Cunningham, Scanlon Help Keep Republican Scandals in Public Eye

Cunningham, Scanlon Help Keep Republican Scandals in Public Eye Listen
Dec. 1 (Bloomberg) -- Republicans hoped that a raft of scandals involving their party's lawmakers and the White House would fade from view before the 2006 elections. Then along came Randy ``Duke'' Cunningham and Michael Scanlon.

Cunningham, the California congressman who resigned this week after admitting that he took $2.4 million in bribes, and Scanlon, a former colleague of indicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff who pleaded guilty last week to conspiring to corrupt public officials, are the latest examples of what Democrats call ``the culture of corruption'' in Washington -- and what they hope will propel them to victory at the polls next year.

``This is not something that's going to go away soon or can be written off as one bad apple,'' said Amy Walter, House editor of the Washington-based Cook Political Report, which analyzes congressional races.

Republicans say their adversaries don't seem to be gaining an advantage in polls, and that voters usually don't blame their own lawmaker for scandals in which they are not involved. ``I don't know of any member of Congress who's ever lost because of something some other member did,'' said Carl Forti, spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee.

Democrats plan to test that proposition. They've been sending e-mails to supporters for months decrying what they call Republican ethical transgressions, and running print and radio ads in targeted districts, such as those represented by former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay -- for whom Scanlon used to work -- and, before he resigned, Cunningham.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000103&sid=acbmyg83_H_s&refer=us#

The endless supply of scandals will give us more than enough bad news for Republicans to last through election day.

Abramoff and Scanlon are going to bring down at least half a dozen more, even before the elections. Sadly, a couple may be dems.

And DeLay will be a recurring nightmare until he resigns.

Is an apt term.