) is much more calm and stable than what many people believe it to be. But, each day the news media finds any violence occurring in the country and screams and shouts about it - in part because many journalists are opposed to the U.S. effort to fight terrorism.

Howard Kaloogian is one of these Republican candidates for the 50th special election in San Diego. He won't admit he's a republican. But, he's a lying sack of shit anyway.

Give him a piece of your mind:

Kaloogian for Congress Campaign Headquarters
1409 Schoolhouse Way
San Marcos, CA 92078
(760) 736-4042
www.kaloogianforcongress.com
howard@kaloogianforcongress.com

Calif. Congressman Admits Taking Bribes

2005-11-28T16:58:00.000-08:00

Calif. Congressman Admits Taking Bribes

Calif. Congressman Admits Taking Bribes
Nov 28 2:59 PM US/Eastern
Email this story

By ELLIOT SPAGAT
Associated Press Writer

SAN DIEGO

Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham pleaded guilty Monday to conspiracy and tax charges and tearfully resigned from office, admitting he took $2.4 million in bribes to steer defense contracts to conspirators.

Cunningham, 63, entered pleas in U.S. District Court to charges of conspiracy to commit bribery, mail fraud and wire fraud, and tax evasion for underreporting his income in 2004.

Cunningham answered "yes, Your Honor" when asked by U.S. District Judge Larry Burns if he had accepted bribes from someone in exchange for his performance of official duties.

Later, at a news conference, he wiped away tears as he announced his resignation.

"I can't undo what I have done but I can atone," he said.

Cunningham, an eight-term Republican congressman, had already announced in July that he would not seek re-election next year.

Thank god for the extreme right

2005-10-27T08:55:00.000-07:00

They have done more damage to Bush in one month then we have been able to do in 5 years. Hurrah!

Miers' withdrawal not only make Bush look weak and it puts him in a position of weakness. He only has two choices now. He can go to the right and beat his head against the wall, gaining zero popularity losing his meager remaining effectiveness. Or, he can move to the center and weather the storm, alienating his base, but regaining some traction with regular Americans.

Quite a conundrum.

Randy "Duke" Cunningham Shenanigans Worksheet

2005-08-22T10:39:00.000-07:00

I found this handy worksheet on Buzzflash this morning. It accounts in detail all notable events in his ongoing scandal from 1997 going forward. Very educational, and should be able to counter all Republican talking points on the subject.

Click here to review the "Duke" Shenanigans worksheet.

Citizens Request Recount in San Diego Mayoral Race

2005-08-18T09:50:00.001-07:00

Exclusive: Citizens Request Recount in San Diego Mayoral Race

Miriam Raftery

"Enron by the Sea" shows strange electoral anomalies - a 4 percent shift - ODDS OF SUCH A DISCREPANCY OCCURRING BY CHANCE ALONE ARE LESS THAN 7/100 OF 1%, STATISTICIANS REVEAL.

San Diego Democratic mayoral candidate, Donna Frye, may have been robbed of her mayoral seat in the July 25 local election as citizens' audit parallel election vote shows shift of 4 percent, Raw Story has learned.

Frye, who served three years as a council woman in San Diego, California, previously ran as a write-in candidate in November 2004, but was deprived of San Diego�s top seat due to the city's Registrar of Voters, Sally McPherson, blocking the count of 5,547 ballots on which voters had written Frye�s name, yet failed to also fill in bubbles. The disputed ballots would have given Frye a victory by 3,439 votes.

Enron by the Sea

Republican Dick Murphy assumed the mayoral office as a result of the uncounted ballots, only to resign amid multiple scandals that have engulfed San Diego's City Council.

His successor, Acting Mayor Michael Zucchet, a Democrat, held office for less than a day before being indicted on charges of conspiracy, extortion and wire fraud related to accepting payments from a Las Vegas strip club operator in exchange for relaxing the City's 'no touch' policy.

The mayoral musical chairs, coupled with the indictments of several city council members on charges of bribery, as well as a city deficit running close to $2 billion, has earned the city the infamous nickname of "Enron by the Sea."

Following Zucchet's indictment a special election was held on July 25 of this year to name a successor. The official count showed that Frye had captured over 45 percent of the vote�double the amount of any other candidate. San Diego law, however, requires a run-off election between the two top vote-getters if no candidate receives at least 50 percent of the vote. The run-off race is set for November of this year. The election, however, was scheduled to replace Murphy regardless of the outcome of Zucchet's trial.

Diebold's Un-Accu-Vote

Now, a nonpartisan citizens� group that conducted a parallel election has requested a recount of 11 precincts. This time, the issue isn�t unmarked bubbles, but the accuracy of Diebold Accu-Vote optical scan voting machines and the Diebold GEMS central tabulator used to count votes. The Citizens Audit Parallel Election (CAPE) asked voters exiting polls to vote again and sign a log book attesting to the accuracy of their second vote. Sealed parallel election ballots were counted at KGTV�s studio with a TV camera crew filming the counting process.

Nearly 50 percent of all voters participated in the parallel election, which included five polling places representing 11 precincts. The sample included more conservative than liberal precincts, with participation as high among Republicans as among Democrats. The tandem election results showed what most feel to be startling results.

"There is a shift of four percent of the vote, consistently," Joe Prizzi, PhD from the University of California, Irvine reported at a press conference held by CAPE in front of City Hall. Frye received 50.2 percent of the votes cast in the parallel election�enough for an outright victory if those results reflect the outcome citywide. CAPE also found that the official count added approximately 2 percent to each of Frye�s two Republican opponents, Jerry Sanders and Steve Francis.

In addition, CAPE examined the only other ballot measure, a proposition over a war memorial cross on public land. The proposition's vote total also appeared to have been padded by 4 percent in the official election tally, which was certified Friday August 19 by San Diego County's newly appointed Registrar of Voters, Republican Mikel Haas.

Math is non-partisan

A team of statisticians from California State University- Northridge - have analyzed the data from CAPE, concluding that the probability of luck or chance as the cause of the observed four percent deviation is less than one in 1,300 � or .000678.

Activists suspect fraud. "I am troubled by the prospect that we are losing our democracy very quickly. We've been voting on machines that were never intended to be tools of democracy," said Brina-Rae Schuchman, media spokesperson for CAPE, noting that Diebold machines utilize "secret software."

CLICK HERE TO SEE CHART

Delivering the election � not just in Ohio

The nation's first parallel election was conceived by Ellen Brodsky, an election official in Coconut Creek, Florida. Held at a single precinct during a May 2005 special election on a gambling initiative, the Florida parallel election drew a 67 percent participation rate and revealed significant discrepancies, leading to revelations of programming issues with touch-screen voting machines.

San Diego's far broader parallel election was the brainchild of Judy Alter, an emeritus professor in the department of world arts and culture at UCLA who participated in the New Mexico recount after the 2004 presidential election. In Santa Fe, Alter detected a shift of third-party candidate votes into the Bush/Cheney column.

"That pattern has now been identified in eight states," Alter told Raw Story in an exclusive interview, adding that numerous other indications of electronic fraud have been found. "This is why I'm leading Study California Ballots, because we have to actually count," Added Alter.

CAPE filed a request with the Registrar on August 16 to recount the 11 precincts included in San Diego's parallel election. The request was filed by Schuchman on behalf of Donna Frye, although the Frye campaign was not consulted.

The San Diego Registrar has seven days to call a meeting of all candidates and other interested parties to devise procedures for the recount. "If any discrepancies are found, California law requires that a citywide recount of all precincts be conducted," Alter said.

Asked about CAPE�s recount request, Registrar Mikel Haas, responded, "They have every right to do this. We're going to run this by the book." He declined, however, to state how much the partial recount would cost, although noting that cost would depend upon procedures agreed on in the upcoming meeting.

Alter is less confident that Haas will play it by the book, stating that "I believe he is overcharging us." She also believes CAPE should only be assessed $400 ($100 for each of the four election employees) per day. "Now he's going to charge us $2,500--and he's telling us that he's charging us for electricity and the room for the meeting he is going to call, and for all the expenses to staff it," Alter contends.

Citizen Arrested for enacting his rights

CAPE isn't the only group to accuse Haas of withholding public information. Jim March of Black Box Voting and a Republican maintains that the Registrar refused his request during the election to obtain audit logs, which would show whether records were kept of each user who accessed the Diebold GEMS central tabulator.

In an interview with the East County Californian before the election, Haas stated that he would allow citizens to observe the central tabulator counting votes. But on election night, March found the tabulator screen had been placed eight feet away, behind glass and readable only through binoculars, literally. According to March, an activist who was with him brought binoculars and was able to clearly make out the screen. March's request to have the screen moved closer was refused, so he entered the secured tabulating room.

March was arrested and charged with a felony count of obstructing an election official. The charge was later dropped. "This was a violation of my civil rights," said March, who plans to sue County election officials for violating his right under California law to observe an election and his right to access public records.

Computer experts hired by Black Box Voting to penetrate voting systems in Leon County, Florida (with permission of an election official) demonstrated the ease of reprogramming Diebold optical scan voting machines and changing votes through the Diebold central tabulator�the same voting systems used in San Diego during the recent election.

Informed of these facts, Haas nonetheless allowed hundreds of San Diego poll workers to keep voting machines at home overnight�including programmable memory cards protected only by seals that could easily be removed with pliers and resealed.

March and other observers contend that San Diego's central tabulator was hooked up to the Internet on election night. An Internet connection would violate Diebold's own procedures manual, which states: "The GEMS server should not be connected to any network that has an external Internet connection." State certification required that manual procedures be followed.

"If that manual isn�t followed, it's an illegal installation," says March. "They ran a completely illegal election."

Caught with tabulater plugged in

Asked by this reporter if the central tabulator was hooked up to the Internet, Haas replied, "Yes. That�s so we can get our results out to the Internet, so people can see. It�s firewall protected."

But after being informed that hooking the tabulator up to the Internet would potentially render the election illegal, Haas backpedaled and said he may have been mistaken about the tabulator�s Internet connection. "I'm not that technical," he noted, then suggested that perhaps the machine was transmitting results to a secondary unit.

Activists plan to monitor the recount, but the potential for problems remain. "We are very worried about tampering," Alter admitted. "That's why we want the count videotaped."

Those fears evoke comparisons to Clermont County, Ohio, where Raw Story reported that a recount of the 2004 presidential election revealed that stickers were placed over the Kerry/Edwards oval on opti-scan ballots. Those ballots were then fed into machines after the hand recount. Witnesses have stated that beneath the stickers, the Kerry/Edwards oval was selected.

Subtler forms of tampering might include substituting entire batches of ballots, described Alter, who plans to monitor the recount.

Soon, San Diego's Registrar hopes to eliminate the opti-scan system entirely and retrofit warehoused TSx touchscreen machines with paper trails--if the new Republican Secretary of State, Bruce McPherson, opts to recertify the TSx system previously decertified by Democratic Secretary of State Kevin Shelley.

McPherson is lobbying Republican Governor Schwarzenegger to veto SB 370, a bill that would make paper trails the official votes of record. SB 370 has already passed the State Senateand is now about to pass the Assembly. Sources close to the McPherson confirm that he is still lobbying the governor to veto.

Alter, meanwhile, is organizing citizen volunteers to hold parallel elections statewide for the fall special election called by Governor Schwarzenegger.

"I'm not stopping," the election reform advocate concludes. "This is just a moving train."

4 Comments

Originally published on Thursday August 18, 2005.

Citizens Request Recount in San Diego Mayoral Race

2005-08-18T09:50:00.000-07:00

Rove leak is just part of larger scandal

2005-07-14T15:58:00.000-07:00

Rove leak is just part of larger scandal

By Daniel Schorr
WASHINGTON – Let me remind you that the underlying issue in the Karl Rove controversy is not a leak, but a war and how America was misled into that war.

In 2002 President Bush, having decided to invade Iraq, was casting about for a casus belli. The weapons of mass destruction theme was not yielding very much until a dubious Italian intelligence report, based partly on forged documents (it later turned out), provided reason to speculate that Iraq might be trying to buy so-called yellowcake uranium from the African country of Niger. It did not seem to matter that the CIA advised that the Italian information was "fragmentary and lacked detail."

Prodded by Vice President Dick Cheney and in the hope of getting more conclusive information, the CIA sent Joseph Wilson, an old Africa hand, to Niger to investigate. Mr. Wilson spent eight days talking to everyone in Niger possibly involved and came back to report no sign of an Iraqi bid for uranium and, anyway, Niger's uranium was committed to other countries for many years to come.

No news is bad news for an administration gearing up for war. Ignoring Wilson's report, Cheney talked on TV about Iraq's nuclear potential. And the president himself, in his 2003 State of the Union address no less, pronounced: "The British government has learned that Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa."

Wilson declined to maintain a discreet silence. He told various people that the president was at least mistaken, at most telling an untruth. Finally Wilson directly challenged the administration with a July 6, 2003 New York Times op-ed headlined, "What I didn't find in Africa," and making clear his belief that the president deliberately manipulated intelligence in order to justify an invasion.

One can imagine the fury in the White House. We now know from the e-mail traffic of Time's correspondent Matt Cooper that five days after the op-ed appeared, he advised his bureau chief of a supersecret conversation with Karl Rove who alerted him to the fact that Wilson's wife worked for the CIA and may have recommended him for the Niger assignment. Three days later, Bob Novak's column appeared giving Wilson's wife's name, Valerie Plame, and the fact she was an undercover CIA officer. Mr. Novak has yet to say, in public, whether Mr. Rove was his source. Enough is known to surmise that the leaks of Rove, or others deputized by him, amounted to retaliation against someone who had the temerity to challenge the president of the United States when he was striving to find some plausible reason for invading Iraq.

The role of Rove and associates added up to a small incident in a very large scandal - the effort to delude America into thinking it faced a threat dire enough to justify a war.

• Daniel Schorr is the senior news analyst at National Public Radio.

Ding Dong the Dick Will be Gone!

2005-07-14T15:55:00.000-07:00

Cunningham to step down at end of term
By Seth Hettena
ASSOCIATED PRESS

3:16 p.m. July 14, 2005

SAN MARCOS – U.S. Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham, under federal investigation for his dealings with a defense contractor, announced Thursday that he would not seek re-election.

Cunningham made the announcement after calling a hastily arranged afternoon news conference.

The eight-term San Diego-area Republican read a brief written statement and did not take questions before ducking back into a library on the California State University, San Marcos campus.

"The time has come for me to conclude the public chapter in my life," Cunningham said. "Quite simply, right now I may not be the strongest candidate."

Cunningham, a Vietnam War veteran and eight-term lawmaker, has been shadowed by questions concerning his relationship with Mitchell Wade, the founder of MZM Inc., a defense firm.

Wade purchased Cunningham's 3,826-square-foot Del Mar house in 2003, then put it back on the market and eventually took a $700,000 loss when he resold it a year later. During that span, home prices in San Diego County rose an average of nearly 25 percent.

At the same time, MZM Inc. was increasing its federal contracting business.

Cunningham is a member of the House Appropriations defense subcommittee and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, both of which oversee the kind of classified intelligence work MZM does for the military.

The congressman also faces questions about the arrangement under which he has lived on a yacht belonging to Wade and moored in Washington.

The congressman has said that instead of rent, he has paid at least $13,000 to cover dock fees and other expenses at the club since April 2004. Living on Wade's boat for free would violate congressional ethics rules.

Cunningham has denied any wrongdoing.

Top Gun Flies Into Political Firestorm

2005-07-02T02:13:00.000-07:00

Just when you thought Randy “Duke” Cunningham (R-Escondido, CA) might get away with “MansionGate”, the latest in a long line of Republican scandals, two stories broke on Friday that could make life difficult for the eight-term congressman.

Federal authorities intensified their investigation into Cunningham’s relationship with defense contractor Mitchell Wade by searching his Rancho Santa Fe home, the “Duke-Stir” yacht owned by Wade, and the Washington D.C. offices of MZM, Inc. Friday. Agents from the Department of Defense and the Internal Revenue Service assisted FBI agents involved in Friday’s search to gather evidence in their ongoing investigation.

In an ironic twist, Cunningham’ lawyer called the searches, “an appalling abuse of government power.”

Cunningham is currently under investigation for the sale of his Del Mar Heights home to Wade, assisting MZM, Inc. in obtaining multi-million dollar defense contracts, and for not paying rent while living on Wade’s 42-foot yacht docked on the Potomac River. In lieu of rent, Cunningham paid dock fees and service and maintenance costs. Living on Wade’s boat without paying would violate congressional ethics rules, so it will be interesting to see how investigators will rule on this issue.

In related developments:

It was reported in The Hill, a Washington newspaper that covers Congress, that The House Standards of Official Conduct Committee, also known as the ethics committee, is apparently ready to resume business after the August break after clearing up their staffing issues.
Roll Call, another Capitol Hill newspaper, reported that the “Duke-Stir” yacht is for sale.
Representative Katherine Harris (R-FL) offered to refund $50,000 in campaign contributions she received from employees of MZM, Inc. once she learned the employees may have been pressured by Mitchell Wade, the company owner, to donate to MZM, Inc.’s political action committee.

Legal Problems Mount For Cunningham

The ongoing investigation into Cunningham’s relationship with Mitchell Wade isn’t the only legal problem he’s facing this holiday weekend. Cunningham could also face federal charges for the unauthorized commercial use of the congressional seal.

Top Gun Enterprises, the company Cunningham set up in 1987 to market his book “Fox Two”, appeared to have suspended operations on Friday after news broke that a $595 Randy “Duke” Cunningham Fighter Ace Kalinga Style Buck Knife sold on the web site contained a gold imprint of the congressional seal on its blade.

Visitors trying to access the website now get a HTTP 404 – File Not Found message in their browsers.

It is against federal law to use the congressional seal for commercial purposes, and any member of Congress can be fined and imprisoned for up to six months if he or she “knowingly uses, manufactures, reproduces, sells, purchases for resale . . . any likeness of the seal of the United States Congress" without the approval of the clerk of the House.” According to an article in The North County Times, no such permission for Cunningham to use the seal can be substantiated.

Is Duke’s Legacy In Jeopardy?

Cunningham stated recently that he used “poor judgment” in selling his Del Mar Heights home, but you wonder if these recent events are a lapse in judgment, or if Cunningham is playing stupid on the advice of attorneys to look innocent. We won’t know the answer for several months, but you can bet more allegations will be made against Cunningham and others involved before this investigation concludes.

If all of these allegations are true, this scandal will forever taint the political career of one of San Diego County’s most popular and longest-serving elected officials. Cunningham, who serves California’s 50th Congressional District, was easily re-elected for his eighth term last November by a 21-point margin over Democratic opponent Francine P. Busby.

This is no way to remember one of America’s most highly decorated fighter pilots in the Vietnam War, and that is the real tragedy of this story. Until this year, Cunningham never had his name mentioned once in previous political scandals. But for all of his heroic feats in the cockpit of a Navy fighter plane, people may instead remember Randy “Duke” Cunningham for his shady dealings with Mitchell Wade. That, in the eyes of liberals and progressives, makes him just another Republican congressman who got caught flaunting ethics rules for a few extra dollars in his pocket.

For someone who excelled in all other aspects of his life, being remembered as “just another disgraced congressman” has to be the lowest blow to the legacy and integrity of Randy “Duke” Cunningham, Great American War Hero.

Bush hits record low in California, latest Field Poll finds

2005-06-24T17:08:00.000-07:00

California is sick of George W. Bush and his failed policies.

"Only a third of Californians approve of the job President Bush is doing, a new all-time low in the Golden State for the nation's leader.

The latest Field Poll placed the president eight to 14 points below his approval ratings in recent national polls.

In California, the president also bottomed out at an all-time low in two key areas: the economy and the war in Iraq.

Just 36 percent of survey participants said they approved of the way he is dealing with the economy, and 58 percent disapproved.

On Iraq, only 28 percent of Californians polled approved of his leadership, and 68 percent disapproved.

In general, 33 percent of Californians said the country was heading in the right direction, down from 37 percent in February, while 57 percent said the country is on the wrong track, compared to 54 percent in February."

Home For Sale, Special Amenities Included

2005-06-21T00:32:00.000-07:00

HOME FOR SALE Luxurious Del Mar home close to the freeway, the Del Mar Fairgrounds, & the beach. Must see to appreciate. Was listed at $1,675,000, now priced to move by motivated seller for $975,000. Moonbat protestors of previous owner and a federal grand jury inquiry are included.

This is the listing the real estate agent should have made last summer when Mitchell Wade, the owner of contracting firm MZM Inc., purchased congressman Duke Cunningham's (R-CA) Del Mar property and immediately put it back on the market. A federal grand jury is investigating the transaction, as well as the relationship between Cunningham and Wade.

Wait a minute. This transaction was conducted without realtor representation for either side?

The transaction took place in November 2003, and immediately afterwards Wade put the property back on the market for the same price. The house remained unsold and vacant for eight months until Wade sold it at a $700,000 loss.

Cunningham used the proceeds from the sale to purchase a $2.55 million dollar home in exclusive Rancho Santa Fe.

But that's not the story. What drew the FBI's attention to the transaction was the relationship between Cunningham and Wade. Cunningham resides part-time on Wade's 42-foot yacht in Washington D.C., which is named "Duke-Stir", a play on Duke's nickname.

At the time Cunningham sold his home to Wade, MZM Inc. was winning large government contracts from the Defense Department. Cunningham happens to be a member of the House defense appropriations subcommittee and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.

Cunningham has also acknowledged supporting MZM in its efforts to win tens of millions of dollars in defense contracts.

Can you say conflict of interest? I think so!

Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham's Del Mar, San Diego Home Sale Investigated

2005-06-13T18:04:00.000-07:00

Cunningham home sale to defense contractor to raises questions

SAN DIEGO -

A defense contractor bought Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham's Del Mar home in November 2003 and sold it nearly nine months later at a $700,000 loss, it was reported today.

At the time, the Republican congressman was supporting Mitchell Wade and his firm MZM Inc. in efforts to win Pentagon contracts, The San Diego Union- Tribune reported.

Cunningham used the proceeds from the sale to buy a home in Ranch Santa Fe for about $2.5 million, the newspaper reported.

About the same time, Wade's company, which had been suffering through a flat period, was awarded tens of millions of dollars in defense and intelligence-related contracts, according to the Union-Tribune.

Cunningham denied anything untoward about the dealings.

"My whole life I've lived aboveboard," he told the newspaper. "I've never even smoked a marijuana cigarette. I don't cheat."

But others congressional and political watchdog organizations said it just didn't look right.

"This doesn't look good at all," Larry Noble, director of the Center for Responsive Politics, told the Union-Tribune. "It doesn't look like something that was on the up and up."

Wade was unavailable for comment last week. Scotty Brumett of MZM Inc. said Wade bought Cunningham's home to raise the firm's profile in San Diego.

"We were looking at expanding our company presence in San Diego," he told the Union-Tribune. "We looked at the property and thought it would work for us. But after we bought it, we realized that it did not meet our security or our corporate needs."

The Del Mar home was put back on the market within a month of the purchase, but it was never included on the multiple listing service used by Realtors, the newspaper reported.

Property records show the buyer of the Del Home as 1523 New Hampshire Avenue LLC. Nevada state business records show that Wade owns that company, the name of which is the same as the address of his Washington, D.C., office.

Cunningham told the Union-Tribune the real estate deal was independent of any help he may have given MZM.

"I don't have anything to do with contracts," Cunningham said.

MZM has been a major contributor to Cunningham campaigns, having donated $13,000 in the 2003-04 election cycle, the Union-Tribune reported.

According to the newspaper: Wade was a Pentagon program manager before starting MZM in 1993. In 2003 and 2004, MZM's business picked up. In fiscal 2003, it won $41 million in defense contracts. Since then, MZM has added tens of millions of dollars in additional contracts, including a $5 million contract to provide interpreters in Iraq. In 2004, MZM had $66 million in revenues, according to Washington Technology magazine, which put the relative corporate newcomer on its 2005 list of "Top 100 Federal Prime Contractors."

Dump the Duke in 2006

2005-05-12T15:56:00.000-07:00

Randy "Duke" Cunningham has to go folks. He is just a Tom Delay cronny and he is selling San Diego out to bid Texas oil.

But, there is good news. Francine Busby will run agian for the 50th district seat in 2006.

Francine is a great lady and an awesome candidate.

Just listen to what She had so say on the Ed Shultz show:

Click Here to hear her

here for MP3 version

Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham We Know You are In Tom Delay's Pocket

2005-05-11T15:56:00.000-07:00

We are watching you Duke. We know you think you don't have to care cause you won the election. But, you are selling out San Diego and we know it. Your friends in Texas are making millions sucking the life out of our economy. Don't think no one is watching.

We know you gave $1000 to Tom Delay's defense fund. We know you vote along party lines like a robotic drone. We know you voted for the Bankruptcy bill that sold out regular folks while protecting the right of corporations to file bankruptcy and renege on debt. We know you turn the other way while big Texas oil and power companies are sucking our state dry.

We are watching Randy. Don't think we are all robotic Neocon drones like you.

STATEMENT OF SENATOR BARBARA BOXER FISCAL YEAR 2006 BUDGET CONFERENCE REPORT

2005-05-10T15:52:00.000-07:00

San Diegans,
Before you read our Senators statement please take a moment to consider what our current leadership has done for our state. Unfunded mandates, negligent immigration policy, and expensive foreign policy has helped put pressure on our state and city budgets. Big oil benefits while you pay at the pump. We have great leaders in this state, Senator Boxer is one of them. Let's give her a chance.

------------
Mr. President, I oppose this budget and will vote
against it. All of my colleagues should. It sets the wrong
priorities. It breaks promises to the American people. And it
is the height of fiscal irresponsibility.

Let me begin with the priorities. The priorities of the
American people are not the priorities of this budget.

It is quite clear what the priorities of this budget are: tax
cuts for the wealthy. In just one year, this budget provides a
tax cut for millionaires totaling $32 billion.

Meanwhile, education funding is cut almost $1 billion below the
services we are providing now. A total of 48 education
programs are eliminated. The promise that was made in the No
Child Left Behind Act is broken by $12 billion. Mr. President,
we should be increasing our commitment to our children, not
cutting it.

Veterans programs – for those brave men and women who served
our country and are currently serving our country in Iraq and
Afghanistan – are cut $500 million. As more and more veterans
return to this country, the demands on the VA system will only
grow. This budget ignores them.

This budget provides no funding for additional police officers
on the street. And two major programs to help local law
enforcement are eliminated.

Medicaid – the health care program for the poor and disabled, a
large portion of whom are children – is cut $10 billion.

Funding for the Centers for Disease Control – to prevent
diseases and to fight outbreaks – is cut 9 percent.

The promise we made to our farmers in 2002 is broken with cuts
of $3 billion.

Mr. President, what is going on here? Our children, our
veterans, the safety of our streets, and the health of our
people – all are taking a back seat to tax cuts for
millionaires. This budget helps the wealthiest 1 percent of
Americans at the expense of 99 percent of Americans.

Now, you would think that with all of these cuts in spending
for important programs, at least the budget would be balanced –
or at least would be more fiscally responsible than it has been
in the past four years.

You would be wrong. This budget increases our debt by $3.1
trillion over the next five years. In 2010, the federal debt
will be over $11 trillion.

That figure is so high, it is nearly incomprehensible. So let
me put it another way: $11 trillion is $1 million every day
for 30,000 years.

And, Mr. President, $11 trillion in debt is not the whole
story. This budget does not include the almost $400 billion in
costs for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. This budget does
not include over $700 billion in costs for the President’s plan
to privatize Social Security. This budget does not include
over $700 billion to ensure that middle-class Americans are not
hit with the Alternative Minimum Tax.

Why aren’t these included? Because it would mean even more
debt. Debt upon debt upon debt upon debt. And most of it owed
to those from foreign countries. We are borrowing from the
Japanese, the Chinese, the British, and others – and sticking
the bill to our children and grandchildren.

And speaking of the President’s plan to privatize Social
Security, I find it ironic that the President again tonight
tried to scare the American people by saying that Social
Security was going “bankrupt,” when at the same time, this
budget steals $2.5 trillion over 10 years from the Social
Security Trust Fund. Instead of tax cuts for millionaires, we
should be paying back the Trust Fund.

Finally, Mr. President, this budget sets the stage for opening
up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling. It has
nothing to do with the budget. It has nothing to do with
increasing our energy independence. It has everything to do
with destroying one of America’s most environmentally pristine
areas.

This budget has the wrong priorities, bankrupts our country,
and destroys our environment. It should be soundly and
overwhelmingly rejected.

San Diego - Are you safer?

2005-04-26T12:32:00.000-07:00

You can see clearly by looking at San Diego Police cars that they have no money for maintenance. Their cars are falling apart.

Our city is falling apart and it's because our money is being sucked out of our city by big oil and energy. Our polititians are just standing by and letting it happen.

Stand Up San Diego!

San Diego's Embattled Republican Mayor to Resign

2005-04-25T15:20:00.000-07:00

San Diego's Embattled Mayor to Resign

" SAN DIEGO (Reuters) - San Diego Mayor Dick Murphy, under fire for a city pension scandal that remains the focus of a criminal probe, on Monday announced his resignation and said the seventh-largest U.S. city needed a fresh start.

Murphy, who won reelection in November, said he would resign effective July 15, allowing him time to finish work on the budget for next fiscal year.

"A good leader knows when it is time to move on," Murphy said. "It is time for me to move on and time for a fresh start for the city."

Murphy, a Republican originally elected in 2000, was named one of the three worst big city mayors in the United States last week by Time magazine, which said the pension scandal had "discredited" his administration.

The $3.6 billion San Diego City Employees Retirement System has a deficit of more than a billion dollars, due in part to underfunding by the city and benefit increases.

Federal prosecutors and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission are investigating the fund's shortfall. The city attorney and district attorney have separate probes underway."

Rep. Randall Cunningham [R-CA] Sells San Diego Out Again

2005-04-22T14:26:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Rep. Randall Cunningham [R-CA] voted Aye on one of the biggest government giveaways in history. The Energy Policy Act of 2005 gives gigantic tax credits to the most profitable corporations in the country. That's right the oil companies are getting there payback for all the campaign contributions they gave to Republicans. While they charge high prices and rake in the largest profits in history, our Government has decided they should get tax dollars as well.

Will this bill help lower gas prices? Not a bit. Cunningham is a sellout, he is willing to let you, his fellow San Diegans, pay twice so fat cats in Texas can sit back and rake in the cash.

What are you going to do San Diego!

Wake Up!

Wake Up San Diego - Don't get into financial trouble

2005-04-17T12:34:00.000-07:00

Your representatives have just voted against your best interests, again. Particularly, Rep. Randall Cunningham [R-CA]. Today Cunningham voted again to make it harder for ordinary San Diegans to seek relief from debt. Cunningham is perfectly willing to protect the rights of large corporations at the expense of ordinary citizens.

Businesses and large corporations still enjoy bankruptcy protection and are allowed to default on large amounts of debt at taxpayer expense. But, not you. God forbid you have an emergency that prevents you from paying down your debt. You are going to be twisting in the wind like Randall Cunningham wants you to. He doesn't care about ordinary citizens. Cunningham knows which side his bread is buttered on. He took $360,525 in campaign contributions from big business to get elected.

Do you really think this guy gives a crap that you are stretched thin? Do you think he cares you commute to two jobs and gas prices are forcing you to pay less of your credit card bills? If you think that, you may deserve what you get.

Sources:
http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/summary.asp?cid=N00007050
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/person.xpd?id=400091

How Much Proof Do You Require San Diego?

2005-04-17T09:55:00.000-07:00

So far the war in Iraq has cost our country over $200 billion. Our state is experiencing the highest gas prices in history. We were led to war on false promises, regardless of what the kool-aid drinkers tell you.

Let's review:

Sadaam had WMDs:

This is now completely and irrefutably proven to be false. There were no WMDs, they were not carted off to Syria, and plenty of people knew it in advance. The French and Germans did not agree with us on WMD no matter how many times Sean Hannity lies and tells you they did.

Sadaam Helped Al Queda:

According to recently de-classified documents there was no cooperative link between Sadaam's govt and Al Queda. But, these recent docs are just icing on an already well established cake.

Iraq's Oil will pay for all this:

I don't have to go any further, you are paying for it at the pump.

Sources:
Levin Releases Newly Declassified Intelligence Documents on Iraq-al Qaeda Relationship
Analysis: WMD panel threatened resignations
Bush Intel Panel Sees Difficult Task Ahead

Rep. Randall H. Cunningham Voted to Keep Ethics Commission Weak And Ineffective

2005-04-15T16:36:00.000-07:00

Rep. Randall H. Cunningham brushed aside a Democrat attempt to strengthen ethics rules on Thursday. You may remember that House Republicans voted to weaken ethics rules in order to protect Republican Representative Tom Delay who faces a number of ethics and legal charges.

"The vote was 218-195, along party lines, to kill the proposal by Rep. Nancy Pelosi, the House Democratic leader.

The California Democrat swiftly issued a statement accusing Republicans of showing "allegiance to the ethics standards of Tom DeLay." DeLay, the majority leader, is battling charges of misconduct.

Cunningham held ranks one day after a few lawmakers expressed concern at a closed-door meeting over the party's handling of the ethics issue."

Source: House GOP kills Dems' ethics proposal

In a related story:

Ten former members of Congress, all Republicans, joined in a letter to the House leadership on Thursday to say they believed that revisions in House ethics rules this year were an 'obvious action to protect Majority Leader Tom DeLay' from investigation. They said the changes needed to be reversed 'to restore public confidence in the People's House."

Source: New York Times

San Diego Americas Finest City --- Wake UP!!!!!!

2005-04-08T17:24:00.000-07:00

Big Texas oil is sucking the life blood from our economy. Every day money is flowing to fat cat Republicans and oil rich douche bags, while our soccer moms pay at the pump. Your SUVs are becoming liabilities and a trip to the beach from El Cajon is starting to seem like a long way.

STAND UP SAN DIEGO YOU ARE BEING ROBBED!!!

It's time to hold those who are allowing this disaster to account.

George W Bush

Took us to an ill advised war on pretenses now proven false, with promises of Iraqi oil to pay for our expenses. The debacle in Iraq, the greed of big oil, and the corruption of the Republican party has created this enormous threat to our economy.

Gov Arnold Schwarzenegger

Is complicit by his silence. Stand up for California girly man. Our state needs you to be a man.

Representative Randall H. Cunningham

Is a blind follower of the Bush agenda. He has helped sell San Diego out.