Former Rep. Duke Cunningham (R-CA) had a literal "bribe menu" on congressional letterhead showing how much defense contractors needed to pay for contracts. How much did a $16 million contract cost in bribes?

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Duke Cunningham maintained a bribery menu on congressional note cards under the seal of the United States Congress, showing an escalating scale starting at $140,000 and a luxury yacht for a $16 million Defense Department contract, with each additional $1 million requiring a $50,000 bribe. Cunningham served on the House Appropriations Committee from 1998 to 2005, including the subcommittee funding the Defense Department. He pleaded guilty in November 2005 to receiving over $2.3 million in bribes from defense contractors, including cash, antiques, rugs, and a Rolls-Royce. He was sentenced to eight years and four months in March 2006—the longest term ever for a member of Congress in a federal corruption case at that time. Trump granted Cunningham a conditional pardon in January 2021.

Former Rep. Duke Cunningham (R-CA) had a literal "bribe menu" on congressional letterhead showing how much defense contractors needed to pay for contracts. How much did a $16 million contract cost in bribes?

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