Washington ? Some congressional Republicans, seeking to distance themselves from former Rep. Randy “Duke” Cunningham, are donating to charity political money that he gave them over the years.

Cunningham, who pleaded guilty Monday to taking $2.4 million in bribes in exchange for steering government work to defense contractors, had given colleagues money from his campaign account and a political action committee he created, the American Prosperity PAC.

Since the California Republican’s plea, more than a dozen GOP lawmakers and candidates have donated the money to charity or disclosed plans to do so.

Among them are Reps. Richard Pombo, of California; Jim Nussle, of Iowa; Heather Wilson, of New Mexico; and Charles Dent, of Pennsylvania; Sen. John Thune, of South Dakota; Minnesota Senate candidate and Rep. Mark Kennedy; and Oregon congressional candidate Jim Feldkamp.

Some of the lawmakers were facing calls from home-state opponents or opposition parties to get rid of the political money from Cunningham.