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MURTHA STICKS TO HADITHA SLANDER, DENIES FACTS IN EXONERATIONSCredits self as caring and wiseCongressman John Murtha (D-PA) sat down with the editors of the Uniontown Herald-Standard yesterday and was asked about the defamation lawsuit filed against by former Marine lance corporal, Justin Sharratt. In Haditha, Sharratt and SSgt Frank Wuterich faced armed insurgents in a dwelling labeled house 4 by investigators. The dead Iraqis in house 4 were all military-aged males. AK-47s along with Jordanian passports were recovered from the room. Forensic evidence disputed allegations that the four dead men had be executed. Sharratt had been falsely accused, and was...

Road to Victory Rally Saturday October 11th in Johnstown, PA Please join Governor Sarah Palin for a Road to Victory Rally in Johnstown, PA on Saturday October 11th.

Watch the interview at the source: Fox News (while it's up). Or see it now in Windows Media or as a Flash file (these are large files: they will take a couple-few minutes to load). Interview transcript:MEGYN KELLY: It has been one of the most talked about stories of the Iraq War: the so-called Haditha Massacre. Two dozen Iraqis killed by US Marines. After the news first broke, Pennsylvania Congressman John Murtha, a former Marine himself, was quick to condemn the accused Marines, saying they quote “murdered these Iraqis in cold blood”. Take a look at this exchange from MSNBC......

...Rep. John Murtha, who represents the 12th District, and 5th District Rep. John Peterson voted in support of the [bailout] plan. Congressman Bill Shuster, of the 9th District, voted against it. In a written statement, Shuster said his "primary responsibility has always been to protect the interests of the people who entrust me to represent them in Congress..." Murtha did not immediately issue a statement and said he would not do so until "we figure out what's going on right now."

Justin Sharratt and his attorney, Noah Geary, kicked off their media tour this morning on KDKA Radio. The two are publicizing the slander lawsuit against Congressman Murtha. (For more, see HERE.) The morning show on KDKA, with host Marty Griffin received an appalling number of calls from slander-lovers who stuck up for Murtha, the Slime Thing. Justin and Noah are scheduled to be on the Steve Malzberg show at 4:45 (though that can change with breaking news). Click HERE for more information Steve's show. Please consider calling the show at 1-800-321-8828 and let Justin and Noah know that real Americans...

Sharratt suit seeks 'justice' By Michael Jones, Staff writermjones@observer-reporter.com PITTSBURGH - Hours after filing a federal slander lawsuit against Congressman John Murtha, 24-year-old Justin Sharratt coolly described in one word what he wants from the man who said he and his fellow Marines killed "innocent civilians in cold blood." "Justice," Sharratt said without flinching. "Basically, just showing America that a congressman can't get on TV and say anything he wants." Sharratt, of Canonsburg, was charged in 2006 with three counts of unpremeditated murder after a battle on Nov. 19, 2005, in Haditha that left 24 Iraqis dead. The charges were...

Last modified: Friday, September 26, 2008 6:02 AM EDT In this photo taken from his official Web site, Marine Lance Cpl. Justin Sharratt, 24, of Canonsburg, waits for his trial to begin. He is suing U.S. Rep. John Murtha for slander, saying the Johnstown congressman presumed him guilty before he had his day in court. (Submitted photo) Marine sues Murtha for slander By MICHELLE GANASSIDaily American Staff WriterA Marine exonerated on murder charges in the Haditha encounter is suing U.S. Rep. John Murtha for convicting him in the media before his day in court. Marine Lance Cpl. Justin Sharratt,...

OUR JOURNEY—Not Quite Ended When our son, L/Cpl Justin Sharratt, was exonerated of murder charges involving a firefight in Haditha,Iraq our family was finally able to sleep. We set out to piece together our lives and make some sense as to what happened to us. Bringing Justin home seemed to be the medication our family needed. With Gods help and the support of thousands we made it through this dark period in our lives. Our family can now enjoy today, look ahead to tomorrow and plan for the future. The golf matches between father and son. An occasional fishing trip...

A former Marine lance corporal exonerated in the investigation into the killing of 24 civilians in Haditha, Iraq, has filed a slander suit against Rep. John P. Murtha (D-Pa.) for allegedly saying that the Marines "killed innocent civilians in cold blood." Lawyers for Justin Sharratt, 24, filed the lawsuit today in federal court in Pittsburgh. Sharratt's family lives in Murtha's district. Murtha, a former Marine and vocal opponent of the Iraq war, made his comments at a news conference in 2006, before Sharratt and seven other Marines were charged for the November 2005 killings. After a preliminary hearing at Camp...

First of all, here were the accusations from Congressman Murtha:

A Marine from Washington County today plans to sue U.S. Rep. John Murtha for publicly claiming his unit slaughtered innocent Iraqi civilians, according to the man's attorney. A lawyer for Lance Cpl. Justin Sharratt, 24, of Canonsburg on Wednesday announced plans to sue Murtha, D-Johnstown, for comments he made to news outlets concerning the November 2005 killing of about two dozen people in Haditha. Murtha repeatedly said Sharratt and seven fellow Marines "committed cold-blooded murder of innocent women and children," according to lawyer Noah Geary, who scheduled a news conference for 1:30 p.m. today to announce the lawsuit.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - A Marine Corps lance corporal from Pennsylvania has sued U.S. Rep. John Murtha, saying the Democrat lawmaker slandered him by saying he and other marines killed 24 Iraqis in Haditha in "cold blood."

One of the Marines cleared in the killings of Iraqi civilians in the town of Haditha plans to sue his congressman today for statements he says defamed him and other members of his squad. Former Marine Lance Cpl. Justin Sharratt, 24, of Canonsburg, will file a civil lawsuit against U.S. Rep. John P. Murtha, D-Johnstown, who was widely quoted two years ago saying that eight Marines carried out a cold-blooded killing of 24 civilians in the Iraqi town on Nov. 19, 2005.

Former Marine lance corporal, Justin Sharratt, files suit against Congressman John MurthaSecond defamation suit to be filed by a Marine who Murtha said "murdered innocent civilians in cold-blood". Sharratt is a constituent of Murtha in Pennsylvania's 12th District. Press conferences tomorrow. Developing. Story to follow.

The CBS television network battled it out with the Marine Corps Wednesday morning at the US Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces in Washington, D.C. The fight is over outtakes from a 60 Minutes interview with a Marine sergeant accused of killing civilians in Haditha, Iraq. Lawyers representing the three sides (the Marine Corps, CBS and SSgt Frank Wuterich) told the five-judge panel why, and why not, the Marine Corps should be entitled to video recordings the news program didn’t use. The interview was conducted by correspondent Scott Pelley for the 60 Minutes investigation, "The Killings in Haditha". It...

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) ― Lt. Col. Bill Russell was in the Pentagon when it was attacked on September 11th. "The office I was in was actually one floor up and about 150 feet from where the cockpit ended," says Russell. That experience and his military service in Iraq shaped Russell's strong support for the Iraq war and his political challenge to long-time Democratic Congressman John Murtha. "People can disagree about whether we should be there, but the fact of the matter is that we are there -- and we have no choice but to win and achieve victory," says the Republican...

When Pennsylvania Congressmen John Murtha charged eight Marines with “cold blooded murder” and “cover up” at Haditha more than two years ago, former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld immediately formed a study group to counter the powerful Democrat’s accusations. The study group’s analysis of the political and legal situation was used to help decide what course of action to take against eight Marines accused of massacre and cover up by Murtha in the deaths of 24 Iraqis at Haditha, Iraq on November 19, 2005. The group was briefed by high ranking Marine Corps lawyers sent by Brigadier General Kevin Sandkuhler,...

In the nearly two years since eight Camp Pendleton Marines were charged with killing 24 Iraqi civilians in Haditha, six of the men have been exonerated, and widespread interest in the case has waned. Still, the final chapters in the 2005 killings that reverberated around the world, affected the military's rules of engagement and played a large role in how the war was viewed have yet to be written. Appellate court hearings for the two remaining defendants over the next month will establish the outline of how Haditha's story will end. One of the defendants is the battalion commander at...

Defend Our Marines main page  Who’s Behind the Government’s Delay in Bringing the Haditha Case to a Close? Defend Our Marines | Rusty Howell and David Allender [pdf] September 11, 2008 -- It’s fitting that the last remaining defendant in the Haditha case is the squad leader, SSgt Frank Wuterich. Real leaders take responsibility, and SSgt Wuterich has taken full responsibility for the actions of his squad in Haditha. He has also expressed deep remorse for any civilians who were killed as a result of those actions. Over the past 18 months, Wuterich, still waiting to clear his name,...

No matter how proud their tradition, every military organization has its embarrassments. The U.S. Marine Corps has John Murtha – currently a Democratic Congressman from Pennsylvania. During Vietnam, Murtha gave signs of being quite patriotic. However, something has changed him and many who once respected him wonder if Murtha’s ambitions for leadership in a political party that has a 40 year tradition of trashing the military led to his incredible behavior. Senator John Kerry, D-Mass., slandered those along with whom he claimed to have fought in Vietnam in a hate-filled tirade before a Senate committee in which he compared U.S....

**MANAGER’S UPDATE** Great news. Your response to Bill’s $200,000 by 9.11.08 appeal has been incredible! We’re still counting, but by Monday afternoon, we had raised just over $100,000 - over half way to our goal. Thank you. If you haven’t seen the TV spot, “Defend our Heroes,” watch it here As you might expect, since the acquittal of the majority of the Haditha Marines, there has been little or no mainstream coverage. Mr. Murtha’s original “cold blooded killer” characterization still stands in the minds of many in the public. Will you help Bill set the record straight? Will you help...

In June 2006, straight-talking Joe Biden went on Meet the Press and demanded accountability from the administration for the so-called Haditha massacre. Biden spoke about the incident as if the accused marines were guilty (before a trial) and called on the administration to proceed — and to be treated — as if there were a cover-up at the highest levels of government. Well, it turned out Biden was wrong about Haditha. Eight of the Marines charged for the “massacre” and “coverup” have already been exonerated. (One case is still pending.) RUSSERT: Let me ask you a last question on Iraq...

In June 2006, straight-talking Joe Biden went on Meet the Press and demanded accountability from the administration for the so-called Haditha massacre. Biden spoke about the incident as if the accused marines were guilty (before a trial) and called on the administration to proceed — and to be treated — as if there were a cover-up at the highest levels of government. Well, it turned out Biden was wrong about Haditha. Eight of the Marines charged for the “massacre” and “coverup” have already been exonerated. (One case is still pending.) RUSSERT: Let me ask you a last question on...

Reinstating or restarting charges against a Marine officer over the military firefight in Haditha, Iraq, in which two dozen Iraqis died could do serious damage to the public's confidence in the military system of justice, according to lawyers for the officer. "Unlawful command influence is 'the mortal enemy of military justice.' It is the acid that erodes an accused's right to receive a fair trial and the public's confidence in the fairness of the system," says a legal brief filed by lawyers working on behalf of Lt. Col. Jeffrey Chessani. "Remarkably, throughout the court-martial proceedings in the case, the government...

Thomas More Law Center Answers Prosecutor's Appeal in LtCol Chessani Case ANN ARBOR, MI – The Thomas More Law Center, a national, public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, yesterday filed its answer brief in response to the prosecution's appeal of the Military Judge's ruling, dismissing the case against LtCol Jeffrey Chessani, USMC based on unlawful command influence.  In its brief, the Law Center responded to the prosecution's arguments, noting, "Unlawful command influence is 'the mortal enemy of military justice.'  It is the acid that erodes an accused's right to receive a fair trial and the public's...

by Nathaniel R. Helms | August 12, 2008 | See the original article in The Hill at the link.Pennsylvania Congressman John Murtha’s press secretary Matt Mazonkey may not have much to say about his boss slandering Marines who fought at Haditha, but he sure is cute, according to a political newspaper that put him on its annual 50 Most Beautiful list. The newspaper, The Hill, named Mazonkey a runner-up in its annual beauty contest. Until his recent honor, Mazonkey was best known for refusing to answer any questions about Rep. Murtha’s inflammatory comments that led to the prosecution of eight...

CAMP PENDLETON ---- A judge abused his power when he dismissed dereliction of duty charges against Lt. Col. Jeffrey Chessani in the 2005 slaying of two dozen Iraqi civilians, according to an appeal filed on behalf of the Marine Corps. Navy Lt. Timothy Delgado argues the charges against Chessani should stand because the judge erred in declaring that Marine Gen. James Mattis was illegally influenced in his handling of the case. At issue is whether Mattis was guilty of "unlawful command influence" because he allowed his top legal aide, Col. John Ewers, to sit in on meetings with prosecutors. Ewers...

He’s a 17-term incumbent who’s bloated his district with so much pork that the Journal once described him as having practically built the town himself. Nothing’s going to dislodge him unless he commits a major felony — and even then, per Abscam, I wouldn’t be so sure — but if there’s any justice this clip will put Bill Russell within single digits. Russell’s active military duty ended just two days ago so presumbly this signals the start of his campaign in earnest. I can’t find any polls online, but follow the last link to MM’s post and you’ll see that...

CAMP PENDLETON ---- The Marine Corps is going to battle with CBS in what could become a prominent First Amendment case stemming from one of the highest-profile incidents arising out of the Iraq war. At issue is whether government prosecutors should have access to outtakes from a "60 Minutes" interview of a Marine who in 2005 led his squad in the killing of 24 Iraqi civilians, including several women and children. Legal experts and media advocates say the chances of the Marine Corps prevailing over the revered media giant are slim. Several news organizations have joined CBS in its fight...

Western media outlets have reported on the Iraq war by relying heavily on Iraqis -- young men quickly trained to be photojournalists and reporters. Yet their motives and loyalties have not always been beyond dispute. Yesterday, this was evident once again. U.S. military forces detained Reuters photographer Ali al-Mashhadani due to "security concerns." He was handcuffed and led away by U.S. military forces in Baghdad's Green Zone, while he visited a government facility to obtain a U.S. military press card, Reuters reported yesterday. Twice before, U.S. military forces had detained al-Mashhadani, also due to security concerns; he was reporting at...

Marine Corps prosecutors have asked a military appeals court to reverse a lower court decision to dismiss criminal charges against the highest ranking officer to face criminal charges in the so-called “Haditha Massacre” affair. The incident occurred on November 19, 2005 at Haditha, Iraq after one Marine was killed and two others from a squad of 12 infantrymen were wounded by a remotely detonated roadside bomb. During the Marines’ counterattack against the hidden assailants 24 Iraqis, including 15 civilians, were killed in the cross-fire. The government seeks to reinstate criminal charges of dereliction of duty and orders violations against...

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...

Bob Weimann | July 25, 2008 | Pdf version______________________________________________________ “For as long as men and women have talked about war, they have talked about it in terms of right and wrong. And for almost as long, some among them have derided such talk, called it a charade, insisted that war lies beyond (or beneath) moral judgment. War is a world apart, where life itself is at stake, where human nature is reduced to its elemental forms, where self-interest and necessity prevail. Here men and women do what they must to save their selves and their communities, and morality and law...

This edition features mentoring Iraqi Policeman and an Iraqi Army exercise.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FOR INFORMATION: Peg Luksik, Campaign Manager | 814.244.8948 Grassroots Contributions Challenge Murtha War chest in PA’s 12th RussellBrigade.com Launches JOHNSTOWN [07.16.08]: The campaign of Johnstown resident and Republican nominee for Congress Lt. Colonel Bill Russell outpaced incumbent Congressman John Murtha in the second fundraising quarter of 2008. According to campaign manager, Peg Luksik, William Russell for Congress reported raising $637,137 to Murtha’s $113,155 to the Federal Elections Commission (FEC). The combined totals from the first and second quarters of 2008 exceed $900,000. “The incredible story about Bill’s campaign is that the $15 and $25 contributions are coming...

Here are a couple nice interviews with Marine Major John Cowarts regarding his experiences in Iraq Interview, part 1 Interview, part 2

ANN ARBOR, MI – In Iraq, LtCol Jeffrey Chessani, one of America’s most effective combat commanders, led the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines — one of the Marine Corps’ most decorated units. After devoting over 20 years of his life to the Corps, and three tours of duty in Iraq, he was criminally charged by government prosecutors for the combat action taken by four of his Marines who engaged insurgents in a fierce house-to-house, room-by-room battle, after being ambushed in Haditha, Iraq on November 19, 2005. On June 17, 2008 Military Judge, Col Steven Folsom, USMC, dismissed all charges against LtCol...

There are critically important issues that aren't getting the attention they deserve. They are closely related but can be stated and analyzed separately: * One is the bias of the mainstream media, which floods us with dishonest and fraudulent journalism that gives us a false picture of the world. This leads to the wrong decisions on public policy questions. * Another is the willingness of the mainstream media to reveal national security secrets. The mainstream media led by the New York Times has developed a penchant for putting national security secrets on the front-page for no good reason. *Still another...

The unflappable public affairs officer for the Marine Corps Central Command during most of the explosive Haditha and Hamandiyah affairs is moving on. Lt. Col. Sean Gibson has been transferred to Marine Corps Installation West at Camp Pendleton after a tumultuous time facing heat for the Marine Corps. Lt. Col. Gibson, who says his age is a “state secret,” never missed a beat running the Camp Pendleton Media Center when it was the epicenter of an international media feeding frenzy. Along with a small staff of Marine public affairs specialists, Gibson quickly and honestly responded to the endless barrage of...

What's wrong with Pennsylvania?Have they no shame? How do they keep voting for this antiwar, anti-military detestable gasbag?(Here's some advice to wcbstv-- Murtha is not a "strong defense advocate." He is a selfish man who has made it a habit of slandering the US troops at war!) Democrat John Murtha does it again...Murtha admits the surge is working but only because the terrorists "are worn out" and American troops aren't just beating down doors and killing innocents!Un-freaking-believable! Here's the video: A WilleyBCoyote Video.Here is what Murtha says: Murtha: I think they have 17 or so guidelines and they've solved...

Murtha: I think they have 17 or so guidelines and they’ve solved 4 or 5 of them. . . Murtha: I think the short term it (the Bush Surge) has reduced incidents. I’m not sure if it’s because the Iraqis are just worn out but certainly the way they are doing it today it makes a big difference. It used to be we broke down doors. We went in and we killed people inadvertently. Now they’re much more careful about it. Murtha says he thinks that “they” (apparently Murtha doesn’t consider himself a member of the country that’s at...

Positive action in support of Lt Chessani We brought you the story of Lt Col Jeffrey Chessani facing serious charges based on a Time story in which Congressman John Murtha made unfounded allegations against eight Marines, one of whom was Lt Col. Chessani.Lt. Col Chessani had his honour and reputation called into question because Murtha said that in a town called Haditha in Iraq, civilians were killed by US Marines "in cold blood". This event was in November 2005, and it has been a long and sad road to June 17, 2008 when a military judge, Col. Steven Folsom...

An Open Letter To Jack “Cold-Blooded” Murtha Tuesday, July 1, 2008 Congressman Murtha, Were I you sir, I would hang my head in shame and pray to my Creator, begging His forgiveness for the pain that I’ve caused innocent people. And then I would perform some serious personal introspection to see what I could possibly do to begin the process of restitution for my crimes. But you won’t because you have no shame. As a member of the House of Representatives, you took a solemn oath to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States. Despite what you may...

Battered by six consecutive exonerations of Marines accused in a highly publicized case, military prosecutors face new difficulties in obtaining convictions against the two remaining defendants charged with wrongdoing in the deaths of 24 Iraqi civilians in Haditha. The latest blow came June 17, when a judge ruled that unlawful command influence had irreparably tainted the dereliction-of-duty prosecution against the battalion commander at Haditha, Lt. Col. Jeffrey Chessani and that the charges would be dismissed. The ruling gave the brass three choices: Let it stand, appoint a new convening authority to review the case or appeal the ruling. A day...

Evidence introduced during pre-trial motions in the court-martial of Marine Lt. Col Jeffrey Chessani for his role at Haditha revealed that commanding generals of Marine Corps Forces Central Command are often preoccupied with court fights as well as battlefields while the seemingly endless investigations drag on. The Marine Corps Forces Central Command – CENTCOM – was assigned the onerous task of investigating and adjudicating the sensationalized charges against Chessani. CENTCOM is the umbrella organization that controls Marine Corps’ war fighters in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Marine Corps designated the CENTCOM commander to be the convening authority and final arbiter in...

Chicago magazine, July 2008: "Web sites such as DefendOurMarines.com and DefendOurTroops.com feature tributes to the marines of Haditha. Bloggers have said the troops acted 'heroically' that day. Those supporters have scorned [prosecution witness, Sgt Sanick] Dela Cruz, deriding his testimony that he watched Wuterich gun down a group of Iraqi men who were surrendering. 'Dela Cruz is one of the sleaziest characters to emerge from the Haditha prosecution,' declared one writer on FreeRepublic.com, a conservative blog site. As this article went to press, the supporters had reason to be pleased: Of all of the men accused in the killings, only...

The US Navy-Marine Corps Court of Appeals has ruled that the CBS television news magazine 60 Minutes must turn over outtakes from its interview with Marine Corps Staff Sergeant Frank Wuterich in which he revealed what happened at the so-called “Haditha Massacre” in Iraq more than three years ago. The three-judge appellate panel Friday directed Marine Corps military judge Lt. Col. Jeffrey G. Meeks to “conduct additional fact-finding” including an “in camera review” of the outtakes to determine whether Wuterich revealed any information the government needs to bolster its prosecution against the Marine infantryman. The ruling of the military judge...

The mainstream media continues to smear the American military. It ignores the presumption of innocence and need to apologize for false accusations. Here are five examples of the mainstream media coverage that conclusively proves how these major outlets have slipped into the journalistic garbage can, with dishonest, fraudulent, and biased reporting. The first four have been well documented in previous columns, and now I add a number "five": No. 1: The mainstream media disrespects our servicemen by either ignoring altogether or severely downplaying those who win the nation's highest award for heroism, the Medal of Honor. They put any military...

ANN ARBOR, MI – The Thomas More Law Center, a national non-profit, public-interest law based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, today released the transcript of the recent Unlawful Command Influence ruling by the military judge — Colonel Steven A. Folsom — dismissing all charges against LtCol Jeffrey Chessani, USMC. The Law Center represents LtCol Chessani. Last week, prosecutors suffered a huge setback when the military judge dismissed all charges against LtCol Chessani, the highest ranking Marine officer facing charges arising out of the Battle of Haditha. The government has indicated that it intends to pursue an appeal, which will continue the...

Now, "the focus is upon the perception of fairness in the military justice system as viewed through the eyes of a reasonable member of the public. Thus the appearance of unlawful command influence will exist where an objective, disinterested observer fully informed of all the facts and circumstances would harbor a significant doubt about the fairness of the proceedings." That's U.S. v. Lewis, 63 MJ 405, at 414, 2006, CAAF. "Where actual or apparent unlawful command influence has been held or found, CAAF has long held that a military judge has wide latitude in discretion of fashioning a remedy. CAAF...