Washington's power players have always bragged about being well-wired, but for disgraced former congressman Duke Cunningham, "wired" wasn't just a figure of speech. In a week when legislators are focused on the question of who else might be brought down by ex-lobbyist Jack Abramoff’s cooperation with prosecutors as he seeks lenient sentencing over his two federal guilty pleas this week, sources tell TIME that ex-Rep. Cunningham wore a wire to help investigators gather evidence against others just before copping his own plea.

Sources familiar with the situation say Cunningham, a California Republican who pleaded guilty Nov. 28 to taking $2.4 million in bribes — including a yacht, a Rolls Royce and a 19th Century Louis-Philippe commode — from a defense contractor, wore a wire at some point during the short interval between the moment he began cooperating with the feds and the announcement of his guilty plea on Nov. 28.

The identity of those with whom the San Diego congressman met while wearing the wire remains unclear, and is the source of furious — and nervous — speculation by congressional Republicans. A Cunningham lawyer, K. Lee Blalack, refused to confirm or deny the story, and wouldn't say whether Cunningham will implicate any other members of Congress. The FBI is believed to be continuing its probe of defense contractors involved in the Cunningham case. An FBI spokesman declined comment. Asked whether Cunningham, an ace Navy fighter pilot decorated for his service in Vietnam, had worn a wire, the spokesman said the response from a higher-up was, "Like I'd tell you."
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It just keeps getting better and better, Duke wearing a wire, and we are in the dark on who he talked to. I think you will see overlapping between Abramoff and this case, all revolve around bribery and the same players are pulling the strings. If Duke had some goods on Delay that would be beautiful, getting hit from 3 different angles. That would definitely put his ass in jail were he deserves to rot for the rest of his life. Right now speaker of the house Dennis Hassert has done a good job at avoiding the scandal, yes he accepted money and has returned it but the press havn't dove into his true dealings. If we could topple the big piggly wiggly Bush and Cheney would have no one to turn to and would be up against the wall. This would show that the citizens are sick and tired of their bullshit and will put an end to their tryany.

We need to balance the bad press on these scandals, too much and it might hurt us kinda like what happened with Clinton but as long as the facts are presented and the connecting of dots I think people will see and be willing to kick these scumbags out of office. The media won't tar and feather these people as they would a Dem, yeah that whole Liberal Media myth is bull but if they continue to report facts I think that will be good enough. Hannity is a lost cause we know he will carry the water and so will Chris Matthews who I have lost all respect for. The 2 of them need to watch out they are part of the Abramoff scandal and I think they are trying to downplay it to cover their own asses. Joe Scarborough might be on board, he is hard to read but I think we have at least 1 conservative ally. I hope MSNBC doesn't neuter Keith Olbermann because this could be his big break and he could lead the charge on cable tv finally reporting the truth...

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Update: I was reading firedoglake.com and this puts into perspective, this could get even better than I originally thought.

Having a cooperating witness wear a wire is a standard practice when you have an ongoing conspiracy or web of criminal activity. Cops and prosecutors get warrants for this sort of thing all the time in drug and mob cases. But in Cunningham's case, the folks involved in the wire would have potentially been much more high profile fish: other folks in Congress, high-paid defense lobbyists and contractors, folks at the DoD...so many possibilities.

So how will the talking heads who think the NSA spying is fine and dandy come to accept this news, will they all balk and say its an infringement on their civil liberties?