"D" DAY FOR RANDY "DUKE" CUNNINGHAM APPROACHETH... INDICTMENTS LIKELY "SOON"

With brazen whores like Tom DeLay, Bob Ney, Richard Pombo and dozens of other on-the-take Republicrook congressloons in bed with corporate interests and trying to get all they can before they get tossed out of power on their asses in 2006, it would be hard for San Diego's crooked pol Randy "Duke" Cunningham to compete for "best in class" in the Most Crooked category. But not that hard. The reason you're more likely to see one of the endless re-runs his pals at the History Channel always show about him being a fighter pilot than a news report on his corruption and the multiple scandals he's involved in, is because he has already declared himself a lame duck. He decided not to run again in 2006. He still hasn't resigned, which is outrageous; he's still serving on sensitive intelligence and defense subcommittees at the basis of his bribery cases; and, of course, Tom DeLay's handpicked, ethically-challenged crook who heads up the House Ethics Committee, Doc Hastings (R-WA) is still protecting him from any kind of congressional action. And almost no news media ever mentions that on top of all the bribes he was taking for selling access to no-bid defense contracts, he also sold a big-time GOP donor a promise of a presidential pardon (on Bush's way out in 2008) for $400,000.

But between Frist's insider stock trading scandal, DeLay's indictment and trial for conspiracy and money laundering, Abramoff's myriad of cases from simple bribery to a possible murder, Irving Libby's indictment for perjury in the TreasonGate affair that has swamped Karl Rove and Dick Cheney, as well as the law closing in on characters like Ohio Congressman Bob Ney (now subpoenaed in the Abramoff scandals) and California Congressman Richard Pombo, Cunningham's case has faded a bit.

According to a story this weekend in San Diego's NORTH COUNTY TIMES, "There are rumblings in Washington that the investigation could be coming to a head. A source close to the investigation contends that prosecutors are 'ready to go.' The source, who spoke only on the condition of anonymity, has been involved in the case since it began, predicted indictments could be coming soon. 'The amount of money involved will be astounding,' the source said of what he anticipates the government's case to allege."

Francine Busby, the looking-like-a-contender Democrat in the race, is all geared up for Cunningham's expected resignation once he's indicted. A special election in the 50th would be a very good thing for Busby, who ran a strong campaign against "Duke" in 2004 and is very well-known and very highly regarded in the district. Recently Busby asked all the other people seeking Cunningham's seat to join her in urging that at the minimum he give up his seats on the sensitive House committess that have allowed him to rip off the taxpayers to the tune of millions of dollars. Predictably, they all declined.