Free Republic

Two years after Congressman John Murtha ambushed brother Marines for reportedly slaughtering cowering Iraqi civilians at Haditha, Iraq he is embroiled in another battle--this one for his political life. His unlikely opponent in Pennsylvania's 12th District is an Army Reserve lieutenant colonel named William T. Russell, 47, a Desert Storm and Iraq war veteran who is barred by the Hatch Act from stumping until August 1 when his active duty stint ends. A Cinderella candidate running against the tide of Democratic hopefuls elsewhere, Russell is garnering national attention for his improbable early success. Speaking for Russell until he is free...

John Murtha, a fellow Marine, has been hung out to dry by The Washington Post. Deservedly so !

WASHINGTON - Rep. John Murtha predicted Monday that Democrats will not be able to pass any meaningful legislation to end the Iraq war until presidential primary elections are over next year. Murtha, a Vietnam veteran and war critic who chairs the appropriations subcommittee overseeing defense spending, conceded that not as many Republicans had broken with President Bush as many Democrats had predicted. "As soon as the primaries are over, you're going to see Republicans jumping ship," Murtha, D-Pa., said in a speech at the National Press Club. He said it will be difficult to get the 60 votes needed in...

WASHINGTON -- Pennsylvania's Rep. John Murtha is still the king of the earmark. The Johnstown Democrat has snagged more than $150 million in pet projects in the massive 2008 defense appropriations bill, putting him ahead of all 434 other House members, according to an analysis this week from Taxpayers for Common Sense, or TCS, a watchdog group. Mr. Murtha's ascent is not surprising. When his party won control of Congress last year, Mr. Murtha, one of the most senior members, again became chairman of the House's powerful panel on defense spending. But Democratic leaders have called for a 50 percent...

I visited John Murtha's Congressional district office in Johnstown yesterday and delivered these emails, as promised, with Darryl Sharrett's on top of the stack. For the benefit of anyone new to this thread: On May 17, 2006, Congressman Murtha said Marines had, "killed innocent civilians in cold blood," in Haditha, Iraq. Darryl Sharratt lives in the district that Congressman Murtha represents. Mr. Sharratt's son, Marine Lance Corporal Justin Sharratt, is under investigation for the November 19, 2005, deaths of civilians in Haditha. The investigating officer has strong recommended that the charges against LCpl Sharratt be dismissed. On July 10, 2007,...

Has Murtha no sense of decency? Recently, Lt. Col. Paul Ware, an investigator in the Haditha massacre case, issued a report recommending charges be dropped against Lance Cpl. Justin Sharratt. Not long ago, Congressman John P. Murtha locally declared the Marines guilty. This was done shortly after the incident hit the news and was based on the testimony of locals making the charges and before all the facts could be taken into evidence. The report specifically questions their credibility, since forensic results were inconsistent with the execution-style murders the locals claimed. In his abominable, politically motivated actions, Murtha acted as...

Funny how attempts at congressional ethics reform keep running into roadblocks like Rep. Jack Murtha. The Pennsylvania Democrat and chair of the House defense appropriations subcommittee is best known in this context as the man who once called the ethics package "total crap." He represents an economically depressed corner of southwest Pennsylvania whose largest city, Johnstown, has lost 5 percent of its population since 1990. Not even considering the man's unique personal qualities, one senses where this earmark story is headed. "Murtha has almost — but not quite — single-handedly created a new economy in his district," concludes Roll Call...

Pelosi Defends Murtha Vs. GOP Reprimand May 20 10:06 AM US/Eastern WASHINGTON (AP) - House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is defending a close Democratic ally whom Republicans want to reprimand for threatening a GOP lawmaker's spending projects. Pelosi, D-Calif., said she had "no idea what actually happened" during a noisy exchange in the House chamber last week between Reps. John P. Murtha, D-Pa., and Mike Rogers, R-Mich. "What I do know is that Congressman Murtha has—enjoys—an excellent reputation in the Congress on both sides of the aisle," said Pelosi in a broadcast interview taped Friday and aired Sunday. "He writes the...

On “Hardball” last night, John “Okinawa” Murtha bashed Gen. Petraeus, claiming he only came to Washington to “make political statements” and “only talks to the news media.”

Rumored ex-Marine John Murtha, Democrat congressman from Pennsylvania, has become the darling of the cut-and-run crowd for trying to place absurd restrictions on our troops, amounting to withdrawal from Iraq. Were Arab sheiks whispering into his ear? In case you missed the video on "I Love the '80s," Rep. Murtha was caught on tape negotiating bribes with Arab sheiks during the FBI's Abscam investigation in 1980. The Abscam investigation was conducted by Jimmy Carter's Justice Department, not right-wing Republicans. On tape, Murtha told the undercover FBI agent: "When I make a f***in' deal I want to make sure that I...

The U.S. Constitution defines treason as (1) levying war against the United States and (2) giving aid and comfort to its (presumably declared by Congress) enemies. This means that MoveOn.org-endorsed candidate John Murtha is not legally a traitor to our country. His recent actions are every bit as reprehensible as those Vidkun Quisling, Pierre Laval, and Benedict Arnold: another former war hero who turned his coat. U.S. Rep. Murtha touts way to choke off Iraq war reports, "U.S. Rep. John Murtha, a leading congressional opponent of the war in Iraq, on Thursday said his plans for placing conditions on how...

BREAKING NEWS: Conservatives with Attitude! insiders are informing us that Congressman John Murtha will DROP OUT of the running for the number 2 spot in the House as Majority Leader. Even if he does stay in the race, he will fall short by a few votes. This will serve as a big blow to Nancy Pelosi. Michael

For 26 years, the only portion of the FBI's undercover surveillance video of Jack Murtha meeting with an FBI agent he believed to be the representative of a rich Arab sheik was a 13-second clip that showed Murtha turning down an offer of a $50,000 bribe. Now that the full FBI surveillance video is available for viewing, the public can see for itself what went on in that room. And what it shows is this: For 26 years, Jack Murtha has been living a lie. For 26 years, Jack Murtha told his constituents that the only reason he sat with...

WASHINGTON — The race to be the No. 2 House Democratic leader turned nasty Tuesday, with challenger Rep. John Murtha accusing opponents of "swift-boat style attacks" that hark back to his days being investigated in the FBI's 1980 Abscam sting.

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) questioned soon-to-be House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's, D-Calif., commitment to eradicating corruption with her endorsement of one of the most unethical members in Congress, Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., to be majority meader of the House of Representatives. Murtha was listed in CREW's report, "Beyond DeLay: The 20 Most Corrupt Members of Congress (and five to watch)." As reported in the study and by the news media, Murtha has been involved in a number of pay-to-play schemes involving former staffers and his brother, Robert "Kit" Murtha. Eight incumbents in CREW's report lost their races...

Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), in line to become Speaker in January, is throwing her support to Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.) in the race for Majority Leader, a move that will be an early test of her influence and will weigh heavily on Murtha's contest with Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) for the post. Pelosi, in a letter distributed Sunday to newly elected House Democrats, wrote that Murtha's outspoken opposition to the war in Iraq helped change the electoral campaign for the House this fall. Murtha began calling for a U.S. pullout from Iraq a year ago, and his open opposition to...

MURTHA DECLARES BUSH A 'FAILED PRESIDENT;' IREY SUGGESTS HE LOOK IN A MIRROR IF HE WANTS TO SEE POLITICAL 'FAILURE' (MONONGAHELA, October 20) -- Washington County Commissioner and Pennsylvania 12th district Republican Congressional nominee Diana Irey -- responding to Jack Murtha's declaration in a teleconference press conference earlier today that President George W. Bush is a "failed President" and his is a "failed presidency" -- today released this statement: "Once again, Jack Murtha has proven that shooting from the lip is a recipe for disaster. Earlier today, on a teleconference press conference with U.S. Rep. Ike Skelton and U.S. Rep....

WHY DOESN'T JACK WANT TO DEBATE? REASON NUMBER 21: HE DOESN'T WANT ANYONE TO KNOW HE'S VOTED HIMSELF 12 CONSECUTIVE PAY RAISES Monday, October 16, 2006 (MONONGAHELA, October 16) -- Washington County Commissioner and Pennsylvania 12th district Republican Congressional nominee Diana Irey -- responding to Jack Murtha's refusal to meet with her to debate the issues -- today released this statement: "Why is Jack Murtha scared to debate me? Two leading newspapers in our district -- the Washington Observer-Reporter, and Jack Murtha's own hometown newspaper, the Johnstown Tribune-Democrat -- have now urged him to debate. Several TV stations have offered...

Dear Friend, Do you believe that a veteran who dares to speak out against the Bush administration forfeits his or her right to be honored for service to America? Of course not. But people who do are spending millions of dollars right now spreading lies and smears against veterans. Help The Patriot Project expose and stop anti-veteran hate groups. I've seen first hand the good work that The Patriot Project has done. When the so-called "Vets for the Truth" started attacking me, my record, and my right to speak the truth about the war in Iraq, The Patriot Project fought...

WHY DOESN'T JACK WANT TO DEBATE? REASON NUMBER 19: HE DOESN'T WANT ANYONE TO KNOW HE'S TRIED TO TAKE A $50,000 BRIBE FROM AN UDERCOVER AGENT FOR THE FBI Wednesday, October 18, 2006 (MONONGAHELA, October 18) -- Washington County Commissioner and Pennsylvania 12th district Republican Congressional nominee Diana Irey -- responding to Jack Murtha's refusal to meet with her to debate the issues, despite newspaper editorials urging him to debate, a League of Women Voters offer to host and sponsor a debate, and local television stations' offer to air the debate -- today released this statement: "Monday we began our...

The defense industry is assessing the impact that Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.) will have on its fortunes if the Democrats retake the House in the midterm election. The sector has benefited from increased military spending in the past five years, but several lobbyists and industry insiders argue that long-term profits depend on steady defense budgets and predictable investment in next-generation weaponry. And some within the industry believe that Murtha could be the man with whom to hedge their bets. He is a longtime supporter of the industry and a hawk, but has emerged in the past year as his party’s...

The publication of Hubris is filled with irony for David Corn, Washington editor of the left-wing Nation magazine. He was present at the creation of the Valerie Plame "scandal," which the enemies of George W. Bush hoped could bring down a president. Nobody was more responsible for bloating this episode. Yet Corn is coauthor of a book that has had the effect of killing the story. Thanks to Corn's intrepid coauthor, Newsweek investigative reporter Michael Isikoff, Hubris definitively revealed then-Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage as my source that Joseph Wilson's wife, Valerie, worked for the CIA and suggested her...

SEAN HANNITY, CO-HOST: It was one of the biggest congressional scandals in our country's history. It was called Abscam. Undercover FBI agents posed as Middle Eastern businessman and attempted to bribe members of the U.S. Congress in return for political favors for a fictional Arab sheik. Now, 31 officials were targeted and when the dust cleared, one senator and five members of the House were convicted on bribery and conspiracy charges. But one man who was caught on tape with the undercover agents was never indicted. His name: Congressman John Murtha of Pennsylvania. Now, after 26 years, the tape of...

Getting close to those November elections and the political arena is heating up. Beginning with Florida's Foley, those emails and damning instant messages. On to the NIE report that has the Dems shaking their cowardly fingers although the thing says essentially nothing. Oh, and the complete transcript of the ABSCAM Murtha video is released and tune in for a blessed rant on this creep. Finally, UN worker falls into nuclear tank, that Arizona 911 memorial from hell and how John McCain blabbed security secrets on national TV.

For more than 26 years, Congressman John P. "Jack" Murtha (D-Penn.) has not been truthful about his involvement in Abscam, court records and the complete video of his meeting with the FBI show. In recent years, only a 13-second video of Murtha's videotaped meeting with the FBI agents was publicly available. TAS has obtained a copy of the full, original video from a source close to the Abscam investigation on the condition of anonymity. The court transcript is publicly available at the National Archives. (To see the full video, click here. For a transcript of the meeting, click here.) Murtha...

Here is a simple way to get the facts out about ABSCAM Murtha. If you have a website or blog, it is simple to post a copy of the video as an embed on your website without having to upload a thing. The American Spectator has posted a full copy of the video on Google Video, found here. To get the HTML code, simply click "Blog" and then click "Embed HTML" and the code will be revealed. Paste this code into your blog or website (or even message boards which allow embeds) and the video can be played from your...

Murhta's Abscam video about to be shown for the first time in 26 years on Hannity and Colmes!

Stephanopoulos to Murtha:  "Democrats are worried about your leadership" Congressman John Murtha was questioned this morning by Sunday morning talk show host George Stephanopoulos regarding his announcement Friday that he is again campaigning for House Majority Leader. Stephanopoulos said Democrats are worried about his leadership. The reason? Murtha's questionable ethics. Stephanopoulos cited ABSCAM and tens of millions of Defense contract dollars going to the KSI lobbying firm of Murtha's brother as reason for Democrats' concern. Murtha responded that he was 'cleared of all charges" in the ABSCAM case; and his brother's millions were acquired ethically. "Everything we do in...

The question of whether Rep. John Murtha is a crook or not is now definitive. Congressman John Murtha’s full 54-minute ABSCAM meeting is out. An article in today’s American Spectator, based on the 54-minute video and scores of sworn testimony given by Murtha under oath, reveals a congressman anxious to cut a deal on his terms. The article includes a link to the full 54-minute video online. Here Everyone would expect a congressman who had a near-fatal brush with the ABSCAM scandal to steer as far away from further controversy and ethical questions as possible. This has not been the...

For more than 26 years, Congressman John P. "Jack" Murtha (D-Penn.) has not been truthful about his involvement in Abscam, court records and the complete video of his meeting with the FBI show. In recent years, only a 13-second video of Murtha's videotaped meeting with the FBI agents was publicly available. TAS has obtained a copy of the full, original video from a source close to the Abscam investigation on the condition of anonymity. The court transcript is publicly available at the National Archives. (Too see the full video, click here. For a transcript of the meeting, click here.)

... John Murtha did his own version of Bill Clinton's recent tear on Fox News. Mr. Murtha's reaction was misdirected; the reporter represented Reuters, which is not known for vast right-wing conspiracy bona fides. The reporter: "...[y]our position paper calls for a pullout of all combat troops by 2008. Do you folks have a plan to prevent Iraq from becoming a failed state that could prove a breeding ground for more terrorism that could directly threaten the United States?" Mr. Murtha: "Where have you been? ...[i]t's cost over $400 billion today. Let me tell you they said that they would...

<p>Sept. 26, 2006... Local Johnstown, PA station WJAC-TV announced during their 11PM news cast that former presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry will be speaking at the Murtha anti-war counter rally this Saturday. Murtha's counter rally is organized by former Sen. Max Cleland of Georgia. Former presidential candidate Gen. Wesley Clark is also expected to speak.</p>

IREY ADVISORY: DIANA IREY TO CALL FOR FEDERAL INVESTIGATION INTO MURTHA FUNDRAISING PRACTICES Tuesday, September 26, 2006 (PITTSBURGH, September 26) -- Washington County Commissioner and Pennsylvania 12th district Republican Congressional nominee Diana Irey -- the woman standing up to U.S. Rep. Jack Murtha -- will hold a press availability today, Tuesday, September 26, on the sidewalk outside the office of the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania, at 700 Grant Street, in Pittsburgh, at 11 AM. Irey will release a letter she is delivering today to U.S. Attorney Mary Beth Buchanan requesting an investigation into Rep. Murtha's fundraising...

September 2, 2006 Well, it seems that my briefing have gotten a little behind schedule, and I apologize for that! In self-defense, however, I have to say that things have been hectic. Since the last update, a lot of things have happened, most of which Linda Eddy has already put up on the website. But let me just mention a few things that have happened and are still happening; we are on the MOVE! First, we have confirmed that the Oct. 1st rally will be indoors in a climate-controlled environment—in the Cambria County War Memorial Arena. Next, we have lined...

Come to the National VFTT Boot Murtha Rally Sunday, Oct. 1st in Johnstown, PA Rally Location: Cambria County War Memorial Arena, 2 p.m. If you're considering going and spending the night, book your room now! The Max Cleland groupies that are rallying the day before aren't simply there to counter us. They're also trying to fill hotel rooms before we do.

WELCOME BACK, MAX!Max Cleland is coming back to Johnstown!! Former Sen. Max Cleland of Georgia is throwing a rally in Johnstown, PA for Rep. John Murtha -- the day before Vets for the Truth's Boot Murtha Rally.The news is highlighted in the following release from Murtha's re-election committee: [EXCERPT:]JOHNSTOWN, Pa., Aug. 25 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The Murtha for Congress Committee said that former U.S. Sen. Max Cleland (D-Ga.) announced last night he's leading a large-scale effort among his veteran brothers to support U.S. Rep. John P. Murtha (D-Pa.), who is coming under attack from "radical right-wing forces in the...

August 26, 2006... Operation Street Corner Action Report! Boots on the Ground for the soldiers in the fieldOSC goes to the Great Patriot PA Biker Event!– A hot day outside of Monaca, PA –Aug. 26, 2006, Monaca, PA... Vets for the Truth / Boot Murtha took its traveling OSC displays to the Rolling Thunder (PA Chapter 4) Great Patriot Biker Event. The event was held just outside Monaca on a great strip of land right along Route 18 at the Midway Bar & Grill. We were able to meet multitudes of great people and American patriots and discussed issues one-on-one with our...

LETTERS, FAXES AND E-MAILS TO THE EDITOR (Star-Telegram) Veterans against Murtha Jim Wright and other Democrats have been bemoaning a potential "Swift-boating" of Democratic Rep. John Murtha of Pennsylvania. (See Sunday commentary "Another casualty of war.") Beautiful poetry aside, let's set the record straight. In 2004, the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth provided a tremendous service by exposing the disgraceful Vietnam War conduct of John Kerry, the Democratic presidential nominee. I happily donated to their cause and would proudly join them again in defense of our nation's military. But that stellar organization isn't involved with the planned Oct. 1 rally...

MATTHEWS: Draw us a picture of what happened in Haditha. MURTHA: Well I'll tell you exactly what happened. One Marine was killed and the Marines just said we're gonna take care...we don't know who the enemy is, the pressure was too much on them, so they went into houses and actually killed civilians and...I... MATTHEWS: Was this My Lai? When you say cold blood Congressman, a lot of people think you're basically saying you've got some civilians sitting in a room or out in a field and they're executed on purpose... MURTHA: That's exactly what happened. MATTHEWS: ...not because any...

"...[w]hen people lose confidence in that official, they have no power at all." [said Murtha] Mr. Murtha's outspokenness has made him a target. A North Carolina-based group called Vets for the Truth has launched a "Boot Murtha" campaign, inviting protesters to an Oct. 1 rally in Johnstown. Organizer Larry Bailey is a retired Navy SEAL who said he was driven not by Mr. Murtha's stance on troop redeployment but by the congressman's assertion in May, before a thorough investigation, that Marines in Haditha had killed innocent Iraqi civilians "in cold blood." "I have some misgivings myself about what's going on...

John Murtha... is taking obscene criticism from the right for daring to point out that the Bush administration has given our troops an all-but-impossible job in Iraq. The 17-term congressman had already inflamed the Swift Boat crowd last year by calling for a rapid withdrawal of U.S. forces. The fallout reached a ridiculous low point last fall when a Republican congresswoman who'd never been within several time zones of a battlefield called Murtha, winner of two Purple Hearts, a coward on the House floor. [Coop note: Any bets as to how close any of these editors ever came to a...

IREY TO MURTHA: WHY DO YOU WANT A CEASE-FIRE WITH PEOPLE WHO MURDERED MARINES?(MONONGAHELA, August 8) -- Washington County Commissioner and Pennsylvania 12th district Republican Congressional nominee Diana Irey -- responding to Jack Murtha's stated desire for Israel to lay down its arms and stop defending itself against attacks from Marine-murdering Hezbollah terrorists in southern Lebanon -- today released the following statement: "Last Wednesday, Jack Murtha said he wanted an immediate cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah. "That is, he wants Israel to lay down its arms and no longer defend itself against terrorists who have already rained thousands of crude...

When the Rightroots effort began, it sounded like a great way to counter the KosKids/Nutroots incursions into key congressional races. One of the weaknesses of the Nutroots seemed to be picking candidates with their emotions rather than with their brains {if any}. Many of those Kos selected had no practical chance to win, so not only was the money raised a waste, but with each new defeat the project took on the air of windmill-tilting. Then, when The Florida Masochist gave Rightroots his "Knucklehead of the Day" award, I began to worry. Diane Irey, opposing anti-war, anti-Marine John Murtha, is...

We cannot recall when, if ever, a congressional race in our corner of the world developed a national focus, but such was the case last week. Unfortunately, it was characterized by the kind of overheated rhetoric that plagues today's politics. A group of veterans announced it would sponsor a national veterans rally in October to protest Rep. John Murtha's opposition to the Iraq war. "Vets for the Truth" is a successor to one of the organizations that worked against John Kerry in the 2004 presidential election. But the group does not simply disagree with Murtha that the United States should...

"I don't understand turncoats as Murtha and Kerry..Where do they think their freedoms come from. The U.N.? As an Iraqi Freedom Veteran it turns my stomach. Shut these FOOLS down!" Radel, William D. "I am an active duty CW5 here at Ft. Bragg NC. I have been deployed into theater 3 times for about 24 months and am deploying to Afghanistan late this year. I am so disgusted as a Pennsylvanian to know that Murtha is representing my state. That he would sell down the river any chance those Marines might have for a fair trial is beyond reprehensible. ......

(KDKA) PITTSBURGH The attention on Rep. John Murtha and his strong stand on the way the war in Iraq is being conducted has some Republicans out to defeat Murtha in the next election. KDKA Political Editor Jon Delano sat down with the congressional candidate who wants to do exactly that. Her name is Diana Irey. Voters in Washington County know her very well as one of their three county commissioners. But in fourteen weeks voters in nine southwestern counties will have the chance to send her to congress -- and if they do, it will send a loud message about...

The Republican National Committee's eCampaign Director -- Patrick Ruffini -- has sent out an e-message to America. Writes Ruffini: "A group of prominent conservative bloggers is turning discussion into action with the launch of Rightroots – an effort to support some of the most important House and Senate candidates of this election cycle..." A visit to the newly online "Rightroots" website shows a listing of GOP candidates deemed "the most important House and Senate candidates for this 2006 election cycle." Included in this select group: Diana Irey -- Congressman John Murtha's PA District 12 opponent! The brand new website serves...

The “Swift Boat” veterans who grabbed national headlines in 2004 when they attacked John Kerry in his failed presidential bid now are turning their sights to Johnstown. Their target is U.S. Rep. John Murtha... Armed as a new group – Veterans for the Truth – they’re bringing their campaign to “Redeploy John Murtha From Congress” to his backyard. They plan to hold a national rally in Johnstown in October “to show their outrage at John Murtha over what he is saying about our troops,” ... Details of the rally will be outlined at a news conference at 11 a.m. Thursday...

GREEN TREE, Pa. (AP) — With less than 100 days remaining in his re-election campaign and trailing in the polls, U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum painted his Democratic opponent as running solely on name recognition. "When you elected Rick Santorum, you didn't elect someone who came from a proud political legacy. You didn't elect someone who had a great name in Pennsylvania politics," he said, referring to his opponent, state Treasurer Bob Casey, whose late father was Pennsylvania's governor from 1987 to 1995. "You elected someone with great heart and great passion to fight for things you care (about)," Santorum told...