Issa defends Cunningham - Embattled lawmaker turns away requests for interviews

By: WILLIAM FINN BENNETT - Staff Writer | Monday, June 20, 2005 9:39 PM PDT ∞

WASHINGTON, D.C. ---- Athough U.S. Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham, R-Escondido, was on the House floor Monday and two reporters put in requests to speak with him during or after Mondays votes, he left without speaking with the reporters or answering questions on his ties to a Washington defense contractor.

The North County Times did speak with U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Vista, during a break between votes Monday. Issa defended his Republican colleague and said Cunningham is an honest man. In his opinion, Issa said, the real story is how the real estate agent who suggested the $1.675 million sales price of the home came up with those figures.

Issa also questioned why the man who runs a multimillion-dollar defense company paid higher than market value for the house without getting an independent appraisal, then sold it for below market value.

In December 2003, Cunningham sold his Del Mar home to a company controlled by the president of MZM Inc., a company which in 2004 fiscal year alone, received more than $65 million in government contracts. The House Appropriations Committee Defense Subcommittee, on which Cunningham sits, oversees military expenditures, and subcommittee members are able to influence spending decisions by the federal government.

Cunningham sold the Del Mar home to a company controlled by MZM President Mitchell J. Wade for a figure that apparently was more than $500,000 above market value, based on the sales prices of similar-sized homes in the surrounding area in much of 2003. Wade's company then turned around and sold the same house for $975,000 in October ---- a $700,000 loss.

"Wade was either a fool (as a businessman) or a fool in how he tried to curry favor," Issa said. "He accomplished what he wanted to accomplish, but that doesn't mean Duke was in on it."

He said that while he believes the matter should be looked into, and it will be, he believes too much in Cunningham's integrity to think he would be capable of doing anything dishonest.

"Duke has one thing he prides himself on more than anything and that is his integrity," Issa said. "His word is his bond."

Despite his belief in Cunningham, however, Issa said that if he were facing the media pressure and scrutiny that Cunningham is, he would certainly do things differently.

Duke should be in a position to make himself available to the press to clear the air, Issa said.

When asked for an interview several times over the past week, Cunningham declined, instead issuing prepared statements saying that all of his dealings with Wade have been honest and ethical.

When the North County Times reported last week that he stays at least part of the time on a boat at a Washington marina ---- the boat is called Duke-Stir ---- he said that he plans on releasing documents and records that will show he paid to stay on the boat, which is owned by Wade.

On Monday, Cunningham spokesman Mark Olsen said he didn't know when his boss would be releasing those documents or when he would be willing to talk to reporters.

Some Republicans and Democrats appear to be reluctant to talk about Cunningham's situation. The North County Times also submitted written requests for interviews Monday with three members of Congress who represent San Diego County: Reps. Bob Filner, Susan Davis and Duncan Hunter. None of the three responded to those requests.

A political analyst said Monday that he believes Democrats are hesitant to make accusations that could come back to haunt them.

"Most members are leary of pointing fingers because other fingers may (end up) pointing back at them," said Nathan Gonzales, political editor for the Rothenberg Political Report, a nonpartisan newsletter that studies congressional, senatorial and gubernatorial campaigns.

Issa said he believes there is a good reason why Republican congressional representatives are hesitant to discuss the Cunningham issue.

"I suspect we are all afraid to say anything because we don't want to hurt Duke, especially when we don't know all the facts," he said.

William Finn Bennett can be reached at wbennett@nctimes.com or (760) 740-5426.

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