The Republican Recycle Bin: Porter Goss Edition

Disgraced Republicans don't leave politics. They are just recycled. The latest example is Former CIA director Porter Goss. Incoming Agricultural commissioner Adam Putnam named Goss a member of his transition team.

Goss had to resign from the CIA after the hookers poker parties broke. One attendee of the party was Brent Wilkes. Mr. Wilkes was convicted of 13 felonies involving former Congressman Duke Cunningham. The convictions involve money laundering and related charges stemming from briding Cunningham. Wilkes is now serving 12 years in federal prison.

Another fun fact: Wilkes was involved in the Tom Delay scandal.

Another attendee at the hookers poker parties was Kyle Foggo. He was Goss's deputy at the CIA. Foggo is currently being investigated by the CIA Inspector General, the FBI, IRS, Defense Criminal Investigative Service and the San Diego U.S. Attorney's office. Foggo and Wilkes are longtime friends. Forgo was charged in the Duke Cunningham case with Wilkes. Charges were later dropped.

Goss wasn't even a competent director. Morale slipped at the CIA under Goss's watch The New York Times paints a stark picture.

Current and former intelligence officials say considerable turmoil remains within the agency, particularly within the directorate of operations, which is responsible for human spying around the world. The directorate's No. 2 official, Robert Richer, has become the most recent high-ranking official to announce his departure, and he told officials at the White House and in the C.I.A. that he had lost confidence in Goss.

Putnam's judgement should be seriously questioned for having Goss on his transition team.

Mitchell Wade News

Times have been tough on everybody's favorite lobbyist Mitchell Wade. He was forced to plead guilty to bribery, use of interstate facilities to bribe, tax evasion, and conspiring to deprive the Defense Department of the honest services. Wade is testifying against Brent Wilkes as part of his plea bargain deal. Wilkes has political connections with Tom Delay, John Doolittle and Kyle Dustin "Dusty" Foggo. Men whom have been involved in their own scandals.

Wilkes was a defense contractor. He used Duke Cunningham to get projects for ADCS Inc. The Cunningham has already pleaded guilty. Wilkes is fighting his charges. Wade explains the relationship with Wilkes.

Asked several times by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Forge, Wade said he made hundreds of thousands of dollars each year from Wilkes. He said Wilkes got millions in government work.

And asked how that happened, Wade repeatedly gave a two-word answer: “Duke Cunningham.”

Wade told Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Forge how Cunningham hit him up for a $50 thousand bride.

He recounted that at one meeting in October 2001 at a Washington marina, Cunningham asked Wade for $50,000.

“Did you view that request as a burden, or an opportunity?” Forge asked.

“Opportunity,” (Wade) responded. He paid the bribe – routing the money through a New York mortgage company – and soon started getting government work with Cunningham's help. In fact he supplanted Wilkes and, in some cases over the next four years, ADCS was a subcontractor to MZM, he said.

In other news: the Federal Election ruled the Wade must pay a $1 million fine for making illegal campaign contributions. Wade used $78,000 of MZM corporate money to reimburst employees that made campaign contribions to Katherine Harris and Virgil Goode. Campaign donations are limited to $500. Wade attempted to get around the law to win influence.

Harris and Goode are in no legal trouble because of the contributions. They should be consider themselves lucky. Harris's changing stories about dining at Citronelle doesn't pass the laugh test.

Paul McNulty Resigns

Carol Lam issued a warrant to search the home of Kyle Dustin "Dusty" Foggo on May 9th 2006. He is an ex-CIA official who is linked to the Duck Cunningham scandal. Kyle Sampson quickly issued this DoJ email.

"the real problem we have right now with Carol Lam that leads me to conclude that we should have someone ready to be nominated on 11/18, the day her 4-year term expires."

Sampson sent the email to the White House council on May 11th. The two Justice Department officials Lam informed about the warrant are Alberto Gonzales and Deputy Attorney General Paul McNulty. The latter is now resigning for family reasons.

"The financial realities of college-age children and two decades of public service lead me to a long overdue transition in my career," McNulty said in the letter, which did not mention the firings controversy.

McNulty was probably forced oyt for not maintaining the fantasy-based narrative.

On Feb. 6, McNulty told a Senate panel that at least one of the ousted prosecutors was asked to leave without cause — Bud Cummins in Little Rock, Ark., who was told to resign so that Tim Griffin, a former aide to Rove and the Republican National Committee, could take his place.

Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers responds to McNulty's resignation.

“Mr. McNulty’s resignation is a sign that top level administration at the Justice Department may be crumbling under the pressure of ongoing revelations, and what is yet to be disclosed. With this news and as we press on with our investigation, we look forward to his cooperation.”

I smell another immunity deal.