More Questions Raised In Congressman's Real Estate Deal

SAN DIEGO -- Some political watchdogs said Congressman Randy "Duke" Cunningham's personal statement regarding the sale of his Del Mar home is not enough. They said he needs to apologize.

Read: Cunningham's Personal Statement

The congressman said he "should have given more thought to the perception (this sale) might create." Political watchdogs said it looks bad, and that's all it takes.

Leaders at Common Cause, a nonprofit watchdog group based in Washington, want Cunningham to do more than issue a statement.

"If he doesn't go back and apologize to the people in his district for what he's doing there and indicating he's doing it, it appears to people that he's doing something bad," John Falchi, with Common Cause, said.

Cunningham addressed some of those appearances in this statement Thursday, saying he acted "honorable and honestly" but recognized that he "showed poor judgement in selling his home in Del Mar to a friend, defense contractor Mitchell Wade, who does business with the government.

Further research shows that after selling in the Del Mar house, Cunningham bought a five-bedroom, seven7½-bath home on 3 acres in Rancho Santa Fe.

An appraiser specializing in the Rancho Sante Fe area said he is surprised at the large drop in price.

Gady Amor said he's not giving an official appraisal, just merely his opinion.

He said ordinarily that large of a drop suggests the house was either listed too high to begin with or there was a very anxious seller.

According to real estate documents, Cunningham bought the house from Douglas Powanda, the former executive vice president of sales for Peregrine systems.

The Congressman's office is directing all further questions to his attorneys. 10News called late afternoon East Coast time and our calls have yet to be returned.