For Immediate Release: December 15, 2005
Contact: Ned Wigglesworth

Contributions from Employees of Brent Wilkes Show Pattern Consistent with Making Contributions In the Name of Another - Political Watchdog Calls for Investigation

Federal and State enforcement agencies should investigate whether a defense contractor involved in bribing a congressman also illegally laundered or coerced campaign contributions, TheRestofUs.org said today.

Employees of Brent Wilkes, co-conspirator #1 in the indictment against former congressman Duke Cunningham, have a pattern of making large campaign contributions of the same size on the same day to the same politician. This timing, combined with disregard for the law evidenced by both the indictment and Cunningham's plea agreement, raises the distinct possibility that the contributions from Wilkes' employees were laundered. Campaign watchdog TheRestofUs.org called on the relevant authorities to investigate, including the Department of Justice, the Federal Elections Commission, California Attorney General Bill Lockyer, and the California Fair Political Practices Commission.

"A look at the Cunningham indictment and plea shows that Wilkes has no compunction about breaking the law to further his own interests," said Derek Cressman, director of TheRestofUs.org. "That, combined with the timing and size of these contributions, suggests the strong possibility that these contributions were laundered or coerced. We call on the relevant authorities to examine whether Wilkes' illegal activities extended to money laundering and campaign finance violations."

According to analysis of state and federal campaign finance data by TheRestofUs.org:
- On June 26, 2003, Brent Wilkes and six of his employees each contributed $2,000 to presidential candidate George Bush.
- On October 28, 2002, four Wilkes employees each contributed $2,000 to California Assembly candidate George Plescia. Another employee made a $500 contribution to Plescia on the same day.
- On October 10, 2002, Wilkes and four employees each contributed $1,000 to congressional candidate Maria Guadalupe Garcia.
- On October 10, 2001, Wilkes and three employees each contributed $5,000 to Duke Cunningham's leadership PAC.

Additional facts suggest money laundering. From April 2002 to October 2003, Wilkes employee Max Gelwix made $45,000 in contributions at the state and federal level to the same candidates and committees as his boss. Prior to his employment with Wilkes, Gelwix had never made a contribution at the federal level, nor any and the state level the group could find.

"Investigators need to ask the following questions," said Cressman. "Was Gelwix reimbursed by Wilkes or the company for these contributions? Was part of his salary paid to him with the understanding that he would make contributions on behalf of his employer?"

"This operation has the exact same look and feel as the money laundering scam run by another Bush Pioneer - Tom Noe," said Ned Wigglesworth, analyst for TheRestofUs.org. "But in this case, it seems even more unlikely that the contributions are legal. Where were these employees getting the cash to make tens of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions?"

Mr. Noe is under investigation for laundering contributions to President Bush's 2004 campaign and to state officials, in addition to a number of other investigations relating to an investment contract awarded to him by the Ohio Board of Worker's Compensation.

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TheRestofUs.org is a political watchdog organization that called for the resignation of Congressman Duke Cunningham last July for bribery and called last January for California's Secretary of State Kevin Shelly to resign due to money laundering allegations. These are the only two officials we have called on to resign; both have done so.