Congressman John Murtha Dead at Age 77

I've pretty much stated everything I felt about it here.

The Lord will sort it out.

What Price, Treason?

Despite "Jihad Jack" Murtha's treasonous betrayal of the Haditha Marines (for which he has yet to apologize); despite numerous sweetheart deals with cronies who continually line his campaign coffers; despite documented corruption going all the way back to Abscam in the early 1980s; despite all this and more, PA-12 voters have somehow found it within themselves to hold their collective noses at the polling place and re-elect Murtha, time and time-again. All because of Murtha's reputation of "bringing home the pork" for PA-12.

Yes, PA-12 again and again sold their souls elected a self-serving, traitorous politician in the grand tradition of Huey Long and other kings of corruption, because of the millions upon millions of dollars in booty that the corpulent political pirate brought home for his district.

So, what have the voters of PA-12 received in return for selling their souls?

Not much:

The Post analysis illustrates the fleeting success of some of the companies backed by earmarks. Some of the jobs generated by Murtha's earmarks cost about $2 million each, and scores disappeared as soon as projects were completed.

Peter Fiske, a former defense executive in Murtha's district, said awarding earmarks to fledgling companies often backfires, a problem that might be avoided with a more rigorous assessment of project risks. Fiske helped found RAPT Industries, a company that Murtha forecast would generate 45 new jobs. It shuttered its four-person office this year.

"If you looked at Congressman Murtha's efforts in the same way you look at an investor's efforts, it's easy to see that the business model originally conceived hasn't really panned out in terms of its rate of return, " Fiske said.

This is only the tip of the iceberg, of course. Murtha's self-named monument, the airport to nowhere, despite its hefty price tag, still has few flights. An 8-million dollar radar system continues to go un-utilized, due to the fact that there is no one around who is qualified to operate it.

So, PA-12... what did your 30 pieces of silver you deposit at the polling place every two years get you?

The question remains: In 2010, will you continue to pay your tribute to your faux provider-god, or will you finally come to your senses and do yourself (and your nation) a favor and elect an honest man, for once.

Murtha won't let military directly lobby for their needs

It has long been known that Jack Murtha has been living high off the hog with regard to earmarks that have been given to his military contracting buddies. As a matter of fact, he's making such good money from his beneficiaries that he wants to streamline the earmark process: He plans to bypass advice by members of the military altogether:

The House’s top defense appropriator has pledged to help strengthen the role of the Pentagon’s comptroller in an effort to curb lobbying by the military services for their controversial programs.

Why should he listen to the military, as the military itself doesn't provide Jack with campaign contributions.

As I've stated before, Jack Murtha does nothing without there being something in it for Jack Murtha. To Jack Murtha, the military is merely a tool he uses to keep his fat backside in power, or to advance his political career, a/la his slanderous declaration of guilt toward the Haditha Marines.

I don't know; perhaps I'm a bit too cynical. I'm absolutely positive that there is no lobbying going on when Concurrent Technologies receives a taxpayer-funded porkbarrel contract to the tune of $200 million dollars... or is there?

Yet, the Murtha situation is very troubling when you look at CTC’s Form 990. With the exception of three individuals listed on the schedule of officers and directors, all have contributed to Murtha’s congressional campaigns since 2002.

[SNIP]

The Times also notes that CTC has paid somewhere around $500,000 to a lobbying firm. The lobbying firm's executives and clients have contributed over $1.2 million to Murtha in campaign contributions (the Times refers to these as donations) since 1999, according to the Times.

So we have a congressman who was a driving force behind the creation of this tax-exempt entity. That same congressman is earmarking significant amounts of money to that organization. Those who are in control of the organization (several of whom receive significant salaries from CTC) contribute large amounts of money to the congressman’s campaign. We can only wonder how the entity distributes the federal grant money within the local community.

I mean, with sweetheart deals like that, why should Murtha even bother to take the time listen to those pesky military folks who actually know what they need?

I mean, there's gold in them there earmarks, right, Jihad Jack?

(Cross-posted at Murtha Must Go!!)

Jihad Jack Murtha Stands By His Lies.

(Cross-posted at Murtha Must Go!!)

If there was ever a more brazenly self-serving, arrogant man alive than John "Jihad Jack" Murtha, I've yet to find him:

CNSNews.com: “Recently, all the charges were dropped with the soldiers involved in the Haditha event. You had been on TV with CNN and different outlets and you were saying that they were, quote, the civilians were killed in cold blood, end quote. But now that the charges have been dropped, do you think that was the right thing to say?”

Rep. John Murtha: “Yes, I think it was, that’s my job. My job is due. Listen, the NCIS (National Criminal Investigation Service) came to exactly the same conclusion I did. They had a two-star general investigate it. General Hagee went over right after I spoke out and talked to all of the Marines in the field and said you got to stop this kind of killing.”

What the hell does "That's my job. My job is due" mean? Is it your job, Jihad Jack, to usurp the Constitutional protections of soldiers who lay their lives on the line to defend that very Constitution? Is it "your job" to pronounce guilt before any investigation has taken place?

You say that General Hagee went right over right after you "spoke out" [read: LIED] and talked to all of the Marines in the field, telling them "you got to stop this kind of killing." Where is your proof of that? Why should we take you at your word when you have proven time and time again that you will lie to protect your sorry-assed, corrupt, political career? Did you even bother to look at the facts, Jihad Jack? Hell--you didn't even wait for an official briefing before you opened your big fat piehole on that fateful day in May of 2006, when you couldn't wait to run in front of the nearest camera to spill your bile--all just so you could pad your resume to advance your big, fat, self-serving backside to a coveted House Majority Leader post.

Jihad Jack Murtha: We here at Murtha Must Go!! continue to stand with our demand that you apologize and forthwith resign your seat in the House of Representatives. If you can't back up your story, if you can't back up your lies with facts, then you not only need to resign your post, but you need to be tried for slander.

We here at Murtha Must Go!! know of course that you will not do the honorable thing, because YOU HAVE NO HONOR!

Nonetheless, Congressman John Murtha, we here at Murtha Must Go!! will not rest until justice has been served!

We ask all like-minded readers to fill out the "Vets For Freedom" petition on the sidebar of this blog to call on Jack Murtha to apologize for his abject slanderous remarks and his blatant disregard for the principles inherent in the United States Constitution which his oath of office demands that he uphold.

(Cross-posted at Murtha Must Go!!)

On Calling a Spade a Spade...

Amen Terry Everett!

WASHINGTON - Republican Rep. Terry Everett of Alabama unleashed an unusually harsh attack on a House colleague, calling decorated Vietnam War veteran John Murtha, D-Pa., a cut-and-run idiot.

"Don’t talk to me about defense," Everett, who is retiring at the end of this term, said during a radio interview this week. "Cut-and-run John Murtha is in charge of the appropriations committee for defense and he is certainly no friend of the military.

"And don’t talk to me about him being an ex-Marine. Lord, that was 40 years ago. A lot of stuff can happen in 40 years. Thank you for your service as being an ex-Marine but that doesn’t mean you’re (not) an idiot, and he is," Everett said of Murtha.

Of course Murtha was shocked, shocked, I tell you!

Murtha, the House’s biggest recipient of home-state pet projects and a key distributor of them to other lawmakers as chairman of the House Appropriations defense subcommittee, has been a leading critic of the war in Iraq. His spokesman, Matthew Mazonkey, said in a statement that Murtha would not "stoop to that level" by responding to personal attacks.

Not surprising, to tell you the truth. Since the ol' gasbag "Jihad Jack" has still refused to respond to the fact that made personal attacks of his own when he falsely accused some Marines of being cold-blooded killers.

Like I've always said about Jihad Jack, he supports our troops like arsonists support firefighters.

Murtha's self-centered, reckless actions literally made life a living hell for Marines whose only crime was following ROE. Not to mention a living hell for their families.

And no apologies. Not. One. Word.

Where are the apologies, Jack Murtha? Where is your resignation, Jack Murtha?

Murtha's Tentacles of Corruption run deep in PA-12

"Unlimited power is apt to corrupt the minds of those who possess it"

-William Pitt the Younger, The Earl of Chatham and British Prime Minister from 1766 to 1778

Nowhere does this phrase ring with more clarity and truth than in PA-12, and in no heart more so than the soul-less Jack P. Murtha. After making this post, I took the liberty to telephone Lt. Col. (ret) William T. Russell and get his take on the slimy she-nanigans afoot to remove him from the ballot to challenge the perennial political boss of PA-12. What I found was nothing less than nauseating.

As the Johnstown Democrat stated,

The challenge was filed by two local Republicans: Former Johnstown Mayor Don Zucco and attorney Jeanne McKelvey.

In what was an ominous statement that could have otherwise been uttered by a Stepford wife,

Zucco said only, “There are lots of ways to support the congressman.”

Aside from being totally non-sensical, what could drive a former Republican mayor, one who actually signed the petition to put Russell on the ballot, to initiate a petition to recall the ballot? Zucco reportedly lives across the street from Murtha. What kind of quid pro quo would make Zucco turn tail and not only run away from Russell, but attempt to derail the nomination of a viable candidate from his own party?

The answer, my dear readers, is found in the climate of fear created over three decades of immoral, corrupt, political powerbroking in PA-12 that would make the likes of Don Vito Corleone seem like Albert Schweitzer in comparison.

The history of corruption that has been Murtha's decades-long tenure in the U.S. House of Representatives, time and time-again chronicled on this blog, has resulted not in a constituency representative of a free people, but rather a fiefdom of serfs afraid that any action against their liege would turn into certain repercussions by a nefarious network that could easily be labeled the Murtha Crime Syndicate.

Rather than utilizing his office in a manner befitting a public servant, Jack Murtha has displayed a clear pattern of abuses that has allowed him to cleave onto power just as surely as the legendary hydra clung onto a sinking ship as its hapless captives drowned.

It just so happens that Murtha's corruption has bought the allegiance of nearly half of the Republican party structure in PA-12, not to mention countless professionals who are afraid to sign a public petition, or be on a list of contributors to a contender, lest they face retribution at a workplace in which Murtha's largesse has been a benefactor. William Russell recounted a number of occasions of talking to professionals who would like nothing more than to see Murtha go, but at the same time are afraid to be publicly seen supporting an opponent.

PA-12's allegiance to Jack Murtha, while certainly bringing about a booty of baubles and beads, has at the same time left them captive to the whims and fancies of a bald-faced, ruthless tyrant.

The venerable Thomas Jefferson once acutely observed, “A government afraid of it’s citizens is a Democracy. Citizens afraid of government is tyranny!”

It is time that the citizens of PA-12 renounce this travesty of government that has been the Murtha tenure in the U.S. Congress. It is time for men of character to stand up once and for all and declare that the emperor has no clothes, and once and for all break free of the fiefdom resultant of decades of greed and corruption.

Good citizens of PA-12. It is time to cast off the golden-fleeced shackles of servitude and to once again restore honor to your seat in the House of Representatives.

Good citizens of PA-12, Murtha Must Go!!

Jack Murtha: Unabashedly Porcine.

It is widely spread news that the National Drug Intelligence Center (NDIC) at Johnstown is more or less a slush fund for Jihad Jack Murtha's perpetual re-election to PA-12's U.S. congressional seat. A poster child for government waste and the consequences of the "earmark mentality," NDIC, and Murtha's connection to it, has been the subject of continuing ethics violation investigations. Not only is Murtha so arrogant as to accept his connection to the pork-laden, waste-laden redundant bureaucratic bloat-ocracy, he's proud of it:

Van Osdol: "Congressman, what about the National Drug Intelligence Center?"

Murtha: "You're from WTAE?"

Van Osdol: "Yes, sir."

Murtha: "Nice to see you."

Van Osdol: "What are you going to do to secure funding for that, sir?"

When Van Osdol tried to keep asking questions, one of Murtha's men tried to block the television camera.

Van Osdol: "Congressman, can you respond to the criticism that people say NDIC is just a pork barrel program?"

Murtha: "No comment. How's that?"

Van Osdol: "Why don't you want to talk about that program, sir?"

Murtha: "Just talk to them about it. Talk to NDIC."

Van Osdol: "We've talked to NDIC."

Murtha: "What did they tell you?"

Van Osdol: "They say you are the man who keeps it going."

Murtha: "That's right. You got that right."

Heh. Straight from the horse's pig's mouth.

PA-12, there's a reason that politicians, like diapers, need to be changed.

When it comes to pork...

Murtha remains the King....

From the New York Times, nonetheless:

The Pork King Keeps His Crown

The new earmark disclosure rules put into effect by Congress confirm the pre-eminence of Representative John Murtha at procuring eye-popping chunks of pork for contractors he helped put in business in Johnstown, Pa. The Pennsylvania Democrat, a power player on defense appropriations, exudes pride, not embarrassment, for delivering hundreds of millions of dollars in largesse to district beneficiaries. They, in turn, requite with hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign donations.

Mr. Murtha led all House members this year, securing $162 million in district favors, according to the watchdog group Taxpayers for Common Sense.

[SNIP]

In 1991, Mr. Murtha used a $5 million earmark to create the National Defense Center for Environmental Excellence in Johnstown to develop anti-pollution technology for the military. Since then, it has garnered more than $670 million in contracts and earmarks. Meanwhile it is managed by another contractor Mr. Murtha helped create, Concurrent Technologies, a research operation that somehow was allowed to be set up as a tax-exempt charity, according to The Washington Post. Thanks to Mr. Murtha, Concurrent has boomed; the annual salary for its top three executives averages $462,000.

There’s been no report of Mr. Murtha’s profiting personally. “This is about jobs,” the congressman insists. But the Murtha operation — which has become a model for other entrepreneurial lawmakers — is a gross example of quid pro quo Washington. Every one of the 26 beneficiaries of Mr. Murtha’s earmarks in last year’s defense budget made contributions to his campaign kitty, a total of $413,250, according to the newspaper Roll Call.

Once a Marine, now a bloatedly corrupt politician.

Is this really who you want representing you, PA-12???

Why Lt. Col. Russell has more than a chance to beat Murtha

There are those who believe that Lt. Col. William Russell has no chance to win against the Gasbag from Johnstown, Jack P(utz). Murtha (D-Al Qaeda).

To that I politely say, HOGWASH.

While Diana Irey, Murtha's most formidable opponent to date, garnered 39 percent of the vote and fell short of victory, certain circumstances exist today that weren't in play at the time of Irey's candidacy that play well in Russell's favor:

1. Haditha. The truth about Haditha had not yet come to light. There is no longer an argument regarding the fact that the Haditha Marines had *NOT* committed "cold blooded murder," as Murtha had so loudly proclaimed; and to this day Murtha refuses to apologize for and to retract his unfounded accusations.

One of the Marines that Murtha wrongfully accused of cold blooded murder, Justin Sharrat, is in actuality one of PA-12's own constituents. There is a heavy concentration of military personnel, both active and retired, in PA-12. The truth about Haditha, especially after having been brought to light not only by Darryl and Justin Sharrat, but also by the highly decorated candidate, Lt. Col. William Russell, shall sprout some mighty stout legs.

There is no honorable military person who, in good conscience, can vote for an ex-Marine who sold one of their own down the river. Just ask John Kerry.

2. William Russell is retired military.

While Diana Irey was bright, knowledgeable, and in every way competent, Lt. Colonel Russell will add yet another dimension of credibility to the mix that will appeal to PA-12's military voters. Not only is Russell retired military, his record is beyond reproach, and Russell exemplifies all that is honorable in a veteran; a stark contrast to his incumbent opponent.

3. Murtha continues to be corrupt.
His earmarks and other "boss politician" antics, while certainly bringing pork in the area to buy votes (this, being the latest example), at the same time have gotten additional scrutiny that had not been brought to bear, even in local media, until relatively recently.

Due to these factors, do not lose sight of the notion that now, more than ever, the Murtha Machine is a corrupt, and yet vulnerable machine that could well be on life support at this juncture, and that Lt. Colonel William Russell, via his weapon of honor and righteousness, will be the one to put this monster in retirement mode, once and for all.

For the latest news on Murtha and PA-12, be sure to visit Murtha Must Go!!

Whatcha gonna do now, Fatboy?

Looks like yet another Haditha Marine will soon be found innocent (all emphases mine):

(U.S. Marine Lt. Col. Jeffrey) Chessani was charged for dereliction of duty and violation of a lawful order. Specifically, prosecutors accuse him of failure to report or investigate the killings of Iraqi civilians, which would be a violation of war by Marines under his command. He faces up to 30 months in prison and dishonorable discharge from the Marines, if convicted.

In a sworn statement in August 2006, Chessani said the killing of civilians was unfortunate but he did not consider the shooting incident to be out of the ordinary or beyond routine combat.

It is a military order that commanders report to their superiors any time their subordinates violate the laws of war.

Chessani reported the incident on the day it happened, but prosecutors claim he did not report it to officials high enough in the chain of command, Rooney said. Further, it happened during combat and thus was not a violation of war, said Rooney.

[SNIP]

"A U.S. Army colonel and an Army general conducted two separate investigations and came to the same conclusion: There was no 'massacre' and no 'cover-up,'" said the law center's president, Richard Thompson, in a statement.

"Yet the government still pursued a multi-million dollar investigation in order to appease an anti-war politician and the blame-America-first media. Now we have the absurd situation of Lt. Col. Chessani being charged with failing to report and investigate a crime that never occurred," Thompson added.

The "anti-war politician" referred to by Thompson is Rep. Jack Murtha (D-Pa.), a retired Marine colonel who became a vocal critic of the Iraq war in 2005.

In May 2006, Murtha said at a Capitol Hill press conference: "There was no firefight. There was no IED that killed these innocent people. Our troops overreacted because of the pressure on them, and they killed innocent civilians in cold blood."

As chairman of the House Appropriations Committee and the Subcommittee on Defense, Murtha wields power over defense spending and that power potentially could influence the investigation and case against Ware, according to the law center.

In addition to Murtha, the law center's legal motions name other officials who supposedly biased the case, including Sen. John Warner (R-Va.) who, in 2006, was chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee and vowed to hold hearings on the matter; Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.), who compared Haditha to the My Lai massacre of Vietnam; and U.S. Navy Secretary Donald Winter, who also made comments that potentially could pre-judge the case, said Rooney.

"They all showed a bias that these men were guilty before an investigation was complete," Rooney told Cybercast News Service .

"It's frustrating to me, as a former Marine, that a lot of reporters, media types, and politicians have the worldview from the 1960s that never changed. They wanted to make this the new My Lai because they have tried from the beginning to make this the new Vietnam," he said.

And so it goes. As has been shown time and time again on this blog, Murtha opened his fat piehole and sold fellow Marines down the river so as to endear himself to those who he thought would give him a ticket to the Majority Leader gig in the U.S. House.

And now the chickens have come home to roost.

Will Murtha now apologize, or will he continue to cut and run from his responsibility in the matter?

A spokesman from Murtha's office could not be reached for comment on this story, nor could a spokesman from Warner's office.

What a freakin' surprise.

NOT!

New Contributors at Murtha Must Go!!

I'm proud to announce that we will have two more stellar contributors at Murtha Must Go!!

Darryl Sharratt, father of unlawfully and unjustly accused Haditha Marine, Justin Sharratt (and, incidentally, a resident of PA-12, Murtha's home district) has agreed to come on board!

Mr. Sharrat will bring up close and personal the damage that Murtha's ambitions have wrought against the best and bravest to further the unscrupulous congressman's own political ambitions.

Mr. Sharrat, along with his son, Justin, were recently featured on Hannity's America:



A hearty welcome to the team, Mr. Sharratt!

Your help in meting out justice to Jack Murtha in handing his big phat backside to him is most welcome!

A second stellar contributor to this blog will be Stephen Maloney.

Stephen R. Maloney is a former college professor, author of two books, and corporate speechwriter for major companies in petroleum and pharamaceuticals. He's currently devoted to building strong national support for Alaska Governor Sarah Heath Palin (the most popular elected official in the country) as a future President of the United States, as well as support for Melissa Hart and William Russell for Congress and Heather Wilson for the U.S. Senate. Steve is the father of five daughters. He's now writing a book on evangelicals and the future of the Republican Party.

Incidentally, Mr. Maloney is following quite closely the campaign of Murtha's most worthy challenger, William Russell. He, too, knows the stakes of the upcoming election and the importance of upending Murtha's tenure once and for all.

Welcome to the team, Mr. Sharratt and Mr. Maloney--it is indeed an honor and a privilege to have both of you aboard!

Here's to handing Murtha his own "big fat backside" to him in 2008!

Sincerely,

Leo Pusateri, blog originator.

The Truth About Haditha

Can be found at Murtha Must Go!!

Hey FatBoy--I do hear the Fat Lady Singing...

And it won't be a pretty tune for you...

You see, Jack Murtha will be forced to testify in a defamation suit filed by one of the Marines that he accused (without justification) of murdering civilians in cold blood.

William Teach over at Pirate's Cove has the details.

Payback's a bitch, ain't it Jack?

Hey Tribune-Democrat-- What Took You So Long?

From the Tribune Democrat:

Mud thrown at Murtha stains all of us

John Murtha represents the people of this region in all that he does.

We can’t accept the congressman’s earmark dollars with one hand and brush off his alleged transgressions with the other.

When he steps in mud, or when others throw mud at Murtha, we all get dirty.

That’s why, when questions are raised about possible improper activities at a Murtha-created organization, we get anxious.

And when a watchdog group rates our local congressman as being among “the most corrupt” lawmakers in Washington, we are embarrassed.

We don’t like being characterized as folks who support questionable activities, or who endorse troubling behavior by our elected officials.

In the past week, Murtha has taken shots from two sides over the way he does business in our nation’s capital.

The nonprofit Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, or CREW, released its third annual report on lawmakers. The group said 22 House and Senate members - 18 Republicans and four Democrats - were listed because of “their egregious, unethical and possibly illegal activities (as) the most tainted members.”

Specifically, Murtha was chosen – the group said – because of “abuse of his position on the (defense appropriations) subcommittee to benefit the lobbying firm of a former long-term staffer and for threatening to block earmarks of other members for political purposes.”

In 2006, CREW rated Murtha as a “dishonorable member” to be watched. CREW said he jumped into the “most corrupt” group in 2007 for “threatening a House member for criticizing earmarks ... a clear violation of House ethics.”

That incident was Murtha’s run-in with Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Mich., who unsuccessfully tried to kill a $23 million earmark for the National Drug Intelligence Center in Johnstown.

Meanwhile, Roll Call, a Capitol Hill news organization, reported that a Murtha-backed nonprofit group received government contracts and works with other companies Murtha has helped to fund.

The Pennsylvania Association for Individuals with Disabilities, or PAID, is run by former Murtha aide Carmen V. Scialabba.

Ex-U.S. Sen. Max Cleland, D-Ga., confirmed to The Tribune-Democrat that he had resigned from the PAID board of directors, saying: “Once I learned more about the organization, I just decided it was not for me.”

Cleland is Murtha’s friend. The triple amputee and Vietnam veteran came to Johnstown last fall to speak on Murtha’s behalf at a political rally in Central Park.

“I’m not associated with PAID,” Cleland said. “I am not interested in pursuing that relationship at all.”

In it’s report on PAID, Roll Call said the organization “can point to few successes that are unrelated to (Murtha).” Roll Call contacted various Pennsylvania disability organizations that said they never worked with the Johnstown-based charity.

In both cases – the PAID debate and the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics report – Murtha would not comment.

That’s his prerogative.

But our prerogative is to say what we think.

We’re weary of hearing about – and writing about – accusations concerning Murtha’s character, and we wish he seemed more concerned about them.

And we’re angry that “corrupt” is how many people view our local congressman.

Why is it that after ABSCAM, after Murtha's reckless slander of the Haditha Marines, after his sweetheart deal with Nancy Pelosi's nephew, after all we've been reporting on Murtha Must Go!! regarding Murtha since May, 2006, that the Johnstown Democrat is finally beginning to admit that they endorsed a slimeball to represent PA-12 in Congress. Don't get me wrong. Better late than never. But it's too bad that the editorial board at the Johnstown Democrat didn't take into account Murtha's shady character when they endorsed him in this last election.

Or in the last 16 elections, for that matter.

Perhaps they will think twice before doing so in 2008.

Will Jack Murtha Apologize Now???

Jim Addison over at Wizbang has this very interesting post (read it--please!) that underscores the fact that only one Marine continues to face charges in the alleged "Haditha Massacre," and that the case against that Marine is crumbling.

Gary Gross, as well as myself, have contacted Murtha's office for a statement each time one of the Haditha Marines had been acquitted of charges; only to be hung up on at the least, and/or given short shrift at the most, saying that Murtha's choice was to wait until all proceedings were done.

When this last Marine (Sgt. Frank Wueterich) is finally exonerated, where will John Murtha (D--PA-12) hide?

Sucks to be you, Jack.

Not only is Jack Murtha running for cover after falsely convicting Haditha Marines of cold blooded murder, now he's being bitten about the ankles by some dirty little things called earmarks.

Murtha's defense of earmarks questioned

By S.A. Miller
August 9, 2007

Mr. Murtha, who is one of the most prolific sponsors of earmarks in the Democrat-led Congress, defended the practice during debate Saturday night when questioned by Mr. Campbell and Rep. Jeff Flake, Arizona Republican.

“I think people around the country will be appalled ... to see Mr. Murtha stand up and say these contracts are competitively bid. They are not,” Mr. Flake said by telephone after returning home to Mesa, Ariz.

Mr. Flake commended new ethics rules passed this year that disclose more earmarks, but he lamented that the lawmakers allow the practice to flourish, regardless of what is disclosed.

“Ultimately, the system will change when people on the outside say, ‘This is enough," ” he said.

The bill contained 1,337 earmarks worth $3 billion, with $150 million in pork sponsored by Mr. Murtha.

Under the new rules, the number of earmarks in the defense bill dropped from the $10 billion in last year"s bill, but Mr. Murtha"s share of pork nearly doubled now that he is chairman, according to an analysis by Taxpayers for Common Sense.

Of course, true to the weasely nature of brave, brave Sir Murtha

Mr. Murtha did not respond to requests for comment.

However, Murtha did "explain" himself

He told the chamber that the pork spending, known as earmarks, is awarded in a competitive bidding process by the Pentagon and that the technology developed with federal dollars would be the property of the U.S. government.

Errr...nice try Jack:

“He"s got to know that"s not true,” said Rep. John Campbell, California Republican. “Clearly, the point of earmarks is they avoid the competitive bidding process.”

He also doubted that an earmark could establish a contractual agreement for product ownership, as did Steve Ellis, vice president of the government-watchdog group Taxpayers for Common Sense.

“I"ve looked at hundreds of thousands of earmarks over the years, and I"ve never seen one that stipulates ownership,” Mr. Ellis said.

Mr. Campbell said he was seeking documentation from the Defense Department to refute Mr. Murtha"s claims and force him to retract the statements.

But again,

Mr. Murtha did not respond to requests for comment.

Me thinks me sees a pattern here.


Seems as if Jack Murtha's credibility bubbles are popping about him, leaving behind a thick coat of slime.

Couldn't happen to a nicer guy.

This is Jack Murtha..

See Murtha Squirm.

Squirm, Jack, Squirm.

Heh.

Murtha--The Pork King!

When it comes to nabbing pork hard-earned taxpayer money and giving it to cronies, Murtha remains king!

Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.), chairman of the House Appropriations defense panel, has secured the most earmarked dollars in the 2008 military spending bill, followed closely by the panel’s ranking member Rep. Bill Young (R-Fla.).

Even though Young secured 52 earmarks, worth $117.2 million — and co-sponsored at least $27 million worth of others — Murtha’s 48 earmarks amount to a total of $150.5 million, according to a database compiled by the watchdog organization Taxpayers for Common Sense (TCS).

The House is expected to take up the $459.6 billion defense appropriations bill Friday. It contains 1,337 earmarks, costing $3.07 billion, which is less than half the number and value of earmarks in last year’s bill.

Keith Ashdown of TCS said, however, that the sum is derived from only the earmarks that the panel disclosed at the back of the bill’s report. He expects to find undisclosed projects as well.

[snip]

Murtha, the defense industry’s darling, has been known throughout his tenure on the defense panel to shell out a large number of earmarks. His biggest earmark in the bill is $23 million for the National Drug Intelligence Center (NDIC), a move that sparked a fierce fight with Rep. Todd Tiahrt (R-Kan.), who earlier this year voted in a private meeting to strip Murtha’s earmark.

The Bush administration requested $16 million to shut down the center, which is in Murtha’s district, because it replicated the work of a similar center.

Murtha’s second highest earmark is for $15 million for a military molecular medicine initiative.

Young has several requests valued at $5 million for projects such as ballistic missile range safety technology, the Common Aero Vehicle (another missile program) and rapid-response counter-measures to chemical and biological weapons.

A Murtha Earmark--up close and personal-like.

Murtha's "mystery earmark" saga has jogged the memory of Uncorrelated's Dave Calder of a similar earmark mystery that he encountered, that seemed to have Jack Murtha's grubby little paw prints all over it.

Read the whole story.

Fat Cat Murtha Bilks Taxpayers, Enriches self, friends

This continues to tell the tale of Murtha's less-than-storied, self-serving political career. Get fat campaign donations, then grease the palms of his donors with fat contracts--if they build in PA-12.

History again repeats itself (via Katie Favassa):

REP. FLAKE: This amendment would strike funding for the Center for Instrumented Critical Infrastructure. The center is to receive $1 million in taxpayer funding in this bill. When searching on the web my staff and I were unable to find the center's web site. I'm not sure whether the center currently exists or whether this earmark creates the center. I would appreciate that the sponsor of this earmark [Rep. John Murtha (D-PA)] would clear that up. All the bill says is it funds $1 million for the Center for Instrumented Critical Infrastructure in Pennsylvania. However, when you look at the certification letter that each member now, according to our earmark rules is required to submit, you see that the earmark is actually going to the Concurrent Technology Corporation based in Jonestown, Pennsylvania….

REP. FLAKE: I'm wondering in the report that accompanied the bill, it mentioned that the earmark was to go to the Center for Instrumented Critical Infrastructures. But the certification letter says that it's going to go to that but the earmark should actually go to Concurrent Technologies Corporation. Which is it, and if it is to Concurrent Technologies, why it isn't listed?

REP. VISCLOSKY (D-IN), ENERGY AND WATER SUBCOMMITTEE CHAIRMAN: It's my understanding it will go to the Center for Instrumented Critical Infrastructure.

REP. FLAKE: Does that center currently exist?

REP. VISCLOSKY: At this time I do not know. But if it does not exist the monies could not go to it.

REP. FLAKE: We were told in this process early on by the chairman of the Appropriation Committee that a different process was needed, that the earmarks should be added later in conference and not now because the Appropriation's Committee couldn't vet or scrub these earmarks well enough. I would submit this is a perfect example of that … I would submit that this one should be [stricken] as well when the chairman of the relevant subcommittee can't tell us if this center even exists. We don't know if it even exists…

REP. FLAKE: Yet, we have the report that comes with the bill that doesn't even mention Concurrent Technologies, just mentions this center as if it already existed, we don't know if it does. We can't find any information on it. Apparently we can't even get that information from the Appropriations Committee.”

Actually, Murtha did one better. He got a political tit-for-tat from one of his buddies for a company that by all accounts didn't even exist. When one follows the money, however, one does get an explanation:

UPDATE: I failed to report last night that a certificate filed with the requested funds says the money is actually earmarked to Concurrent Technologies Corporation, a nonprofit technological consulting firm. A brief search of campaign finance records shows CTC President and CEO Daniel R. DeVos, of alternately Central City and Johnstown, Pa. has contributed $7,000 to Murtha's reelection campaign since April 2002.

And for those of you who actually thought you were voting for ethics reform when you elected a democrat-controlled congress:

Despite the money's uncertain destination, the House rejected Flake's measure to strike the funds, 326-98. And the Visclosky bill also sailed through, 312-112.

Yeah. One more reason why congress needs more of our money like a junkie needs more crack. And yet one more reason why Murtha Must Go!!