Posted on 12/20/2007 8:30:52 AM PST by RedRover
Murtha should have apologized
A few months ago, we expressed the opinion that it was time for Rep. John Murtha to apologize to Justin Sharratt. As our story Sunday mentioned, though, neither Sharratt nor his parents, who live in Canonsburg, has heard anything from the congressman. Sharratt was one of a group of Marines whom Murtha accused of having "killed innocent civilians in cold blood" in the Iraqi city of Haditha. The congressman's office later put out a news release that said the Marines had been charged with murder when in fact no charges had yet been brought at the time.
Murder charges were later brought against Sharratt but were withdrawn by the prosecutor seven months later. Sharratt has consistently maintained that he and his comrades followed military rules of engagement and that he shot and killed three Iraqis because two of them were armed with AK-47 assault rifles and he felt threatened.
Murtha's position is that he will refrain from commenting on the case because one of the other Marines has filed a defamation lawsuit against him. Not wishing to speak publicly about pending litigation is understandable, but the question remains why he didn't apologize to Sharratt last July when the charges were dropped. Better yet, Murtha should have shown more respect to begin with for the presumption of innocence in criminal cases. Remember that his claim of murder "in cold blood" came before any charges had even been filed.
Murtha, a Democrat who represents much of Washington County and all of Greene County, was a staunch supporter of the war in Iraq, but, in November 2005, he changed his position and called for an immediate withdrawal of U.S. troops.
When his denunciation of Sharratt and the other Marines became an issue in his campaign for re-election, some of Murtha's supporters among our readership defended him on the grounds that he probably had access to inside information about the case. That struck us as highly speculative, and it begged the question why he would want to prejudice the case against the Marines by declaring them guilty before a nationwide audience.
As things stand now, the Sharratt family believes it's too late for an apology even if Murtha were inclined to offer one. But he should have been big enough to do so months ago without having to be asked.
Whether Murtha ever apologizes or not, the lawyer for LCpl Stephen Tatum wants the Old Porker in court. See this thread from last night: Lawyer in Haditha Case Plans to Depose Murtha.
This district has been selling their soul to the devil in return for government contracts for decades. The devil ain’t apologizing to anyone.
The wheels are coming off Murtha's wagon even in his district!
The comments should have NEVER been made by an elected official of the US government in the first place. Making such accusations in public is damaging to the United Sttes across the board, not just militarily in the Iraq theatre.
Even IF there was guilt on the part of members of the US military, then raise hell behind closed doors.
This was nothing less than a treasonous action made for a cheap political gain, with the brain-dead, low life voters who infest his district.
He's cozied up to Code Pink.
He's withheld funding for the troops and played politics with their lives. When he was in Vietnam, he was the benficiary of the public's willingness to spend vast amounts of treasure to protect his fat ass. No amount of artillery shells or B-52 strikes was too costly to preserve lives. Now Murtha has them on a shoestring because he's got a beef with Bush.
Rat bastard.
Much like West Virginia and Senator Byrd
Expecting decency and common courtesy from this man is asking the impossible. He had none during Abscam and he has none today. If the people of Pennsylvania had any sense they would throw this bum out of office. Unfortunately, I have seen very little moral outrage or intelligence from the greedy and hopelessly ignorant voters in Pennsylvania’s 12th Congressional district in the past and I have the same low expectations from them today.
Off with his head (in the next election)!
Hopefully, the parents of these brave Marines will go on the campaign trail “against” Murtha. The American public needs to hear the truth about their elected scum in DC.
I even find it hard to believe the Murtha was a Marine..as a former Marine I find Murtha to be just a plain old practicing anus.....
Meadow Muffin
And that's where it counts, smooth, as you know. Let's enjoy the Evil One feeling some heat.
Huh? I must have missed that one.
It’s great to see the Observer-Reporter keeping the pressure on Murtha. At least one paper in his District is holding his feet to the fire, it would be nice if others would call Murtha on his despicable behavior.
2006 election results:
Murtha (D)120567 61%
Irey (R) 78041 39%
He’d need more than the wheels to fall off. (Think of the Blues Brothers’ car falling apart in front of the Richard J. Daley Center)
Does no good to call Murtha’s DC office; his staff are a bunch of bureaucrats that owe their very lives to Murtha and would defend him to their last government check....
Liberals are unable to admit a mistake, so don’t hold your breath waiting for Murtha’s apology. He’s not man enough.
True. Murtha turned a 180 on the war when it looked politically opportune to do so. Soon he will do another 180 and tell his constituents he was for the war all along and anybody that says different is a liar....
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