Free Republic

We cannot recall when, if ever, a congressional race in our corner of the world developed a national focus, but such was the case last week. Unfortunately, it was characterized by the kind of overheated rhetoric that plagues today's politics. A group of veterans announced it would sponsor a national veterans rally in October to protest Rep. John Murtha's opposition to the Iraq war. "Vets for the Truth" is a successor to one of the organizations that worked against John Kerry in the 2004 presidential election. But the group does not simply disagree with Murtha that the United States should...

"I don't understand turncoats as Murtha and Kerry..Where do they think their freedoms come from. The U.N.? As an Iraqi Freedom Veteran it turns my stomach. Shut these FOOLS down!" Radel, William D. "I am an active duty CW5 here at Ft. Bragg NC. I have been deployed into theater 3 times for about 24 months and am deploying to Afghanistan late this year. I am so disgusted as a Pennsylvanian to know that Murtha is representing my state. That he would sell down the river any chance those Marines might have for a fair trial is beyond reprehensible. ......

(KDKA) PITTSBURGH The attention on Rep. John Murtha and his strong stand on the way the war in Iraq is being conducted has some Republicans out to defeat Murtha in the next election. KDKA Political Editor Jon Delano sat down with the congressional candidate who wants to do exactly that. Her name is Diana Irey. Voters in Washington County know her very well as one of their three county commissioners. But in fourteen weeks voters in nine southwestern counties will have the chance to send her to congress -- and if they do, it will send a loud message about...

The Republican National Committee's eCampaign Director -- Patrick Ruffini -- has sent out an e-message to America. Writes Ruffini: "A group of prominent conservative bloggers is turning discussion into action with the launch of Rightroots – an effort to support some of the most important House and Senate candidates of this election cycle..." A visit to the newly online "Rightroots" website shows a listing of GOP candidates deemed "the most important House and Senate candidates for this 2006 election cycle." Included in this select group: Diana Irey -- Congressman John Murtha's PA District 12 opponent! The brand new website serves...

The “Swift Boat” veterans who grabbed national headlines in 2004 when they attacked John Kerry in his failed presidential bid now are turning their sights to Johnstown. Their target is U.S. Rep. John Murtha... Armed as a new group – Veterans for the Truth – they’re bringing their campaign to “Redeploy John Murtha From Congress” to his backyard. They plan to hold a national rally in Johnstown in October “to show their outrage at John Murtha over what he is saying about our troops,” ... Details of the rally will be outlined at a news conference at 11 a.m. Thursday...

GREEN TREE, Pa. (AP) — With less than 100 days remaining in his re-election campaign and trailing in the polls, U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum painted his Democratic opponent as running solely on name recognition. "When you elected Rick Santorum, you didn't elect someone who came from a proud political legacy. You didn't elect someone who had a great name in Pennsylvania politics," he said, referring to his opponent, state Treasurer Bob Casey, whose late father was Pennsylvania's governor from 1987 to 1995. "You elected someone with great heart and great passion to fight for things you care (about)," Santorum told...

Press Conference August 3, 2006to announce details of aNational Veterans Rallyto be held in Rep. John Murtha's hometown of Johnstown, PA! Johnstown PA... A press conference will be held on Thursday August 3rd at 11am to make public the details of a national veterans rally to be held in Johnstown, PA.  The press conference will be held in front of Congressman John Murtha’s office, 647 Main Street, Johnstown, PA 15901. Chief Swiftboater John O'Neill co-author of "Unfit For Command" is scheduled asmain speaker at this national rally! Local rally organizers will announce that the national veterans organization “Vets for the...

Campaigning in PA: John Murtha & Howard Dean! As reported in a DNC press release, Howard Dean, chairman of the Democrat Party, is campaigning today with Rep. John Murtha in Greensburg, PA: [EXCERPTS:]Saturday, July 29, Democrats across the country will participate in "Democratic Reunion" events marking 100 days to Election Day 2006. ...Chairman Dean will canvass in Pittsburgh with the Westmoreland County Democrats and attend a Christmas in July event with Governor Rendell and Congressman Murtha in Greensburg, Pa. Why would supposedly pro-military, anti-abortion John Murtha campaign with Howard Dean -- renown for his anti-military, pro-abortion, fanatic positions? Murtha...

Because We Don't Know, Jack ... *This morning's edition of the Capitol Hill newspaper The Hill contains an article entitled, "To Raise Profile, Murtha Will Stump for 41 Democrats." According to the article, U.S. Rep. Jack Murtha plans to spend a large portion of the next 100 days campaigning "in 41 races around the country where he said party leaders believe he can be helpful." And why is Jack Murtha planning to forsake his own constituents at just the time when they're used to seeing him (to wit, right before Election Day)? Apparently because, according to the article, "Helping Democratic...

Because We Don't Know, Jack ... * Last Friday, the Christian Science Monitor published excerpts of remarks made during an interview with U.S. Rep. Jack Murtha. One in particular struck us: Asked, "What would change if the Democrats retook control of the House?" Murtha replied, "Accountability is going to be the key. Corruption, talk about corruption …" Well. Okay. If we must. Jack Murtha is the second-most-famous unindicted co-conspirator in American political history, ranking behind only Richard Nixon as The Man Who Got Away While Everyone Else Went to Jail. Offered a $50,000 bribe by an undercover FBI agent posing...

Congressional race heating up Tuesday, July 25, 2006 July is not known as a hot month for local politics, so some recent developments in the 12th Congressional District race are so much more unusual. Last week, we reported that a private investigator was checking into Washington County Commissioner Diana Irey on behalf of U.S. Rep. John Murtha, whom Irey is challenging in November. A woman visited the county elections office requesting copies of Irey's campaign finance forms in her races for commissioner and information from a state database that would show how often she voted. While all of these things...

Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.), who has suspended his race to become majority leader in the event that the Democrats capture the House, plans to campaign in 41 races around the country where he said party leaders believe he can be helpful. This is a dramatic increase in activity for Murtha, who did not campaign for House candidates in 2004, according to his spokeswoman.Helping Democratic candidates could pay dividends in a race for majority leader against Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.).Murtha says he thinks such a race is likely and told The Hill that if the election were held now Democrats...

The rest of the country is beginning to realize what the people in the 12th Congressional District have known for quite sometime. And that's that the war in Iraq is a hot issue in the race between U.S. Rep. John Murtha and his opponent, Washington County Commissioner Diana Irey. Murtha (D-Johnstown) has been an open critic of the war effort, saying for months it is time to pull out U.S. troops from the wear-torn country. Irey (R-Monongahela), meanwhile, is a staunch supporter of the war effort and is using it as her top point in trying to unseat the powerful...

...[w]hile the race for the Keystone State’s U.S. Senate seat will dominate the headlines, campaigns in four Congressional districts could well determine whether the GOP’s 12-year reign in the lower chamber comes to an end, or continues through the conclusion of the Bush Presidency. Three of the four toss-up districts are currently represented by Republicans and lie in the southeastern corner of the state. Deemed vulnerable by political pundits are Congressman James Gerlach of Chester County, first- term Congressman Michael Fitzpatrick of Bucks County and veteran Congressman Curt Weldon of Delaware County. Until recently no Democrat seat was seen as...

Ladies and Gentlemen, I never thought for a moment that we would be where we are right now—on the verge of creating a political explosion unprecedented in modern political life. Our vision a couple of months ago was extremely limited in scope—we just wanted to “do our part” in making life uncomfortable for “al-Jazeera Jack” Murtha, but things have totally changed that vision. What has happened is amazing! So many people from across the country have contacted us and encouraged us and contributed to our efforts that it appears like a true groundswell has emerged and is growing in size....

US Representative John Murtha of Pennsylvania, the senior Democrat on the House Defense Appropriations Committee and an Iraq war critic, was the guest at last Friday's Monitor breakfast. "We have become occupiers. We cannot win this militarily. But I hesitated to say anything. I waited probably too long. The way we operate militarily is a problem.... We go into a place, we have to blow it up to protect American lives. I agree with that. That's the way we operate to protect Americans. On what would change if the Democrats retook control of the House: "Accountability is going to be...

A private investigator working for the campaign of U.S. Rep. John Murtha has been collecting information about his opponent in the congressional race, Washington County Commissioner Diana L. Irey. "Everybody's talking about it," Irey said Wednesday, adding that she became aware that an investigator hired by the Murtha campaign was checking up on her in a county outside Washington a couple of weeks ago. About the same time, a woman arrived at the Washington County elections office requesting copies of Irey's campaign finance forms in her county commissioner races and information from a statewide database that would show how often...

...What happened to the “conservative Democrat” from Johnstown? I saw it coming when he endorsed the too liberal Nancy Pelosi from California for Democratic leader in the House. President Bush carried Cambria and Somerset counties in 2004. This means that the majority of voters agreed with Mr. Bush and his philosophies. Maybe Diana Irey, commissioner, can lead us in the ‘right' direction. Ronald Reagan was the greatest president in my 50 some years and I was a Reagan Democrat. Reagan was a Democrat in his early life and then changed to a Republican. Reagan made the world safer by his...

On NBC's "Meet the Press" last month, Murtha made it clear he disagrees with those who advocate staying the course. "We're fighting a war of ideals and ideas. It's no longer a military war. We have won the military war against their, their enemy. We toppled Saddam Hussein. The military's done everything that they can do. And so it's time for us to redeploy. And Iraqi(s) -- only Iraqis can settle this," he said. He also disagreed with those saying the U.S. is making progress. He hopes Iraq becomes a democracy, he said, "but I don't see it happening." Looking...

Federal Bureau of Investigations Washington, D.C. Gentlemen: I was very pleased to read about your "sting" investigation and to learn that you have finally uncovered Congressman John P. Murtha for what he has been doing to the people of this Congressional Districy. He has been parading up and doen this 6-county area with a twice-wounded Vietnam War hero background, and even has the audacity to list this in his Congressional Directory. In your investigation, you will discover a phoney! Murtha's own Marine Corp Official Record indicates that he incurred two lacerations during his Vietnam service-- March 22, 1967 -- on...