May 18, 2007
Politico: Murtha Accused of Rules Violation
Don't mess with John Murtha's pork:
According to the draft resolution, Murtha shouted at Rogers on the House floor Thursday for offering a motion last week to expose $23 million Murtha requested in an intelligence bill.Murtha had requested the money to prevent the administration from shuttering the National Drug Intelligence Center in Johnstown, Pa.. in Murtha's district.
"I hope you don't have any earmarks in the defense appropriations bills because they are gone, and you will not get any earmarks now and forever," Murtha told Rogers on the House floor, according to the draft transcript given Politico.
"This is not the way we do things here -- and is that supposed to make me afraid of you?" Rogers replied.
"That's the way I do it," Murtha said.
According to the article, the National Drug Intelligence Center, "has received repeated low marks from several federal review boards."
If true, it seems that Murtha was trying to support a failed government outpost in his district to shore up his political support at home, at the expense of federal taxpayers... classic "business as usual" politics.
I'd suspect nothing will come of the reprimand attempt. The accusation will likely be entered into the Congressional Record, the reprimand voted upon, and probably fail along party lines. I think the purpose of Roger's filing the accusation was to document the stupidity of Murtha making such a thread in front of multiple Republican congressional witnesses, and to ensure that if Murtha does attempt to make good on his threat, that more serious ethics charges could be on the table.
Murtha makes Tamany look like Mother Theresa
Posted by: Purple Avenger at May 18, 2007 09:27 AM"That's the way I do it," Murtha said.
He should have at least said, "That's how I roll!" to inject even more comedy into the situation.
What a skull-hammering douchebag.
Posted by: negentropy at May 18, 2007 09:31 AMBusiness as usual, indeed.
This whole funding issue is completely FUBAR. There is no effort to do the right thing, from either side of the aisle. And for those who don't believe me, I have two words:
Ted Stevens.
Posted by: David Terrenoire at May 18, 2007 09:37 AMDavid, there is a difference between Stevens and Murtha. Stevens never threatened anyone. Murtha apparently issued an open threat, in front of a sizable number of Congressmen.
I think that is a distinction with a major difference.
Posted by: Confederate Yankee at May 18, 2007 09:42 AMNo, this is great. Let em slash each others earmarks. There needs to be lots more of this. What would be scary is if they make up and start agreeing to help each other out again...with our money.
Posted by: iaintbacchus at May 18, 2007 09:57 AMBob,
I forget the details, and don't have time to look them up, but didn't the GOP leadership threaten to challenge a representative's son's campaign if he didn't vote their way? And I think it was for the incredibly flawed and expensive Med bill, but I could be wrong.
My point is, the leadership makes threats all the time, Murtha's mistake was making the threat in public.
Posted by: David Terrenoire at May 18, 2007 10:05 AMI carry no brief for Murtha, but I don't see the "ethics issue" here. Isn't what he did--"refuse to scratch my back and I'll refuse to scratch yours"--the essence of Congressional logrolling and compromise?
If Rogers backs Murtha, then Murtha will back Rogers. If not, then the backing is taken away.
What is so different here from what has been done for over two hundred years?
Posted by: Doc Washboard at May 18, 2007 10:26 AMDoc,
Right - the skids need to be greased both ways. But what Rogers did was file a motion questioning Murtha's inclusion of the earmark into another bill. Murtha went apes^&t in public. That broke the rules as normally the back scratching is done in back rooms.
iaintbacchus,
Good point. I say do away with all earmarks.
David T.,
I agree that the problem is on both sides. But there is one difference here. The Dimmies are in charge. They ran on the "NewD irection" theme. They haven't spent one minute doing that. All they care about is oversight and one new "scandal" after another.
This is the second time in two weeks that Murtha has made a total a$$ of himself. And as one of the leaders of the Dimmies in Congress, don't you think it reflects the whole Congressional Majority in a rather poor light? Abscam indeed!
Posted by: Specter at May 18, 2007 11:57 AMSpecter,
You're right. (Thought you'd never see me say that, huh?) The Democrats did run on a new directions theme and that's why I'm so disgusted with them my hair's on fire.
Of course, the Republicans promised to bring honesty and integrity back to the White House and we see how that's going.
I'm fed up with the whole bunch.
Posted by: David Terrenoire at May 18, 2007 12:10 PM
