WASHINGTON, Oct. 18 (UPI) -- An investigation has found that former U.S. Rep. Randy Cunningham intimidated House Intelligence Committee staff members to favor specific military contractors.
The congressional investigation, made public Tuesday, found that the California Republican pressured staff members to give $70 million in classified federal business to the contractors, The New York Times reported Wednesday.
Cunningham, who is serving an 8-year prison sentence after he pleaded guilty to accepting more than $2 million in bribes from contractors, abused his position on the committee to override objections from staff members and authorize money for military projects that some considered wasteful, the investigation's report said.
The report, which was released Tuesday by Rep. Jane Harman of California, the Intelligence Committee's senior Democrat, said there were multiple "red flags" on a particular contract regarding a controversial Pentagon counter-intelligence program, but committee staff members" continued to accept and support Mr. Cunningham's growing requests for this project" for three years.
Cunningham resigned from Congress after submitting his guilty plea in November 2005.
