Questions About Murtha Contract Awards
CBS Evening News: FBI Investigating Defense Firms- And Murtha Donors - In Rep.'s Hometown
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Play CBS Video Video Murtha Earmarks Spark Outrage Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.) has encountered a barrage of criticism over his earmark spending bills and alleged corruption. As Sharyl Attkisson reports, there have been calls for an ethics investigation.
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Video Earmarks Linked To Campaign $$ Congressman Jack Murtha has steered billions of dollars in earmarks during his tenure in office. And as Sharyl Attkisson, campaign contributions are what drive this spending of taxpayers' dollars.
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Video Murtha: Bush Is Delusional Rep. John Murtha, D-Penn., says he doesn't believe in the president's optimism about the Iraq war and that Congress has to play a bigger oversight role.
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Rep. John Murtha, D-Penn., holds up a pocket-sized copy of the U.S. Constitution, which gives Congress the power to make appropriatons. The FBI is investigating whether Murtha steered defense contracts to companies in his hometown in exchange for campaign donations. (CBS)
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Few politicians are as polarizing as Pennsylvania Rep. John Murtha.
Voters in his district love all the federal funding he lines up for projects back home. But critics call him the king of earmarks who wastes a lot of taxpayer money. Now, the FBI is taking a close look at some of those projects, reports CBS News correspondent Sharyl Attkisson.
Under fire for his earmarking practices, Murtha wouldn't grant CBS News an interview today. But he did turn and address our camera while passing by in a hallway.
"That's the Constitution of the United States," he said, holding up a pocket-sized copy. "What it says is the Congress of the United States appropriates the money. Got that?"
What he means is Congress gets to decide how tax dollars are spent. Specifically, Murtha himself often gets to decide. As head of the Defense Spending Committee he has the power to steer hundreds of millions of tax dollars in earmarks to companies of his choice.
But now the FBI is asking whether people who have benefited from Murtha's earmarks have made improper donations to his political campaigns.
There's been a flurry of activity. Agents raided lobbying firm PMA, started by a Capitol Hill staffer who worked closely with Murtha In Murtha's hometown Johnstown, Pennsylvania the FBI has issued subpoenas for Concurrent Technologies and raided Kuchera Defense Industries and a game ranch owned by Kuchera's CEO, once the site of a Murtha fundraiser.
CBS News has learned that federal agents are also looking into a Murtha-backed research firm "Electro Optic Center." According to a source interviewed by the FBI: In one year, the Center sought $120 million in earmarks directly through Murtha's office and managers urged employees to donate to Murtha so the Center would get favorable treatment.
We found at least six donors linked to the Center gave to Murtha on the same day last year, just days before earmarks were decided.
Republican Rep. Jeff Flake, who's against earmarks of any kind, is calling for an ethics investigation and says it could dwarf the last lobby mess to hit Washington.
"In terms of contributions and circular fundraising and the involvement of members it's much bigger [than the Abramoff scandal]," he said. "Much bigger."
In the coming weeks, Murtha will help divy up a new round of defense earmarks.
Though he wouldn't talk with us about the FBI investigation, his office has said he's done nothing wrong and there's no reason to believe he is a target.
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Michelle Obama tells how her role as the First Lady has changed her perspective.





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See all 28 CommentsCongress is authorized to appropriate money only within limits of the enumerated powers of Article 1, Section 8. Congress does not have a blank check like Murtha implies.
Bush was governor of Texas when Enron raped the Calofornia electric ststem. Your boy Clinton was in charge . The Bush administration refused to bail out Enron, put them out of business
Perhaps we need a citizens judicial committee to investigate these guys, make their crimes public and force their prosecution. Being voted out of office is not enough. They should be in jail.
A-men to that. For every good congress person that might suffer as a result there are 20 crooks raking in the graft.
He has been in office scince 1974.
This is NOT public Service, this is for power and personal gain.
We NEED TERM LIMITS!
"The republicans are still pi$$ed they lost and Murtha has no more earmarks going to constiuents than any other congressman seated."
I am a Democrat, but even I know that he has millions more than any other member of the house except Nancy P....This is the guy that was filmed in a sting. He didn't swallow the bait, but said "maybe some other time." He didn't report anything. This is the guy that accused innocent servicemen of being rapists and murderers. This is the guy that uses extortion to get what he wants from the military and brags about it. PLEASE check your facts. This guy is no friend of the Democratic Party, he's a time bomb.
Posted by obiden08 at 7:47 PM : Mar 17, 2009
Illegal war, Illegal war,.........................someone bring Bush up on charges or enough with the Illegal war already.
It's been 6 years now.
Posted by jgg00000008 at 7:30 PM : Mar 17, 2009
Agreed.
Look at the Great Lakes. The Coast Guard has cleared ice for over 50 years at a cost of billions of dollars cost. All this for Great Lakes industry shipping. Oil Co's have received tax breaks for decades even though they are obscenely profitable. Aitlines have been given handouts. Pharmacy Co's have been given exclusive Gov contracts. NAFTA benefited the Car Co's that opened plants in Mexico. The list goes on and on. Representatives are fighting for projects that benefit their constituents. This is pretty much why they are elected.
Crooks are crooks and kick them out Dem or Repub. Period!
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