|
Perfect vacation weather did not lessen the turnout for another “big draw” Rotary Thursday. President Dick brought the meeting to order and Buddy Thomas provided the inspirational moment. Bill Dick led us in the Star Spangled Banner with Joe Zakowski on the piano. George Alexander provided a Club 33 History Minute – noting that it was 50 years ago in August 1959 when then President Shelly Brockett announced the move of Rotary to the El Cortez Hotel – up “cardiac hill”. Shuttle service “up” to the meetings was provided. George then followed with the news. Two new members introduced themselves – Rick Gentry (a former Rotarian) and Serhat Pala (“just call me Pala”). Welcome! Jim Groen related the efforts of a work party at The Bridge (a home for nine students) and introduced two of the students who were particularly hard workers as part of the team. Kenny Jones plugged the Foundation Seminar on Saturday, September 12 (7:30 AM to Noon) – a requirement for Red Badgers and a makeup for others. Martha Dennis took a fine for her picture in the Art Section of the UT. She is the Chair of the La Jolla Music Society’s Summerfest, a three week classic music festival.
President Dick introduced the Chair of the Day, our model Rotarian Steve Hubbard, who has a long resume of Rotary roles. What may have been news to many was the fact of his graduation from the FBI Citizens Academy. He introduced a number of FBI personnel in attendance before introducing our speakers for the day, Special Agents Erin Phan and Lamont Siller. Using a very concise power point presentation they alternated in telling the tale of the downfall of the Top Gun Naval aviator and Vietnam Flying Ace turned US Congressman, Duke Cunningham. The Union Tribune articles of June 12, 2005 on Cunningham’s home real estate transaction and June 16 on his Washington residence aboard the yacht “Duke Stir” brought the whole situation to light. They acknowledged that prior to this the government had no indication of the corruption and thus they started “behind the power curve”, running to keep up with the press. However they soon began to gather extensive evidence that brought forward Mitch Wade, a front-man for contractor Brent Wilkes, as a cooperating witness. He admitted to paying the bills on shopping trips with Cunningham, acquiring antiques and even a Rolls Royce. This eventually led to Wilkes as the principal beneficiary of the lucrative contracts handed out under the direction of Cunningham and in turn as the primary source of the various forms of payoffs made to Cunningham. The transactions that brought Cunningham the “free” financing of his $2,550,000 Rancho Santa Fe home were highlighted. Once exposed the cover up was quite obvious and led to Cunningham’s whimpering confession – a sharp contrast to his early bold claims of no wrong doing. After this clear cut presentation of a gross abuse of public trust, a number of the questions to our speakers seemed to ask, “Might this have gone undetected?” and “Is there more of this going on in Washington? Their answers seemed to say, “Maybe.” Food for thought!
Editor: Bob Kyle
Photography by Paul Nestor
|
