Whether Cunningham ever toked is moot, but one thing he did was kill an Armadillo. The Armadillo was land mine destoyer developed by two San Diegans. Cheap, simple, durable and effective, the Armadillo was praised highly by local Marine and Navy officers who tested it extensively here and recommended its immediate purchase by Uncle Sam. Cunningham, who then headed the committe for military acquisition, told the inventors that if they "couldn't bring anything to the table" he wouldn't OK the Armadillo. They had too little money after development costs for Cunningham's bribe and that was that. Its well worth wondering as the number of dead from Iraqi IED's mounts, whether the Armadillo could have made a difference. We'll never know, since Cunningham didn't get his price for another 18th century commode for it. But we'll keep paying for his chicanery; the ruined men and broken families will echo for decades.

Posted by ESPRESSO | reply to this comment
May 30, 2007 10:09 pm

Man, Cunningham is one piece of work isn't he? This guy can't serve enough time. Or maybe they should let him out on gounds of "permanent stupidity".

Posted by Dukie Rides Again | reply to this comment
May 30, 2007 11:14 pm

Almost as amazing as the fact that Cunningham managed to party openly on that defense contractor's yacht in D.C. for years before the Union-Tribune gave Marcus Stern the green light to write his prize-winning expose, is the fact that flying ace Cunningham is alleged never to have voted in an election until he was tapped to run for Congress by the San Diego County GOP. How come we chumps never learned that until after the Congressman was jailed?

Posted by Shocked and Awed | reply to this comment
May 30, 2007 11:55 pm

Randy Cunningham misrepresented himself, but very few people are as corrupt as Cunningham. When other politicians claim the high ground on the character issue, I think we can be much more confident that they are telling the truth. For example, Cheryl Cox recently said her life was an open book, so I think it's very unlikely that she is hiding anything.

Posted by Maura Larkins | reply to this comment
May 31, 2007 1:22 am

Ms. Larkins -- I thought the subject was disgraced GOP Congressman Duke Cunningham. Also, are you sincere in your naivete or are you kidding us when you say, "Cheryl Cox recently said her life was an open book, so I think it 's very unlikely that she is hiding anything." My sense is nobody's life is really an open book, especially in politics.

Posted by Dazed and Confused | reply to this comment
May 31, 2007 1:51 am

OK a question for Mr. Stern: whatever happened to all of the fuss over "links" from Cunningham and his defense contractors to other members of Congress? This is the Carol Lamm angle--that she was fired because her investigation of other members of congress (Lewis, et al). It seems to me that getting rid of her has brought a halt to any investigation, or am I imagining things? Thanks for overcoming the UT's usual blindeye to any misdealings by republican politicans....

Posted by Southof8 | reply to this comment
May 31, 2007 2:37 am

Ooopps...forgot to congratulate SL on this anniversary! Even though I have disagreed with you at times, you at least are trying to hold politicans and government officials accountable for their words and actions. Keep up the good work!

Posted by Southof8 | reply to this comment
May 31, 2007 2:38 am

To Dazed and Confused: I was responding to the irony of Duke Cunningham's claim, "My whole life has been above board." It's an easy thing to say, isn't it? I was struck by the similarity of Cunningham's statement to Cheryl Cox's recent statement. The voters believed Cheryl Cox when she told them her character was superior to Steve Padilla's. Are you suggesting that voters are naive when they believe such assurances?

Posted by Maura Larkins | reply to this comment
June 2, 2007 10:35 am

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