Thanks Tonkin.
Posted on 07/10/2006 11:00:43 AM PDT by xpertskir
IREY TO MURTHA: HAVE YOU NO DECENCY, SIR?
Congressman’s latest instance of reckless disregard for truth slurs American civilians trying to help establish democracy in Iraq
(MONONGAHELA, July 10) – Washington County Commissioner and Pennsylvania 12th district Republican Congressional nominee Diana Irey – responding to a statement by U.S. Rep. Jack Murtha, in which Murtha suggested that Irey is running for Congress because she and her husband are “benefiting from this war” – today released the following statement:
“Today I have a simple question to ask Jack Murtha: Have you no decency, sir?
“Jack Murtha’s comments in yesterday morning’s Tribune-Democrat – wherein he said, essentially, that my husband and I are ‘war profiteers,’ and impugned the motives of American civilian contractors involved in trying to help Iraq defend its new democracy – are shameful.
“For those who may not have seen Jack Murtha’s comments, here is what he is reported to have said in yesterday’s newspaper:
“Murtha said he is concerned about Irey’s motivation for running against him, considering her husband, Robert, is CEO of a Canonsburg-based firm that secured a $300 million contract with the Iraqi government two years ago.
“‘I worry about that,’ he said. ‘If they’re benefiting from this war, and if this is the reason she’s in this, it really bothers me. I don’t like that.’”
“Note that he said ‘It really bothers me. I don’t like that.’ This is not the appropriate response after raising a question; this is a response to a conclusive act. That is, he did not say, ‘It WOULD really bother me,’ nor did he say ‘I WOULD not like that.’ This was an accusation, pure and simple, no matter how poorly he failed in trying to dress it up as a question. He’s about as subtle as the candidate who, wanting to attack his opponent without being accused of dirty campaigning, says ‘Oh, please don’t ask me about my opponent’s well-known penchant for driving drunk after spending an evening gambling with prostitutes at the illegal casino down the street – I wouldn’t want to be accused of negative campaigning.’
“To imply, suggest, hint, whisper, or even wink and nod that I am running for Congress because my husband is a partner in a firm that had a contract with the Iraqi Government and that, therefore, we stand to ‘benefit’ from the war, is despicable.
“For the record: My husband, Robert Irey, is a partner in a firm that once had a subcontract with the Iraqi Government, jointly administered by the U.S. Department of Defense, to help the new democratic Government of Iraq take over the burden of defending itself by refurbishing equipment and material destroyed or damaged by the war. Had that contract been fulfilled, it would have allowed the Iraqi Government to take over more of the burden of defending itself sooner – which would have had the result of making possible a withdrawal of U.S. troops sooner than they would otherwise have been able to come home.
“But that contract was terminated more than a year and a half ago, when one of Bob’s partners and one of their employees were murdered in Iraq- a fact reported at the time by both the Los Angeles Times and The Associated Press, and , therefore, presumably known to Jack Murtha”
“To continue, for the record: other than one $10,000 down payment, their firm never collected a dime from that contract. In fact, the Iraqi Government still owes that firm $1.6 million for work completed but for which they have yet to receive payment.
“Further, neither my husband nor I have any financial stake in any ongoing enterprise related to the war – as one can tell just by looking at the Financial Disclosure Form I filed when I became a candidate. That form is on record in the Office of the Clerk of the House of Representatives, just a few hundred yards from Jack Murtha’s office in the Rayburn Building.
“Surely Mr. Murtha, with his vaunted connections to and influence over the Defense Department, knew all this before he recklessly suggested that I am running for Congress because I am ‘benefiting from this war.’
“Having seen the way Jack Murtha deals with his political opponents, ‘despicable,’ sadly, is what we’ve come to expect.
“But even Jack Murtha should be held to the standard of truth and honesty – and in this case, not only was he wrong to ‘raise the question,’ he KNEW he was wrong to ‘raise the question.’
“I have already made clear why I am running for Congress: I am running because Jack Murtha is out of touch, and no longer represents the residents of the 12th District. It is time for a change, and I am fighting to lead that change – to secure our borders, to safeguard our retirements, to promote economic growth throughout the 12th District, just as I have done in Washington County.
“There are 120 days left in this campaign. The good news is, that’s plenty of time to make sure the voters of the 12th District know just who Jack Murtha really is.”
-- 30 --
Thanks Tonkin.
If the publisher were anything but a shill for the lib/socialists, Irey's side would have been printed at the same time...That's called "journalism" - and the "people's right to know" both sides.
Well, alright then.
;-)
Signed, thanks for the ping brother.
(The Palestinian terrorist regime is the crisis and Israel's fist is the answer.)
What a joke Murtha is. He's going down the tubes !
Hi, Chip,
Well, just when we thought that Jihad Jack Murtha couldn't get any more despicable, he accuses Diana Irey's husband of war profiteering. Of course, you very helpfully aided and abetted this slime-job by publishing Murtha's ghastly lies. Fine. Seems to me you now have a duty to allow her to respond. Since you obviously have no interest in looking for the other side of this story (your nose having been firmly lodged up Murtha's butt for some time now), I've done the legwork for you. Here's Ms. Irey's rebuttal. [I inserted the link from Diana's site].
If you have any integrity at all, you'll give your readers both sides of the story, not simply the sycophantic drool we've been treated to lately.
No need to thank me. I realize your blithering "reporters" couldn't find this story if they tried. And if they did somehow manage to stumble into it, question is, would you publish it?
Seems unlikely.
Ball's in your court, Mr. Impartial Newshound Editor.
That and this quote by George Washington should be broadcast to all.
"The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional as to how they perceive the veterans of earlier wars were treated and appreciated by their nation."
G. Washington
Bump!
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He's replying to her wink but I can't figure out what he's saying!
Looks like 'goodby' to me. Wish there was such a thing as a 'facial chart' showing lip movement for each letter.
There is that tiny video .gif of that magician saying a phrase -
I'm not familiar with it but I would need something 'stationary'.
What is this "spat" all about?
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