ABC News chief Washington correspondent George Stephanopoulos.
Murtha: Marine Murder in Iraq?
Congressman Says Haditha 'Worse Than Abu Ghraib,' War Crimes 'In Cold Blood'
Posted on 08/04/2007 12:50:01 PM PDT by jazusamo
WASHINGTON -- Pennsylvania's Rep. John Murtha is still the king of the earmark.
The Johnstown Democrat has snagged more than $150 million in pet projects in the massive 2008 defense appropriations bill, putting him ahead of all 434 other House members, according to an analysis this week from Taxpayers for Common Sense, or TCS, a watchdog group.
Mr. Murtha's ascent is not surprising. When his party won control of Congress last year, Mr. Murtha, one of the most senior members, again became chairman of the House's powerful panel on defense spending.
But Democratic leaders have called for a 50 percent reduction in earmarks this year, in keeping with their campaign promise to clean up a process that has become tainted by rapidly growing spending and several high-profile scandals, including the imprisonment of Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham, a California lawmaker who was convicted of bribery.
For the first time, House members are required to certify that they have no financial interest in the earmarks they sponsor through public letters to the appropriations committee. Also, the committee has released a report pairing sponsors with their earmarks.
The House is considering a $459.6 billion defense spending bill for the upcoming fiscal year, containing 1,337 earmarks with a price tag of about $3 billion.
Mr. Murtha is the recipient of 48 earmarks worth $150.5 million. Last year, his earmarks were valued at about $80 million to $100 million, said Steve Ellis, a vice president for TCS.
The increase may follow the change in Mr. Murtha's power status, but it also comes as other members are seeing a cut in their share of the earmark pie.
"He certainly wasn't sharing the pain," Mr. Ellis said. "There were the little people, and then there was Chairman Murtha."
TCS and other watchdog groups don't object to all...
(Excerpt) Read more at post-gazette.com ...
It is reasonable for us to expect a response to a serious question from a serious person.
Either there is a link or there is not.
Missing one ping is understandable.
A repeated ‘hit and run’ author on multiple web sites and after repeated requests by different people tends to lead one to an obvious conclusion.
I just checked his history and it’s satire. I’d never heard of him, not real funny, IMO.
It is a satire based on reality.
I really believe we need to make being a senator or congressman a true servant of the people but without perks or special interest etc. They are not going to leave the big tit of the US government and lobbyist which in my opinion should be considered illegal, I see it as blackmail.
I agree we the people of the US need to demand more of where our tax money is going, that is the problem many Americans do not.
I just returned from Johnstown Pa and you should see the pork Mertha has brought to Johnstown. It’s no wonder the people keep electing him to office. There are building, bridges, office buildings named after him and even one medical building named after his wife.
My feeling is that Murtha and the Pennsylvania GOP have learned to get along over the many years he’s been a congressman. The state GOP didn’t lift a finger to support Diana Irey in 06. Guess they figure Murtha is congressman for life so why bother?
You’re exactly right, they keep reelecting him because of his pork.
Last year during his reelection campaign against Diana Irey there was a video played here of a newsman interviewing murtha voters. Each one of them after being asked if they knew certain things about him said no but they’d still vote for him.
The questions were about derogatory remarks about our military, corruption and other bad things. It was evident they didn’t care about the bad stuff because he brings home the pork.
Dagnabbit! I missed her again!
LOL! You weren’t even close, you’re way too slow.
IMO, if that’s the attitude of the PA GOP, then they need to go as well. Murtha is a traitor that trashes our American patriots. Anyone that allows that kind of politician to stay in office, needs to be cleaned out as well. It’s pretty pathetic that the Republicans in Pennsylvania will allow this kind of disgrace to continue.
Agreed. And I hope whoever is going to take on Murtha in 08 announces soon. He or she will need all the time and money he or she can get to even stand a chance against Old Porky.
Multi-ping ................. FRegards
A 1 million dollar earmark for an organization that doesn’t even exist
http://sayanythingblog.com/entry/earmarks_for_organizations_that_dont_even_exist
how many bridges could this fix?
You know what?
You have more than likely, no ,let me change that, almost always, been a pain in the butt.
Now that is as gracious and gentlemanly as I can be.
LOL!
Hiya, Smooth. Looks like you’re pretty familiar with the satirist. I’d never run across him before but know him now. :-)
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