Virginia Republican Congressman Virgil Goode's involvement in the MZM bribery scandal that has brought down Republican Congressman Duke Cunningham has been slowly making its way through our local media. Today it was picked up by several out of state and nationwide papers.

USA Today runs a story and directly ties disgraced Republican Congressman Cunningham and Republican Congressman Goode:

"A USA TODAY analysis of MZM-related campaign contributions shows how the company's growth and its political activities became intertwined at key moments. In more than 30 instances, donations from MZM's political action committee or company employees went to two members of the House Appropriations Committee -- Cunningham and Rep. Virgil Goode, R-Va. -- in the days surrounding key votes or contract awards that helped MZM grow."

Furthermore:

"In one case, the Pentagon didn't ask for a $23 million classified program awarded to MZM. Goode, who was on the committee writing the classified budget, said he added it."

"By the time Goode arranged an initial $3.6 million for the center in 2003, MZM's PAC and its employees had given the congressman nearly $33,000 in campaign contributions, making them at that point by far his biggest financial supporter for the 2004 election."

'Project Goode'

"Records from the Pentagon and the Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP) show Goode was behind the creation of a military data collection project the Pentagon never requested. The Pentagon awarded the project to MZM, which put it in Goode's south-central Virginia district."

Additionally today's Winston Salem Jounal (North Carolina) runs an article tying Republican Goode (and Senator Dole) to the scandal, Ronaoke Virginia'sNBC affiliate WSLS ran a story on the scandal yesterday and Virginia's WSET ABC 13 ran a story.  Additionally, the Richmond Times-Dispatch, the Roanoke Times and the Martinsville Bulletin have run several articles earlier this week

Raising Kaine talks about it today too.  I have seen Goode's named mentioned in over a dozen articles since Cunningham resigned on Monday. This story is not going away.

You can read more and follow the story further here.

 

 

Update [2005-12-2 18:0:21 by Corey D Hernandez]:: The USA Today article actually first came out 3 weeks ago, prior to Cunningham's resignation. It sure is more damning now, then it was then.