Big Boats
As TNR’s Jason Zengerle has noted, Republican Congressman Randy “Duke” Cunningham “pulled a Big Pussy and wore a wire.” Big Pussy was, of course, the Sopranos character who got pinched for dealing heroin early in the show. Cunningham, on the other hand took money and gifts from defense contractors in his district in exchange for throwing government contracts their way. What’s more, he got one of those contractors to buy his San Diego-area house for about twice what it was worth, and the contractor promptly put it on the market for about half as much. But what’s a $700,000 loss when you stand to earn millions in defense appropriations?
All of this is well known. But what you may not know is that both Puss’ and Duke’s demises happened in the vicinity of a suspicious yacht! Puss was taken out for a ride in Tony Soprano’s boat, the Stugatz, where he was shot and dropped in the ocean. Duke’s Don, defense contractor MZM, inc., bought him a boat called the Duke-stir, where he lived on the Potomac river in full view of the Capital.
Even Big Puss wasn’t that brazen. These mafiosos could learn a thing or two from the The Grand Ol’ Party.