TPMMuckraker

Cunningham Scandal: Enter the Hookers

The Wall Street Journal reports today that admitted briber Mitchell Wade of MZM, Inc. helped procure prostitutes for former Rep. Randy “Duke” Cunningham (R-CA) — and possibly for others:

According to people with knowledge of the investigation, Mr. Wade told investigators that Mr. Cunningham periodically phoned him to request a prostitute, and that Mr. Wade then helped to arrange for one. A limousine driver then picked up the prostitute as well as Mr. Cunningham, and drove them to one of [two] hotel suites, originally at the Watergate Hotel, and subsequently at the Westin Grand.
… [I]nvestigators are focusing on whether any other members of Congress, or their staffs, may also have used the same free services, though it isn’t clear whether investigators have turned up anything to implicate others.

Wade says his mentor and fellow Cunningham briber Brent Wilkes had set up the ring — rented the hotel rooms, found the limousine company and the hookers. According to the WSJ, Wade says he usually passed off Cunningham’s requests to Wilkes to set up.

More on this later…

Brent Wilkes, Duke Cunningham, Hookergate, Mitchell Wade

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