Former Rep. Randy “Duke” Cunningham, an ace naval aviator who resigned from Congress in disgrace after pleading guilty to corruption charges, died Wednesday at age 83.

The San Diego Union Tribune reported that Cunningham died at a hospital in Little Rock, Ark., following an illness.

Cunningham, a California Republican, joined the Navy at age 25 and during the Vietnam War became the first “ace,” an honor given to combat pilots who shoot down five enemy planes.

First elected to Congress in 1990, Cunningham served eight terms until he resigned on Dec. 1, 2005, after he pleaded guilty to corruption charges. He held seats on the Appropriations and Intelligence committees at the time of his departure

In pleading guilty, Cunningham admitted to accepting at least $2.4 million in bribes. That included about $1 million in cash as well as rugs, antiques, furniture, yacht club fees, boat repairs, moving costs and vacation expenses, in exchange for using his appropriations role to obtain earmarks on behalf of defense contractors.

The evidence against Cunningham included a “bribe menu” that outlined the dollar values of bribes requested in exchange for steering federal funds. His actions were among those that led Congress to temporarily ban earmarking.

He spent more than seven years in prison. President Donald Trump pardoned Cunningham in 2021, on the last full day of his first term in the White House. 

Military record

Cunningham’s public corruption overshadowed a decorated military career. He narrowly avoided capture after his F-4 fighter was shot down over North Vietnam, and he returned home with several medals for valor, including the Navy Cross.

He then trained pilots at Miramar Naval Air Station north of San Diego.

After he left the military for business, his background caught the eye of another Vietnam veteran from California, Republican Rep. Duncan Hunter, who urged him to run for the House.

Cunningham moved to the San Diego suburb of Chula Vista to challenge Democratic Rep. Jim Bates in 1990, where he eked out a narrow victory.

After redistricting in 1992, he ran in a solidly Republican district and was reelected by comfortable margins. Redistricting for 2002 did not hurt him either. His new district continued to have a healthy Republican majority.

Todd Ruger contributed to this report.