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You weren't wet. You weren't cold. You weren't hungry and yet you did these things.  I think what you've done is you've undermined the opportunity that honest politicians have to do a good job, the amount of money involved emasculates prior bribery crimes.

In arguments over sentencing, Assistant U.S. Attorney Phil Halpern told the judge that just as Cunningham's crimes were unprecedented, "so too should be his punishment."

While the congressman was living the good life, "he was squandering precious tax dollars for, among other things, systems the military didn't ask for, didn't need and frequently didn't use," Halpern said.

Cunningham pleaded guilty to accepting bribes from defense contractors and others in exchange for steering government contracts their way. They included a Rolls-Royce, a yacht, homes, travel, meals, Persian rugs valued at $40,000 each and various antique furnishings.

Among Cunningham's acquisitions was a 7,628-square-foot mansion in Rancho Santa Fe, one of America's wealthiest communities. Cunningham was ordered to forfeit his share of proceeds from the sale of the home, bought with the help of bribes from defense contractors, which sold in December for $2.6 million. The exact amount has not been determined, but is likely to be hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Cunningham, a Republican, represented San Diego-area districts for 15 years. The scale of his wrongdoing surpasses anything in the history of Congress, according to official Senate and House historians.