“This Case Is All about Greed.”Finally, Brent Wilkes’ trial is under way:
“Lies, deceit, greed. Most of all greed. This case is all about greed,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Phillip Halpern told jurors as he laid out the government’s case in his opening statements….“The evidence will show the politician was bought by the defendant lock, stock and barrel,” Halpern said, adding that the bribes include “the truly astonishing,” such as machine gun lessons and the services of prostitutes.
Among the expected witnesses are Duke Cunningham’s former staffers, former Pentagon officials, and Wilkes’ nephew, who’s expected to give the most detail about how his uncle kept Cunningham in pocket. Cunningham is on the prosecutors’ witness list, but apparently is not likely to be called.
Wilkes’ lawyer Mark Geragos will make his opening statement next Tuesday — when we’ll finally hear how he plans to get his client off the hook.