[smoothsailing]

Murtha challenger trounces embattled incumbent in fundraising; tops Boehner and Pelosi too

By Luke Rosiak on 10/16/09 @ 1:13 pm

While the ethics scandals that have multiplied around top fundraisers and earmark recipients of Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., have yet to involve him directly, he now faces a challenge from a different direction: A well-financed opponent.

William Russell, the Republican aiming to do battle with Murtha in the general election, trounced the longtime legislator with an astonishing $2 million in campaign contributions raised–more than House leaders John Boehner and Nancy Pelosi, more than double that of the next-highest grossing challenger, and nearly three times that of Murtha’s haul of $712,000, the most recent campaign finance disclosures filed with the Federal Election Commission show.

While almost 40 percent of Murtha’s take came from political action committees, Russell’s haul came almost entirely from individuals–and without help from the National Republican Congressional Committee. The contributions are largely from out-of-state, indicating that the support may be more about displacing Murtha.

The fundraising total is an indicator that Murtha faces a serious challenge this November, but Russell is doing more than stockpiling a dangerous warchest: With more than a year from the election, he has mounted an active campaign and spent nearly as much as he’s raised.

Murtha, chairman of the House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, has taken heat for his ties to defense companies, whose PACs provide him with more support than those from any other sector, and for the earmarks he’s steered to contributors. One of his top contributors over his career, the lobbying firm PMA Group–which specialized in getting defense earmarks and contracts for its clients–disbanded after the FBI raided its offices; it remains under investigation.

http://realtime.sunlightprojects.org/2009/10/16/murtha-challenger-trounces-boehner-pelosi-and-embattled-murtha/

[Always Right]

Murtha has bought this district for life with all of our tax dollars that flood into the district. The city of Johnstown would be a ghost town if all the federal dollars dried up.

[Paladin2]

Can’t we support Cindy Sheehan against Pelosi?

[smoothsailing]

Bill Russell-John Murtha Ping!

MESSAGE FROM BILL RUSSELL

You’ve seen the movie, haven’t you? Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. Indiana, Pennsylvania’s favorite son, Jimmy Stewart, starred in this black and white classic.

It’s about a naïve, patriotic scout leader who gets appointed to a vacant U.S. Senate seat. Hours after he takes the oath, Smith lands in a hornet’s nest of political graft and corruption. When he gets too close to the truth, the political machine kicks in, and our hero finds himself in a battle to save his own reputation.

The movie was premiered at the National Press Club in 1939 before 4,000 Washington luminaries, including 43 Senators. The Senate Majority Leader called the movie silly and stupid because it made the Senate look like a bunch of crooks. Joe Kennedy, Ambassador to Great Britain and father of a future President and a pair of Senators, tried to block its release in Europe.

The movie exposed a culture of institutional corruption, poked at the underbelly of Capital culture, and hit its mark.

Fast forward to the headlines coming out of today’s Congress, 70 years later. Contracts awarded for campaign cash. FBI investigations into Congressional earmarks. Powerful Congressmen and Senators living by one set of rules and expecting constituents to live by another. The difference is that in our 2009 real-life version, newspapers and telegrams have become tweets, e-mails, and blogs. Instead of powerful newspaper editors and party bosses controlling the public debate, the people have a bigger megaphone.

At the end of the movie, Mr. Smith wins.

Here’s what the movie tells me. If you and I honor our responsibility to poke the hornets’ nest today – to challenge, expose and confront Washington corruption, we might win as well.

I’m Bill Russell, and when it comes to how your government does business, you deserve the facts.

LINK TO VIDEO

[domenad]

You don’t have to win a majority if you can knock off the most powerful guys.

[Secret Agent Man]

Guess who the dems will give pork tarp money to in order to buy votes to save their sorry asses.

[jazusamo]

Bill Russell for Congress &
Murtha Watch Ping!
PA 12th District

RussellBrigade.com

Inquiries to:
POBox 630, Johnstown, PA 15907
Tel. 814-525-9171

Contact me to be added to ping list.

[Don Corleone]

Run ‘em all out on a rail covered in tar and feathers.

[TribalPrincess2U]

Russell’s haul came almost entirely from individuals–and without help from the National Republican Congressional Committee.

RUSSELL PING! He's got my money.

[Clintonfatigued]

Ping