Former Congressman Mark Siljander Indicted for Money Laundering and Supporting Terrorism

Known for Christian Zeal, Siljander Apparently Wound Up in Islamic Entanglement

Past members of Congress have encountered situations where they were said to have crossed the line in order to pursue noble or ignoble goals, such as the Democratic Senator Harrison A. Williams who was convicted in the FBI's Abscam sting operation, as well as Democratic Congressmen John Murtha, Frank Thompson, and John Murphy who were not prosecuted for their roles, although Murtha was named an "unindicted co-conspirator," according to Wikipedia.

Likewise, Republican Representatives Katherine Harris and Virgil H. Goode were nearly caught in the same net as Representative Randy "Duke" Cunningham as they became involved in receiving laundered contributions from a defense contractor, according to the Boston Globe.

Issues of financial wrongdoing are frequently raised in a partisan fashion as examples of failures of the other political party. The Abscam sting took place in the late 1970's and early 1980's, and was a hypothetical situation created by the FBI involving a wealthy Arab businessman requesting special treatment.

"Mark D. Siljander", http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_D._Siljander

"ISLAMIC CHARITY CHARGED WITH TERRORIST FINANCING; FORMER U.S. CONGRESSMAN INDICTED FOR MONEY LAUNDERING", http://kansascity.fbi.gov/dojpressrel/pressrel08/terroristfinancing011608.htm

"Former Republican Congressman Indicted for Terrorist Money Laundering", DHinMI, http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/1/16/16745/8450

Senator Harrison A. Williams (convicted), Congressman John Murtha (unindicted co-conspirator), Frank Thompson, John Murphy "Abscam", http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abscam

""Congress Bribery Probe Could Deepen", Michael Kranish, http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2006/05/19/congress_bribery_probe_could_deepen/