Former Lawmaker Gets 8+ Years for Bribery

n this artist's sketch, former Rep. Randy 'Duke' Cunningham, center, is seen before U.S. District Judge Larry Burns at his sentencing on bribery charges in federal court in San Diego Friday, March 3, 2006. Cunningham, who collected $2.4 million in homes, yachts, antique furnishings and other bribes on a scale unparalleled in the history of Congress, was sentenced to eight years and four months in prison, the longest term meted out to a congressman in decades. Cunningham, who resigned from Congress in disgrace last year, was spared the 10-year maximum but was immediately taken into custody. He also was ordered to pay $1.8 million in restitution for back taxes and forfeit $1.85 million in valuables he received. (AP Photo/Artwork by Krentz Johnson)

YOW! This is from Yahoo News:

SAN DIEGO - Former Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham began his first day in prison after being sentenced to eight years and four months for taking $2.4 million in homes, yachts and other bribes in a corruption scheme unmatched in the annals of Congress.

Cunningham's sentence Friday was described by attorneys for both sides as the longest prison sentence ever given to a member of Congress. U.S. District Judge Larry Burns spared him the 10-year maximum after the defense asked for six years.

In this artist's sketch, former Rep. Randy 'Duke' Cunningham, right, is seen before U.S. District Judge Larry Burns at his sentencing on bribery charges in federal court in San Diego Friday, March 3, 2006. (AP Photo/Artwork by Krentz Johnson)

In other words, the judge threw the book at him.

"Your honor I have ripped my life to shreds due to my actions, my actions that I did to myself," Cunningham said before the sentence was announced. He also asked to see his 91-year-old mother before going to prison.

Cunningham, 64, who resigned in disgrace late last year, was immediately taken into custody.

He was ordered to pay $1.8 million in restitution for back taxes. He also must forfeit an additional $1.85 million for cash bribes he received, plus the proceeds from the sale of his mansion. Burns said Cunningham must pay the restitution at a rate of $1,500 a month while in prison and $1,000 monthly when he's released.

The judge credited Cunningham for his military service and for standing in front of a courthouse in November and taking responsibility for his crimes and resigning from Congress.

Looking at Cunningham, the judge told him: "You weren't wet. You weren't cold. You weren't hungry and yet you did these things."

"I think what you've done is you've undermined the opportunity that honest politicians have to do a good job," the judge said. "The amount of money involved emasculates prior bribery crimes."

The judge recommended the sentence be served at a federal prison in Taft, Calif., subject to the approval of the Bureau of Prisons. The judge said Cunningham would be eligible for good behavior reductions of as much as 15 percent of the sentence.

Now I wonder if Cunningham's future cellmate will be Tom DeLay....