Posted on 10/30/2007 8:27:35 AM PDT by shrinkermd
If John Murtha were a businessman, he'd be the biggest employer in this town.
The powerful U.S. congressman has used his clout on Capitol Hill to create thousands of jobs and steer billions of dollars in federal spending to help his hometown in western Pennsylvania recover from devastating floods and the flight of its steelmakers.
More is on the way. In the massive 2008 military-spending bill now before Congress -- which could go to a House-Senate conference as soon as Thursday -- Mr. Murtha has steered more taxpayer funds to his congressional district than any other member. The Democratic lawmaker is chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, which will oversee more than $459 billion in military spending this year.
Johnstown's good fortune has come at the expense of taxpayers everywhere else. Defense contractors have found that if they open an office here and hire the right lobbyist, they can get lucrative, no-bid contracts. Over the past decade, Concurrent Technologies Corp., a defense-research firm that employs 800 here, got hundreds of millions of dollars thanks to Rep. Murtha despite poor reviews by Pentagon auditors. The National Drug Intelligence Center, with 300 workers, got $509 million, though the White House has tried for years to shut it down as wasteful and unnecessary. Another beneficiary: MTS Technologies, run by a man who got his start some 40 years ago shining shoes at Mr. Murtha's Johnstown Minute Car Wash.
...But for his 33 years in Congress, his overriding focus has been the revival of his hard-luck hometown. In addition to using taxpayer money to build a local defense industry, Mr. Murtha has funded by legislative fiat miles of new roads, water projects, medical facilities and federal offices for his district. He even brought a Marine attack-helicopter squadron here...
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
Murtha is bulletproof in his district unless he gets caught AND prosecuted. In the Congress he ran for House Majority Leader with Pelosi’s support. He was stomped 149-86 in the caucus.
I tried to post this, but there was a glicth with servers.
Career Army man to challenge Murtha
http://www.tribune-democrat.com/local/local_story_301003334.html
BY MIKE FAHER
The Tribune-Democrat
After nearly three decades in the military, William T. Russell’s latest mission has brought him to Johnstown.
The career Army man, just two years short of retirement, has left the service and moved to the Flood City in order to mount a political campaign against veteran Democratic U.S. Rep. John Murtha.
As a Republican and first-time candidate facing a powerful congressman in the sprawling, Democrat-dominated 12th Congressional District, Russell faces a tough challenge.
But he is determined to press ahead and will formally announce his candidacy within weeks.
“I recognize this is an uphill battle,” Russell said in an interview last week at The Tribune-Democrat.
“But it’s one that must be fought.”
Murtha, who declined any comment on Russell’s candidacy when contacted through a spokesman last week, has served in the House since 1974.
The 75-year-old is known for bringing money and jobs – especially in the defense sector – to his district, and last year he became chairman of the House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee.
It also leaves questions for Irey: she was county commissioner in Washington County - she must have known how unlikely it was to unseat the walking fountain of pork known as Jack Murtha.
Who advised her on strategy?
You know the dems play that way.
This works on both side of the isle and is a good reason for term limits. Power = corruption and corruption is due to the seniority system in Congress. Congress is corrupt and out of control and only term limits and laws forbidding Congress and their family members from becoming one or the only way to stop it. Congress is one big corrupt Country Club Atmosphere run Mafia style.
...methinks our fellow Americans in a certain congressional district have some ‘splainin to do to the rest of us....
He would get re-elected from jail, IMHO. Easily the most corrupt politician in office. The only reason Murtha did not get busted in Abscam was that Murtha was so experienced at taking bribes and kickbacks that he could feel he was beingset up.
Because they do it to, but to a lesser degree and not with the all out corruption Murtha employs.
When it comes to congress the “Everybody does it” is correct. No, I am not talking about their sex life here.
Flood is an understatement. It was more like a tsunami the way that water rushed through the valley. But yes, it is time to get over it. Most towns have very few buildings and homes that date that far back.
He was slick in Abscam.
When you do that they will just show the Pork the Republicans spend and waste.Both party’s are guilty as such it is just the ones in control get more and also get more from lobbyist.
The rats and rinos are kings of pork. Conservatives in Congress have made sensible proposals to control pork. The rats and rinos do not want to pass and implement these proposals.
In Ayn Rand’s world, Murtha would be correctly characterized as a Looter. Unfortunately that is true of most of his colleagues, and one of the main reasons that GOP lost Congress (failed to distinguish themselves). Don Young is a prime example.
Until GOP gets back to its conservative fiscal roots, there and disavows all earmarks, there is little reason to support them. Under the Constitution, spending must originate in the lower house, so the House could easily delete these projects from its budget - if it only had the willpower.
One more way Murtha is working to ensure defeat and loss of morale for our brave ones.
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