Both the Duke-stir and Delay are getting near the point of historical figures, but their Culture of Corruption^TM lives on.  The stories of Delay, who is facing a tough challenger, Nick Lampson, and very poor polling in his own district and Cunningham, who resigned in shame, are coming together.

Texas authorities have issued subpoenas to Poway businessman Brent Wilkes, identified as a co-conspirator in the corruption case of former Rep. Randy “Duke” Cunningham, in connection with the investigation of former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay.

In addition to Wilkes, subpoenas were issued for his longtime business associate, Max Gelwix, as well as ADCS Inc. and PerfectWave Technologies, Poway companies owned by Wilkes.

Wilkes has been identified as “co-conspirator No. 1” in the Cunningham case, accused of giving $630,000 in cash and favors to the former Rancho Santa Fe congressman. Cunningham sat on the influential House defense appropriations subcommittee, which helped create programs that resulted in at least $95 million in contracts for ADCS.

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Ronnie Earle, the state prosecutor in Austin, Texas, subpoenaed Wilkes and Gelwix on Monday for any information related to the PerfectWave check and for any correspondence with DeLay or his PAC, as well as DeLay’s political aide Jim Ellis and fundraisers Warren RoBold and John Colyandro, who were indicted in September 2004.

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During 2003 and 2004, as Wilkes pushed for contracts for PerfectWave and his other companies, DeLay was a frequent flier on a corporate jet partly owned by Wilkes and was often seen in his company at Southern California golf courses.

Now, we shouldn’t be surprised by the fact that Delay takes money from anybody who’s giving.  It is interesting that Wilkes was involved with both of these corrupt lawmakers.

It is a good thing that San Diego is being cleaned somewhat, but America’s Finest City has a ways to go before it can truly reclaim its title.  And by no means do I think the corruption is at all limited to SD, but the stink that is coming from Republican quarters there is quite pervasive.  I hope the good citizens of San Diego seek out politicians of a higher ethical caliber.

I won’t go into too much detail right now, but looks like it’s time to start funding Francine Busby’s campaign.

Duke Cunningham (aka the Duke-Stir) resigned today after admitting that he took bribes:

Cunningham answered “yes, Your Honor” when asked by U.S. District Judge Larry Burns if he had accepted bribes from someone in exchange for his performance of official duties.

“He did the worst thing an elected official can do — he enriched himself through his position and violated the trust of those who put him there,” U.S. Attorney Carol Lam said in a prepared statement.