The Unauthorized Randy “Duke” Cunningham Page

Sold his boat to a crook . . . http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/20050705-9999-1n5duke.html

S••• just keeps popping up. This sorted business is going to get a lot darker before it is over. A job for him in the defense industry may be even out of the question.

Cunningham is subject to penalties for his apparent Coast Guard documentation falsification. It will be interesting to see how the Coast Guard responds in this matter.

In May of 2005, Cunningham "CERTIFIED" in writing to the National Vessel Documentation Center, that he was the "owner" of the Kelly C.

But now we learn that Cunningham was not the owner. He sold the Kelly C. to business Kontogiannis in 2002. Did he lie in writing to the Coast Guard?

Coast Guard vessel documentation must be renewed annually. Any changes in the prior year's documentation must be reported, prior to renewal. This means that if the Kelly C. was sold in 2002, and he was no longer the owner, Cunningham must have lied on three separate, annual renewal certification documents.

[q]According to the renewal form, a failure to list changes in the vessel documentation, " . . . may result in penalties and removal of the vessel from documentation. Operation of the vessel while the certificate remains inaccurate may also result in penalties."[/q]

Certainly, any Coast Guard imposed penalties would pale in comparison to a bribery conviction, or any other serious penalties related to the current scandal.

However, Cunningham's false Coast Guard certifications reflect an emerging pattern. His congressional financial disclosure statements, if not false, were similarly incomplete, like his vessel documentation. They contained some important omissions about his real estate and capital gains.

This emerging pattern is one of either a sloppy and bumbling individual, or one who seems to knowingly thumb his nose at certain rules and requirements. Does he merely invent his own rules to support his questionable, inappropriate, or illegal actions?

Regardless of Cunningham's motivation or rationalization, no one is above the law.

Whether he lied on a document – which evidently he did - or traded bribes for favors as alleged, he must be held accountable and suffer the appropriate consequences – and despite his expensive lawyers, that could mean jail time!

(How this guy ever got elected to so many terms is beyond my comprehension. It is inexplicable how so many voters in his district must not have been paying attention, for so many years, to keep re-electing him. They should feel ashamed, both of their congressman, and of themselves.)

http://www.uscg.mil/hq/g-m/vdoc/nvdc.htm
National Vessel Documentation Center