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I heard something about Murtha having a relative that Murtha had helped get gov't contracts or whatnot. And that what Murtha is really doing is insulating himself from being investigated about it by saying that any investigation is "political" because of his Iraq views.

I wonder if there is any truth to that?

There is truth to it.It's his brother or brother in-law and he's set him up nicely in Johnstown,Pa. by getting him taxpayer money through earmarked govt. contracts.

I can't remember all the details but it's on one of the many Murtha threads and it's well documented. There's also a similar "scam" he helped Nancy Pelosi with in California.

So his actions now, at least as the theory goes, are related to those two possible ethics violations.

What a guy.

"I heard something about Murtha having a relative that Murtha had helped get gov't contracts or whatnot. And that what Murtha is really doing is insulating himself from being investigated about it by saying that any investigation is "political" because of his Iraq views."

That's been my theory from the gitgo and I'm sticking with it.

GOP Lawmakers Float Ethics Probe of Murtha
Friday, Nov. 18
By John Bresnahan,
Roll Call Staff
Republican lawmakers say that ties between Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.) and his brother’s lobbying firm, KSA Consulting, may warrant investigation by the House ethics committee.
The calls come as Murtha, a former Marine and pro-military Democrat, has made headlines this week by coming out in support of a rapid withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq.
According to a June 13 article in The Los Angeles Times, the fiscal 2005 defense appropriations bill included more than $20 million in funding for at least 10 companies for whom KSA lobbied. Carmen Scialabba, a longtime Murtha aide, works at KSA as well.
KSA directly lobbied Murtha’s office on behalf of seven companies, and a Murtha aide told a defense contractor that it should retain KSA to represent it, according to the LA Times.
In early 2004, Murtha reportedly leaned on U.S. Navy officials to sign a contract to transfer the Hunters Point Shipyard to the city of San Francisco, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. A company called Lennar Inc. had right to the land, and Laurence Pelosi, nephew to House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), was an executive with the firm at that time.
Murtha also inserted earmarks in defense bills that steered millions of dollars in federal research funds toward companies owned by children of fellow Pennsylvania Rep. Paul Kanjorski (D).
Murtha and KSA have denied engaging in any improper or unethical behavior. Murtha’s offices in Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C., could not be reached for comment at press time.
But with GOP leaders infuriated by Murtha’s declaration this week that the United States should pull all its military forces out of Iraq in six months, renewed attention is being focused on Murtha’s dealings with KSA.
“I have read the articles about these appropriations projects that benefited his brother’s lobbying firm,” said Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.). “If there is a potential pattern where Congressman Murtha has helped other Democrats secure appropriations that also benefited relatives of those Members, I believe this would be something that merits further review by the ethics committee.”
Another GOP lawmaker, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said Murtha “is playing footsie with his brother’s lobbying firm using taxpayer money.”
This Member said Republicans have considered filing an ethics complaint against Murtha, although the preference among GOP insiders is for the ethics committee to look into this issue on its own authority, as it did in the previous Congress in initiating an investigation into former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas).
Even some Democrats privately acknowledged that a preliminary probe of Murtha by the ethics panel is possible next year, although the chances of a full-blown investigation are still unclear.
Jennifer Crider, a Pelosi aide, dismissed the allegation that the Minority Leader was involved in anything improper as “absolutely ludicrous, and an attempt to divert from the real issue that Mr. Murtha is attempting to engage in debate on a critically important topic — U.S. policy in Iraq. The real story here is the Republican strategy to try to discredit at Congressman Murtha” while he is pushing for a U.S. pullout from Iraq.
Republicans acknowledge that Murtha’s Iraq statement — coming from a Member with strong military credentials — is driving their renewed focus on the ethics questions surrounding the veteran Democratic lawmaker.
“It strikes at the heart of his credibility on [military] issues,” said the GOP lawmaker. “He’s put himself on the frontline.”
http://www.rollcall.com/issues/1_1/breakingnews/11329-1.html?type=pf