Murtha May Be In Hot Water

Topics: Democrats

This post was written by Igor Kossov.

3994737This week might bring another ethical embarrassment to the Democrats, who have been stung in recent weeks by revelations of misconduct by some of President Obama's nominees for key positions. The FBI is investigating Representative John P. Murtha's relationship with a defense lobbying group whose offices they raided in November.

Murtha is the chairman of the House Defense Appropriations Committee, a group of lawmakers that decides how much money goes to military spending. Sources tell the Washington Post that the FBI is looking at whether Murtha, along with fellow Democratic Reps. James P. Moran and Peter J. Visclosky, handed out defense contracts based on illegal contributions from lobbyists.

The Post reports that Murtha gave out "hundreds of millions of dollars in earmarks for defense firms, which have donated generously to him." Most of those firms developed relationships with Murtha through PMA, a defense lobbying company. The founder of PMA, Paul Magliocchetti, once worked as Murtha's aide. Former aides to Moran and Visclosky also worked for the company.

According to watchdog group The Center for Responsive Politics, PMA and its clients were in the top 10 donors list for Murtha's political campaign. Together, they gave Murtha $183,700 for his most recent reelection campaign and over $1 million over the past three election cycles.

As soon as the news broke, a number of PMA employees issued a statement seperating themselves from the company.

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by jxknowles June 17, 2009 1:57 PM EDT: Rep. Murtha should come clean about the allegations or step down. He is representing Pennsylvanians, not his own business interests.; Reply to this comment


by besscannon-2009 February 12, 2009 1:46 PM EST: Chicago is a city of death and corruption. The country elected a president from Chicago. Red flags should have gone up long before he was put into office but, the hero worshippers couldn''t see through the smoke he was blowing. He has brought his culture with him. ENDURE!
You are getting what you asked for. I did not vote for the boy from Chicago. I didn''t, and do not, trust him and his motives.; Reply to this comment


by armydog2 February 12, 2009 10:03 AM EST: I am a democrat who voted for President Obama and I believe no one, NO ONE is above the law.; Reply to this comment


by armydog2 February 12, 2009 10:01 AM EST: If Murtha is guilty of something he should be punished, bush and cheney and rummy are all guilty of deceiving the public and war crimes now they need to be punished too.; Reply to this comment


by wvu74621 February 12, 2009 4:16 AM EST: We need to come up with a "pledge" to this effect.

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Posted by sheiladog at 12:55 AM : Feb 12, 2009
+ report abuse

I believe that there is an ethics agreement that they sign along with taking an oath. But those are only words right? What the public does''nt know won''t hurt them right?; Reply to this comment


by sheiladog-2009 February 12, 2009 3:55 AM EST: It is time for Americans, regardless of whether you call yourself liberal or conservative, to stop tolerating corrupt politicians. We need to go after them regardless of which side of the political divide these bums are on. Our politicians need to behave as if every act in their capacity as public servants were being filmed for review by the American people. We need to come up with a "pledge" to this effect.; Reply to this comment


by unitahiking February 12, 2009 3:29 AM EST: Read how I handled a Murtha earmark:
http://www.anatreptic.com/archives/2009/02/anatomy_of_a_murtha_earmark.html; Reply to this comment