The Knucklehead of the Day award

Today's winner is Republican Congressman Randall "Duke" Cunningham. He pled guilty yesterday to taking bribes amounting to almost 2.5 million dollars.

Cunningham resigned in disgrace, but you always wonder how many more corrupt politicians there are in Washington. They make the laws but don't think it applies to them. Don't cry for Cunningham, for I definitely won't. He's a crook, a liar, and today's Knucklehead of the day.

Linked to- Don Surber, Indepundit, Outside the Beltway where Leopold Stotch thinks the congressman is a traitor to his country, Political Teen, Adam's Blog,

SAN DIEGO - After months of insisting he had done nothing wrong, Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham tearfully acknowledged taking $2.4 million in bribes, saying: "The truth is I broke the law."

The eight-term Republican and former Vietnam fighting ace pleaded guilty to graft Monday and resigned, admitting he took money mostly from defense contractors in exchange for government business and other favors.

"In my life, I have had great joy and great sorrow. And now I know great shame," a tearful Cunningham said after the plea. "I can't undo what I have done but I can atone."

But Cunningham, who could get up to 10 years in prison at sentencing Feb. 27 on federal charges of conspiracy to commit bribery and fraud, and tax evasion, may not be the only person ensnared in the case. Prosecutors have indicated they have more than him in mind.

"There's more work to be done," Assistant U.S. Attorney Phillip Halpern said Monday. Cunningham has promised to cooperate.

In the plea, Cunningham, 63, acknowledged working with four co-conspirators to take bribes from defense contractors and others. Prosecutors said the bribes were paid in a variety of forms, including checks totaling more than $1 million, cash, antiques, rugs, furniture, yacht club fees and vacations.

Prosecutors said he used his influential position as a member of a House Appropriations subcommittee to secure defense contracts worth tens of millions of dollars for those who bribed him.