Katherine Harris and Another Steaming Cup of GOP Culture of Corruption
The gift that keeps on giving is the culture of corruption Karl rove, George Bush and the GOP built over the last 20 years or so. Mitchell Wade is about to be sentenced, and there’s some information in the documents related to his sentencing that indicates Katherine Harris and a couple others may be the next targets. Isn’t that sweet?
The sentencing memorandum on behalf of Mitchell Wade is in, and there’s some indications that he’s told some stories about yet more Republican office holders who accepted illegal campaign contributions. Among those office holders is Katherine Harris, she of the Florida vote recount that was so pivotal to giving us the failure that is George Bush in 2000. Seth Hettena has the story, as does Politico. Here’s a bit from Seth:
Mitchell Wade, the man who bribed Randy ‘Duke’ Cunningham and then did much to speed the congressman’s spectacular fall, is asking a judge to sentence him to a year of home detention for all the help he provided the government. Prosecutors don’t dispute that Wade was helpful, but they believe that four years in prison is more appropriate for $1.8 million in bribes.
Would Cunningham ultimately have been convicted without Wade? Probably, but Wade made it happen much, much faster. He was debriefed 23 times by government investigators and supplied them a searchable electronic database of 150,000 documents, including the infamous ‘bribe menu.’ And Wade’s cooperation didn’t stop with Cunningham. He provided damaging evidence against several others, including his testimony at the bribery trial of his former boss, Brent Wilkes, who’s now serving time in prison.
A 42-page sentencing memo filed by Wade’s attorneys says he aided the government in its investigation ‘of at least five other members of Congress’ who were under investigation for ‘corruption similar to that of Mr. Cunningham.’ These no doubt include Virgil Goode and Katherine ‘Pink Sugar’ Harris. Wade wanted to open facilities in their districts and made $78,000 in ‘straw’ contributions to grease the wheels. Neither Harris nor Goode has been charged with wrongdoing.
Prosecutors drop tantalizing hints about an even bigger, ongoing investigation. Wade was debriefed in 2006 and provided ‘moderately useful’ background information in another ‘large and important corruption investigation’ that also has not yet resulted in any charges.
‘Large and important corruption investigation?’ Man, this Duke Cunningham, Wilkes, Wade thing is the gift that keeps on giving. Sure, we all expect that there will be Republicans who escape the culture of corruption web they wove, but I’m sure we’re all hoping Katherine Haqrris gets caught in this one. This would be true justice in pursuit of voter fraud, eh?