TPMmuckraker | Talking Points Memo | Wilkes Indictment: Enter The Hookers

Wilkes Indictment: Enter The Hookers

By Paul Kiel - February 13, 2007, 5:41PM

OK, you knew they'd make an appearance.

Among the staggering laundry list of bribes of ex-Rep. Duke Cunningham (R-CA) listed in the second indictment issued today, there's one that's bound to get a lot of ink.

The indictment alleges that, during a trip to Hawaii, Wilkes paid for a prostitute for Cunningham. I'll just excerpt the indictment here, since it displays the prosecutors' fetish for detail (no bribe goes undescribed):

On or about August 15, 2003, at approximately 6:30 p.m., [Wilkes] provided [Cunningham] and assorted other guests with a dinner served on a private lawn outside the Hapuna Suite [approximately $6,600 per night at the Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel on the Island of Hawaii]; which consisted of Seafood Gyozas of Kona Lobster, shrimp, scallops, seared hawaiian snapper, "Manoa" lettuce leaves, and an open bar featuring fine wines;
On or about August 15, 2003, at approximately 11 p.m., Prostitutes "A" and "B" and their "driver" arrived at the Hapuna Suite. Persuant to [Wilkes'] instructions, an ADCS [Wilkes' company] employee escorted the prostitutes into the Suite and paid the driver $600 in cash;

On or about August 15, 2003, after approximately 15 minutes in the suite, [Wilkes] and [Cunningham] escorted Prostitutes "A" and "B" upstairs to separate rooms. At approximately midnight, Wilkes tipped Prostitute "A" $500 for the services;

...and the next day, after a catered breakfast, a cocktail party, a lavish dinner...

On or about August 16, 2003, at approximately 11:00 p.m., [Wilkes] arranged to have Prostitute "A" and Prostitute "C" available for himself and [Cunningham]. Pursuant to Cunningham's request, Wilkes arranged for the Congressman to get a different prostitute for the second evening;
On or about August 16, 2003, at approximately 11:00 p.m., Prostitutes "A" and "C" and their "driver" arrived at the Hapuna Suite. Persuant to [Wilkes'] instructions, his employee paid the driver $600 in cash and escorted Prostitute "C" (who had not previously been to the suite) to [Cunningham's] room. At apprroximately midnight, Wilkes again tipped Prostitute "A" $500 for the services;

Although Shirlington Limousine does make an appearance in the indictment, it's not connected to prostitution -- rather, it's just mentioned that Wilkes paid Shirlington to ferry Cunningham around Washington, DC.

Update: CREW has uploaded a copy of the indictment here (pdf).

Comments (59)

Old 33 wrote on February 13, 2007 5:49 PM:

What was wrong with "Prostitute B" that Cunningham wanted someone new the next night?

Or is the Dukester all about variety?

dqueue wrote on February 13, 2007 5:51 PM:

He was too small?

Just a guess...

Mrs Panstreppon wrote on February 13, 2007 5:52 PM:

I don't think it is fair that Prostitutes "B" and "C" did not get tipped. After all, they had a much harder job than Prostitute "A". Imagine having to get an old goat like the Dukester off at 11 at night after he's been drinking all day? Tres difficile!

dqueue wrote on February 13, 2007 5:53 PM:

Besides which, why no mention of the DC hospitality suites?! Was it always just about innocent poker games?

I shudder to think...

nn wrote on February 13, 2007 5:56 PM:

I'm pretty sure the Duke was an (R-CA), not a D.

Anonymous wrote on February 13, 2007 5:56 PM:

It makes me cringe to see that D beside cunningham's name... Anything can be done about that?

teapot dome wrote on February 13, 2007 5:56 PM:

"Among the staggering laundry list of bribes of ex-Rep. Duke Cunningham (D-CA) "

Shouldn't that D be an R?

kindness wrote on February 13, 2007 5:57 PM:

Are we pulling a Phaux News here?

Duke Cunningham was a REPUBLICAN, not a Democrat.

TPMPaul wrote on February 13, 2007 6:04 PM:

I fixed the party affiliation error. Thanks.

pj in jesusland wrote on February 13, 2007 6:16 PM:

Wilkes puts the paaarrtee! in the GOP.

Doug wrote on February 13, 2007 6:29 PM:

Really, what's the big deal? Who hasnt used their position of authority to get a vendor to arrange for them to be doubleteamed by a couple of hookers on a tropical island? Must we deny congressmen all luxuries simply because they enter civic life?

Dave J. wrote on February 13, 2007 7:20 PM:

Really, what's the big deal? Who hasnt used their position of authority to get a vendor to arrange for them to be doubleteamed by a couple of hookers on a tropical island?

Duke-stir, indeed. (Raises eyebrows knowingly.)

dweb wrote on February 13, 2007 7:27 PM:

Reminds me of the story of a guy who joined a new company as a sales manager and at the end of the month, filled out an expense report on which he listed one entry as "$500 to hire prostitutes to entertain customer."

Naturally, his boss came to him and said, "Jim, we recognize the need to keep our customers happy, but we can't have this on the record. Make it read '$500 to buy rifles as gifts for clients."

A month later, Jim's next expense report came through with the entry, "$1,000 to get rifles cleaned."

Mrs Panstreppon wrote on February 13, 2007 8:11 PM:

I read indictment and what stood out is how easy it is to defraud the taxpayer. In May 2003, the DoD paid $6.2 million to MZM who then passed on $5.4 million to ADCS for $700k worth of computers.

Then in May 2004, MZM passed on $5.9 million to ADCS for $1.5 million worth of computers. The indictment does not specify MZM's haul on the contract.

These contracts were through the DoD's Counterintelligence Field Activity (CIFA). Whoever signed off on MZM's invoices knew they fraudulent but paid them anyway and kept quiet.

According to Wikipedia, the mission of CIFA is "to develop and manage DoD Counterintelligence (CI) programs and functions that support the protection of the Department...against foreign influence and manipulation, as well as to detect and neutralize espionage against the DoD".

Corruption has rotted the very foundation of our government.

Jack wrote on February 13, 2007 9:27 PM:

The prosecutor who indicted Cunningham, Wilkes and Foggo today has been fired and will leave office at the end of this week. Politically motivated? If you think it's not, then I have an Alaskan bridge to nowhere that I'd like to sell you.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2007-02-06-prosecutor-rove-aide_x.htm

Richard L. Adlof wrote on February 13, 2007 9:30 PM:

I thought old Randy WAS the prostitute . . . DAMN! My scorecard is all farged up now . . .

theo wrote on February 13, 2007 9:36 PM:

The indictment still doesn't reveal the sex of any of the hookers. Do male prostitutes still have drivers to take them around?

I'm still holding out hope that Cunningham, Wilkes and Foggo were partying in the Watergate with Jeff Gannon.

killer wrote on February 13, 2007 9:56 PM:

Not too many hookers on the Big Island. They would have been imported from Honolulu.

Beltway Reporter wrote on February 13, 2007 10:46 PM:

Yeah yeah yeah, the number 3 guy at CIA was crooked, which leads to questions about the number 1 guy at the CIA, which leads to questions about the Bush administration, but what I really want to know is: What's the latest with Pelosi's plane?

The Stranger wrote on February 13, 2007 10:58 PM:

I wonder if Prostitute B feels slighted, or just slightly less disgusted at being spared a second pleasure cruise on the Dukestir?

mason wrote on February 13, 2007 11:39 PM:

Were taxpayers covering the bill for the Viagra?

Calton Bolick wrote on February 13, 2007 11:51 PM:

"...which consisted of Seafood Gyozas of Kona Lobster, shrimp, scallops, seared hawaiian snapper, "Manoa" lettuce leaves, and an open bar featuring fine wines."

What? We don't get the wine list, too?

Extradite Rumsfeld wrote on February 14, 2007 12:22 AM:

Holy toledo.

I assumed this stuff was just random anti-Republican character assassination. When Duke Cunningham went to jail, I didn't actually believe all the hooker stuff. Now I learn that these guys really had the cujones to try this crap? Un-believable!

(disclaimer: I am a defense contractor, and I'm just agape, given the oversight procedures and paperwork I have to follow to do a job, that it's even remotely possible to get away with stuff like this)

And these are just the guys that got caught. One wonders what else others are actually getting away with.

We need a new Truman Commission. Right effing NOW!

JohnW wrote on February 14, 2007 4:44 AM:

Gee, if only one of the hookers names was Monica this story would be all over the Networks and print media for 6 months.

Anonymous wrote on February 14, 2007 5:13 AM:

Pillars of society. These guys really know how to model family values.

Harry Paratestes wrote on February 14, 2007 7:02 AM:

Prostitute C is so much hotter than Prostitute A or B. But I hear Prostitute B is really a dancer, who works as a welder.

J wrote on February 14, 2007 7:23 AM:

$300 an hour plus a $500 tip to let a drunken puffy lummox grunt away his lust? Those prostitutes didn't get paid enough.

old_new_englander wrote on February 14, 2007 8:13 AM:

As a lawyer, I'm tickled that they included the menu in the indictment. Why not recipes, too?

KY3 Democrat wrote on February 14, 2007 10:05 AM:

Duke said, "Send Prostitute B back! I had to
tie a board to my a$$ to keep from falling in!"

Richard L. Adlof wrote on February 14, 2007 10:34 AM:

Democratic sex sandals involve subordinates or wives of friends . . .

Republican invariably gotta pay for sex . . . whether it be from well worn women or taught boys.

dc wrote on February 14, 2007 11:04 AM:

All these questions about prostitutes A and B. It's simple really. If Duke let on that he was entirely pleased, he loses a little leverage when pressing Wilkes for the big bucks. He can then go home and enjoy the pleasures he's really into.

john galt wrote on February 14, 2007 12:09 PM:

If I had known Congressmen, CIA big shots and Defense contractors got free hookers in Hawaii, I would have studied harder in school, or would it be studied less?, and got me one of them high paying, graft collecting, well paid jobs in government instead of slinging hash in a deli.

J wrote on February 14, 2007 1:11 PM:

Well John, it would also have gotten you indicted, convicted, and imprisoned, so perhaps you should be happy with your job slinging hash.

lib4 wrote on February 14, 2007 1:51 PM:

Any idea if the prostitutes were male or female...

I remember some ramblings about the prostitues being male....not that there is anything wrong with that....unless you are a Republican

rxxgary wrote on February 14, 2007 7:21 PM:

more than likely they were teenaged boys. that came out about a year ago, along with all the othe details introduced at trial

ccurtis wrote on February 14, 2007 9:16 PM:

$500 Bucks! What a cheap manbitch!

lower tiberius wrote on February 15, 2007 10:19 AM:

the curious thing for me is HOW MANY and WHAT TYPE of computers are (700K) and (1.5M) dollars worth of computers? Were they delivered somewhere? Is anyone using them? Republican has certainly become synonymous with 'culture of corruption'!

Helen Rainier wrote on February 15, 2007 2:22 PM:

Hmmm, why the 2d hooker for Cunningham? I'm thinking maybe the first one puked all over him when she saw how ugly and geeky he is. I know -- that's snarky -- but that's the bitch coming out in me.

mike davis wrote on February 15, 2007 7:16 PM:

"......duke"has been my representative and has spoken to my civics classs.His huge red face was the most interesting thing about him according to my students. Now there is lady A,B or C much more intriquing,but they can't speak to my kids.Hold on maybe a lesson on lobbying and your tax dollar..

mike davis wrote on February 15, 2007 7:17 PM:

mike davis wrote on February 15, 2007 7:18 PM:

Steve Talbert wrote on February 16, 2007 7:54 PM:

I wonder what the race of A, B and C were???

richard@gmail.com wrote on April 29, 2007 1:42 PM: