US: A California congressman has admitted receiving at least $2.4 million (€2 million) in bribes from a defence contractor, including a yacht, a Rolls Royce, rugs, antique furniture and holidays. Republican Randy "Duke" Cunningham wept as he said he would resign from Congress after 15 years, following his guilty plea in a San Diego court.
"In my life I have known great joy and great sorrow. Now I know great shame," he said. A decorated fighter pilot whose navy career inspired the film Top Gun, he could face up to ten years in prison and $350,000 in fines.
Prosecutors say Mr Cunningham helped Mitchell Wade of MZM Inc, a Washington-based defence contractor, to win government contracts. Mr Wade bought Mr Cunningham's house in California two years ago for an apparently inflated price, selling it at a $700,000 loss less than nine months later.
Among the bribes the congressman accepted, according to prosecutors, are a $200,000 down payment on an apartment in Arlington, Virginia; the payment of the capital gains tax on the sale of his California home; the purchase and maintenance of a yacht and a Rolls Royce; and a graduation party for the congressman's daughter.
MZM Inc has won millions of dollars in intelligence-gathering and analysis contracts from the federal government in recent years. Mr Cunningham is among the most senior Republicans on the defence appropriations subcommittee of the Intelligence Committee in the House of Representatives. Mr Cunningham said he did not admit to accepting bribes until now because he was too weak to face the truth.
Seven US lawmakers, all but one of them Republicans, have been charged, pleaded guilty or are under investigation for fraud, corruption or improper campaign donations.
Former House majority leader Tom DeLay faces money laundering and campaign finance charges and investigators are looking into his links with Jack Abramoff, a Republican lobbyist accused of defrauding Indian tribes of $82 million. Prosecutors have told congressman Robert Ney of Ohio they are considering bribery charges against him.