Ramona Cunningham In The News Again

Lawyer Wants A Change Of Venue

Half Of Potential Jurrors Believe Her Guilty
Ramona Still In Louisiana Mental Hospital

Defense attorney Bill Kutmus on Wednesday renewed Cunningham's request for a change of venue. He argued in court papers that a survey of potential jurors proves that pretrial publicity has poisoned Cunningham's chance at a fair trial in Des Moines. Under federal court rules, the 77 questionnaires completed by central Iowa residents last month were not made public. Fifty-five percent carried the guilty reference, according to Kutmus, and the surveys contain "numerous examples of opinions of Ramona Cunningham which were very strongly held and wildly inflammatory in nature."

Cunningham faces 30 charges that include various forms of fraud, conspiracy and obstruction.

It was uncertain Wednesday whether other defendants will join in Cunningham's request or whether Cunningham will even be present if a jury is convened in April.
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CIETC Iowa Scandal

Sweetheart Plea Bargain Deal For Ramona Cunningham

Plea Agreement Is A Miscarriage Of Justice

Cunningham Pleads Guilty To 8 of 30 Indictments

(Remembering Tesdall Was Convicted of 29 Counts)

''The ... case will go down in history as one of the most significant public corruption or public fraud cases in Iowa,'' U.S. Attorney Matthew G. Whitaker said during a news conference. ''This case demonstrates how not to operate an organization that receives federal funds.''

Whitaker's assessment came Monday, shortly after the Central Iowa Employment and Training Consortium's former CEO, Ramona Cunningham, admitted she had diverted federal funds to her own pocketbook and to a handful of her colleagues at the federally funded job training agency.

Cunningham pleaded guilty to eight of the 30 federal charges she had initially faced. Prosecutors say they'll argue for her to spend 7 to 10 years behind bars.
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Iowa Scandal Corruption CIETC Ramona Cunningham

Ramona Cunningham Back In The News

She's Ain't What She Used To Be...

Ramona Cunningham suffers from major depression and had "overdosed on handfuls of medicine" in an attempt to kill herself last fall, a psychiatrist testified this morning.

Cunningham, the former chief executive of the Central Iowa Employment and Training Consortium, did not join three co-defendants who stood trial last month on fraud and conspiracy charges in Davenport. Her attorney, William Kutmus, argued that she was unable to assist in her defense. Federal prosecutors have argued that their expert witness examined Cunningham and found her mentally fit.

Today’s hearing was scheduled to determine when and if she will stand trial.

Cunningham faces 30 charges related to the CIETC pay scandal. Prosecutors allege that nearly $2 million in public money was misspent over a three-year period, with much of it going to huge salaries and bonuses for CIETC’s top executives.

Federal prosecutors have argued that their expert witness examined Cunningham and found her competent to stand trial.
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CIETC Iowa Government Corruption Workforce Development

CIETC's Queen Of Government SCAM Appeals Sentence

Ramona Cunningham Appeals
Diverts Attention From $2.4 Million In Restitution

Ramona Cunningham, former chief executive officer of the Central Iowa Employment and Training Consortium, apparently disagrees with the judgment made by Chief District Judge Robert Pratt during a hearing on Dec. 15. He told Cunningham that the sentence, which includes prison time followed by three years supervised release, was meant to "send a signal" to private and public CEOs who abuse the public trust.

Cunningham's daughter, Kelly Ayers, signed a notice of appeal to the U.S. Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals just a couple of days after the sentencing hearing.

Telephone messages left at a number listed for Ayers, and for Cunningham's attorney, Bill Kutmus, on Monday seeking comment weren't immediately returned. The U.S. attorney's office declined to comment on the appeal.
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Iowa CIETC Scandal Ramona Cunningham

Ramona Cunningham Get 7 Years In The Slammer

The Queen Of CIETC Goes To Jail
Pleaded Guilty To 8 of 30 Charges

Former Central Iowa Employment and Training Consortium CEO Ramona Cunningham was sentenced Monday in U.S. District Court in Des Moines. She was accused of being the mastermind behind a scam that involved misspending more than $1.5 million on huge executive bonuses and salaries from January 2003 to April 2006.

She pleaded guilty in June to 8 of the 30 federal charges she faced.
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Ramona Cunningham: Iowa's Most Famous Scandal Poster Girl...

Iowa CIETC Scandal Ramona Cunningham

Marc Hansen Whines For Ramona Cunningham

Believes Ramona Rancor Reaches Unhealthy Level

Says Ramona Cunningham is not the worst person in the world...

Des Moines Register Columnist Marc Hansen has become a Basu wannabe. After months of weeping over the deportation proceedings of Iowa's famous SS Guard John Hansl, he has now taken up the cause of Ramona Cunningham. Apparently Hansen has empathy for the accused while disregarding victims. He evidently cannot understand why the Ramona's of this world are so despised and criticized.

The worst criticisms come from honorable women: Those who have broken through the glass ceiling in a respectable way. The women who have worked for and obtained their college degrees. The women who are honest and hardworking, those women who are qualified for their position and earn their salaries. Women who command respect, honor, dignity and trust...

Ramona will eventually have her trial. Many were not impressed with her testimony before the Legislature and her assertions that she felt she deserved to earn more money than the governor. I just read Judge Robert Pratt has rescheduled the trial of Ramona Cunningham for July 8.
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Get A Life, Marc Hansen...

Des Moines Register Iowa CIETC Scandal

CIETC Trial To Proceed Without Ramona

New Presiding Judge and Still No
"I Believe I Earned" It Ramona Cunningham

Former CIETC boss Ramona Cunningham will not stand trial with three co-defendants on April 7 so lawyers can resolve questions about her sanity, a federal judge ruled Thursday.

The ruling creates a question as to when Cunningham will face a jury on federal fraud and conspiracy charges that stem from her days as executive director of the Central Iowa Employment and Training Consortium. Authorities say between $1.5 million and $1.8 million was misspent at the agency, mostly on unearned salaries and bonuses.

There will be no delay, however, for Cunningham's co-defendants in the case: former CIETC treasurer Karen Tesdell, former board member Dan Albritton and former Iowa Workforce Development supervisor Jane Barto.
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***

U.S. District Judge Ronald Longstaff has filed an order saying he won't be able to hear the case involving the defunct Central Iowa Employment and Training Consortium. Chief Judge Robert Pratt has been assigned in his place.
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CIETC Iowa Government Corruption Workforce Development

CIETC Federal Trial Details From Davenport

The Money and Sex Connection Staring
Ramona Cunningham and Archie Brooks

Former Des Moines city councilman and CIETC board Chairman Archie Brooks took the stand against them.

Sexual affairs and bonus payments took center stage Thursday morning at the Central Iowa Employment and Training Consortium trial in Davenport.

Brooks told the jury he pleaded guilty to federal criminal charges and he was in court to testify as part of a plea deal.

Brooks said he and Cunningham had a personal relationship for 15 months. Brooks also admitted that during two of their private encounters, he signed off on executive raises and bonuses that went to Cunningham and others at CIETC.
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CIETC Corruption Scandal