Mr. Murtha, a 76-year-old Marine veteran schooled in the blunt-knuckle deal-making that defined politics here, is contrition-free when it comes to his success.
“If I’m corrupt, it’s because I take care of my district,” Mr. Murtha said. “My job as a member of Congress is to make sure that we take care of what we see is necessary. Not the bureaucrats who are unelected over there in whatever White House, whether it’s Republican or Democrat. Those bureaucrats would like to control everything. Every president would like to have all the power and not have Congress change anything. But we’re closest to the people.”
Murtha’s remarks recall another one of CREW’s most corrupt lawmakers, Rep. Don Young (R-AK), who defended his controversial earmarks on the House floor in 2007. “I was always proud of my earmarks. I believe in earmarks, always have, as long as they are exposed. But don’t you ever call that a scandal,” said Young.
http://thinkprogress.org/2009/…
Anyone think this could cause him trouble in 2010? I’m sure his district has known he was corrupt for a long time, but could this be the final straw? I really wish he and Kanjorski would save us the trouble and retire in 2010.
I’m inclined to agree that Murtha’s constituents understand how the game is played in Washington by this point, and given their dependence on federal appropriations largesse I doubt they’re interested in dumping someone with the seniority of Murtha for some faux-reformist “good government” type.
Still, it seems there’s never an end to his shenanigans, and I’d be none too sad to see he and Kanjorski hang it up voluntarily. We’ve got an especially deep bench in PA-12 and someone like Bill DeWeese would, I think, be a fine replacement for Murtha.
that starts a sentence with “If I’m corrupt…” should be removed from office that day. The dems would have been much better off if Murtha had lost last November, just as Joe Cao solved the Jefferson problem.
And to think Pelosi wanted this guy to be the majority leader! We almost had our very own Tom DeLay immediately after taking back the house.
exactly what he’s about. That’s why they vote for him!
And contra Markos, you had better believe that his pork creates jobs.