Free Republic

Rep. John Murtha’s (D-Pa.) campaign has asked the Democrats’ reelection arm to write a memo detailing how he can use funds in his campaign account if he retires. The request from an assistant to Murtha’s Chief of Staff John Hugya was made in late October, after the Appropriations subcommittee Murtha chairs passed the defense-spending bill. Word of the request has made its way around Democratic circles in recent weeks and is spurring talk that Murtha is planning to leave at the end of this Congress. A House ethics investigation of Murtha and the longtime lawmaker’s recent health problems have only...

The Office of Congressional Ethics has closed its investigation into Reps. John Murtha (D-Pa.), Norm Dicks (D-Wash.) and Jim Moran (D-Va.) and their relationships to the lobbying firm PMA Group, and the OCE advised against a formal House ethics investigation, the lawmakers’ offices said Friday. George Behan, Dicks’ chief of staff, said the OCE, which reviews potential rules violations and refers investigations to the House ethics committee, informed the Washington lawmaker on Dec. 2 that it had recommended the inquiry be dismissed. “In his case, there was never anything there,” Behan said. Murtha spokesman Matt Mazonkey and Moran spokeswoman Emily...