Bush says congressman taking bribes 'outrageous'

[UpInArms]

http://today.reuters.com/investing/financeArticle.aspx?type=bondsNews&storyID=2005-11-29T185807Z_01_N29325272_RTRIDST_0_CRIME-CUNNINGHAM-BUSH.XML

EL PASO, Texas, Nov 29 (Reuters) - U.S. President George W. Bush on Tuesday verbally slapped a congressman from his Republican party for taking bribes, calling it "outrageous."

Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham of California resigned on Monday after pleading guilty to taking $2.4 million in bribes in exchange for help in securing Defense Department contracts.

"Any member of Congress, Republican or Democrat, must take their office seriously and the ethics seriously," Bush said to reporters during a trip to Texas.

"The idea of a congressman taking money is outrageous. And Congressman Cunningham is going to realize that he has broken the law and is going to pay a serious price, which he should," Bush said.

...more...

This sanctimonious sack - this criminal denouncing criminals ....

[Tesla]

1. How many Billion has his moves taken in for he and his "cabal"

Karma Sucks W!!!

[cantstandbush]

47. Will anyone check the details of Bush's baseball deals?

I bet they won't. He's as much a sleazeball as the rest of them.

[truthisfreedom]

2. uhh... what Democratic Party member has been taking bribes, george?

name anyone, schmuck.

you blur the truth with the filthy excrement that comes out of your mouth, don't you?

and the numbers go down, down, down.

[ewagner]

8. You can wager

that the Republican Party is desperately seeking a Democrat to indict!

[bspence]

9. Actually, Sen. Dorgan is now being investigated

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=1354456

Dorgan's linked to the whole Abramoff thing. Although, definitely, by and large, the Republicans are going crazy by breaking the law left and right.

But if a Dem steps out of line, he should fry along with them.

[Judi Lynn]

21. Dorgan counters claims: Indian lobby case unfolds

Dorgan counters claims: Indian lobby case unfolds
By TOM RAFFERTY
Bismarck Tribune

~snip~
Dorgan fought back during a press conference in Bismarck on Monday, hours before the AP released additional informaton about the contribution from one of the tribes represented by Abramoff.

The North Dakota senator is vice-chairman of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, which is investigating Abramoff.

Dorgan said he received contributions from tribes long before Abramoff worked for the tribes and that he supported the school building program long before he signed the letter.

The story said between 2001 and 2004, Dorgan received nearly $95,000 in "Abramoff-related"contributions. Dorgan said he has never even seen Abramoff in person.

"The fact is, Ihave never received a campaign contribution from Mr. Abramoff, but Ihave received re-election support from Indian tribes long before Mr. Abramoff got involved with Indian tribes,"Dorgan said.
(snip/...)

http://www.bismarcktribune.com/articles/2005/11/29/news/topnews/106230.txt

[madmark]

36. Dorgan has been burning Abramoff alive at the stake at the hearings he

is holding with McCain. Obviously any moneys Abramoff may have sent Dorgan's way didn't buy any influence.

[gasperc]

40. oh yeah, Rove's "them too" counter strike

probably part of Ambramoff's scheme to send DEMS money whether he talked to them or not. Most candidates don't throughly screen each and every donation as thoroughly as they should. It is very hard for me to see Dorgan doing ANYTHING quid pro quo. Indians are a substantial group in ND so he was likely serving his constituents whether they contributed or not.

and $5000 is a pittance, to the $80million these scam artists bilked the Indians for. I mean they set up schemes with legislatures and reps to come up with legislation to screw the tribes. Then they would go to the tribes as consultants telling them how they can get unscrewed. How fucked is that. The tribes were just an ATM machine to these legislators and consultants. Manipulating the legislative process to blackmail the tribe into making huge political contributions.
Now the GOP is trying to intimidate Dorgan into keeping his mouth shut for fear of getting smeared and eroding his political support. Quite Rovian. Will Rove ever recognize government as tool that can be used help civilization?

[zbdent]

33. Check with Lieberman . . .

just a hunch . . .

[Historic NY]

3. Wonder if he will be saying it a lot over the next few months.....

or year since there are a bunch more under investigation.

[wanpete]

4. Starting a war based on lies and deception is outrageous.

[soothsayer]

5. ha ha ha! why do people spend MILLIONS to get jobs that pay

like $70,000 or so? Cuz they like to serve their country? har de har har

But it IS hysterical to hear him speak out against it, the big fat halliburton, big-oil-blowing hypocrite that he is

[SoCalDem]

12. That's the "in-your-face truth"

When someone spends "brazillions" of dollars to get elected to a TWO YEAR job that pays $70K, you KNOW there's something fishy goin' on..

[MagickMuffin]

24. I don't understand

the 70K figure. From what I've research about the annual salaries of Congress they make a lot more than the 70K.

Congress has now voted itself a total of $16,700 in raises over the last six years. Since 1990, congressional pay has increased from $98,400 to $154,700 in 2003.

And of course to answer your question about why would they spend millions to get elected for such a pay cut (?), I would have to say passing arcane laws, and influence peddling.
After all it's a great way to advance your career in the lobbying market after you've finished making laws to support the corporations that you will soon be working for.

[sinkingfeeling]

6. "The idea of a congressman taking money is outrageous. Only myself

and my cabinet members are allowed by executive order to take bribes. That congressman made off with $2.4 million that should have gone to Rummy and me."

[mazzarro]

34. Yes in deed!

"The idea of a congressman taking money is outrageous...." but the idea of off-loading money to your friends and cronies for safekeeping - is "blessed and wonderful".

[0007]

45. junior takes gold bars

[Janice325]

7. Oh my f***ing God!

That's hysterical!!!
What a moran.

[jonolover]

10. ...if you get caught.

n/t

[Arkana]

11. How did he say this with a straight face?

[flayellowdog]

13. Pot calling the Kettle black

How about the 1.8 billion Bushs' brother Neil cost the taxpayers. No one remembers Silverado. Apples don't fall far from from the tree, but Daddy Bush knew nothing of Iran/Contra. The whole family are a bunch of liars and cheats.:mad:

[UpInArms]

18. Welcome to DU flayellowdog!

:hi:

Glad to have you here!

[SillyGoose]

14. You know what else is outrageous, George? Outing a CIA agent

for political gamesmanship. Yesirree Bob, that's pretty outrageous in my book.

[RaleighNCDUer]

15. "I'm shocked, shocked to find that there is gambling, er, graft

going on here."

[Yavin4]

16. I Was Waiting for the "Casablanca" Lines

Mr. President, your Iraq bribes sir.

NCevilDUer, may be we're getting old.

[UpInArms]

20. "Round up the usual suspects"

rings too true with this mal-administration.

:toast:

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

54. Crap you beat me to it!

[tanyev]

17. Let the faux outrage begin!

[Metta]

19. If wishing could make it so ....

If only.

[peacetalksforall]

22. sanctimonious sack = perfect.!

What they are doing is worse than the USSR - phony, hypocritical, laughable, delusional, and full of crap.

[olddad56]

23. It wasn't the congressman's fault. He is a republican...

He thought he was suppose to take bribes.

[Lochloosa]

25. What about Cheney and Halliburton? Fuck You!

Cheney has seen the value of his Halliburton stock options soar to $9.5 million as the price of shares in the company he formerly headed has tripled since the war began. Halliburton’s current CEO David Lesar has seen his own stock holdings increase by $78 million since the 2003 invasion.

[Brooklyn Michael]

26. "He shoulda taken that ethics class we offered..."

"...then he woulda knowed what he was doin' would get him caught.

Which is the biggest mistake he done made.

Now, if he done took the money, laundryed it through some of our GOP PAC's, that's NOT outrageous.

That's how we roll in TEXAS."

[UpInArms]

27. related: Corrupt Bush ally resigns in shame

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,17410630%255E2703,00.html

LOS ANGELES: US congressman Randy "Duke" Cunningham, a senior Californian Republican, broke down as he resigned yesterday after pleading guilty in court to taking bribes, including cash, a yacht and a Rolls-Royce.

The case is the latest scandal to rock President George W.Bush's Republicans who dominate US Congress. The party has controlled US Congress for more than a decade.

Cunningham admitted taking $US2.4 million ($3.24 million) in bribes in exchange for help in securing US Defence Department contracts.

Cunningham, 63, an eight-term congressman and decorated Vietnam War pilot, also admitted taking antiques, holiday expenses and money for his daughter's graduation party from several defence contractors between 2000 and 2005.

...more...

I really like how they tied these two boat anchors together :D

[DeadManInc]

28. He is just pissed off

that he was caught. He must have missed the repuke training on taking bribes.

[KansDem]

29. And what, Mr. President, did you receive for letting 9/11 happen?

A "bribe"...perhaps?

Were you thinking about what you were getting out of the tragedy that killed thousands of Americans? Did you sit there and think about it after your Chief of Staff "informed" you we were under attack? Afterall, a bribe doesn't have to be monetary...

Tell us, Mr. President...what did you get?

[JudyM]

30. Yeah, right. We'll call it outrageous if there isn't a shred of a defense

so that the perp's only hope of leniency is to confess to the world... :sarcasm:

:hide:

[kurth]

31. "I didn't know the GOP was so dishonest, reprehensible, corrupt, shameless

[Kber]

32. He's shocked, shocked, I tell you

to discover that gambling is going on in this establishment.

(Your winnings, sir.)

[Demeter]

35. I Guess Boy George Didn't Get His Cut

Can't understand the fit of temper in any other context--except getting caught at it. But BushCo has been caught, and all the little Busheviks will be busted.

[Bob3]

49. my thought exactly

they only time they get outraged is when someone doesn't give them their cut.

[Bhaisahab]

56. hey bob, i like your sig. neat. n/t

[Bob3]

57. Thanks

it's the chorus of song I wrote. and yes it's pretty strange.

[Uncle Joe]

37. I want a big laughing smilie such as the one you have,

where can I get one?

[annabanana]

58. (just right-click and swipe). . .n/t

[VaYallaDawg]

38. He thinks it's outrageous because it may cut into some of his take.

[muryan]

39. hes just mad that defense contractor didnt come to him first

[classysassy]

41. Duke vs Shrub

Duke was a war hero,Shrub went awol,Duke used his office to secure a few hundred thousands,Shrub used his stolen office to steal billions.Duke probably killed a few men,women and children during the war Bush avoided,Shrub has killed thousands of innocent civilians and has been responsible for thousands of his own troops being killed.

[Fire Walk With Me]

42. Bush should have DeLay make a statement on proper ethics.

[daleo]

43. So, no pardon until Jan 2005 then? n/t

[SharonRB]

44. I'm speechless

But I'll echo the opening post...

[Burried News]

46. What George is angry about is that Cunningham admitted it!

He was supposed to lielalalie.

Bush's outrage is that the truth has been told.

[Catrina]

48. This bringing up Democrats is getting pretty

annoying. Each time they mention Cunningham now on TV they go back to 'isn't this a bi-partisan issue, remember back in 1954 a Democrat was indicted blah, blah, blah'. That's the Rove spin being dutifully carried out by the propaganda machine, and Bush was probably told to use the word Democrat no matter how inappropriate, just to plant the idea in the public's mind.

George Bush's re-election campaign got $100,000 from Abramoff. Abramoff was one of Bush's BIG donors. Was that a bribe? Why doesn't he give it back, as some people are doing since they heard how tainted the money was.

Cornyn is another one who is in deep trouble because of Abramoff. They know what's coming and they're trying to distract, and the media, naturally will cooperate.

[knight_of_the_star]

50. He's not mad that he took the bribes

He's mad that he was a Republican who got CAUGHT

[DemonFighterLives]

51. Gee dubby,

I feel so sorry for you and the gang- not
}(

[Harper_is_Bush]

52. NEWSFLASH BUSH....hyping world into uneccessary war "outrageous" you f'n..

idiot.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

53. "I am shocked! SHOCKED! To find that gambling is going on here!"

"Your winnings, sir!"

[Maggie_May]

55. You know what outrageous

that we are not surprised.