For months it seemed that the ethical/legal crises for Tom DeLay and Randy “Duke” Cunningham were two equally-outrageous but unconnected scandals. Cunningham was taking bribes from defense contractors; DeLay was skirting campaign finance rules and doing illegitimate favors for corrupt lobbyists.
As it turns out, there may have been a connection after all.
Texas prosecutors in the criminal case against Representative Tom DeLay revealed in subpoenas made public Tuesday that they were investigating ties between Mr. DeLay and a lobbyist who is at the center of a bribery scandal that prompted another House Republican to resign from Congress last month.
The subpoenas sought documents from the lobbyist, Brent Wilkes, a California businessman whose lawyers have confirmed that he is one of four unnamed co-conspirators listed in the criminal charges against former Representative Randy Cunningham, the California Republican who pleaded guilty to taking at least $2.4 million in bribes.
Mr. Wilkes was close to several Republican members of Congress, including Mr. Cunningham and Mr. DeLay, Republican of Texas, who traveled as Mr. Wilkes’s guest in a private jet he partly owned.
Specifically prosecutors in DeLay’s Texas case are interested in a $15,000 contribution Wilkes’ company made to DeLay’s Texans for a Republican Majority PAC. Also of interest is the fact that Wilkes hired Christine DeLay’s consulting firm.
As Judd put it, “Small world. Very small.”