Murtha's Devious Past

Did you know that Seton Hill recently had an unindicted criminal for a commencement speaker? Of course, I'm talking about John "Jack" Murtha, who's speech last month caused quite an uproar on and off campus. Conservative columnist Robert Novak published an article today reminding everyone that this "Democratic celebrity" has had his share of corruption charges in the past. "I had forgotten," Novak writes, "that federal prosecutors designated him an unindicted co-conspirator in the Abscam investigation 26 years ago." Murtha got out of the charges by agreeing to testify against the other conspirators.

Novak continues, "In 1980, the FBI named him as one of eight members of Congress videotaped being offered bribes by a phony Arab sheik."

The other seven targets took cash and were convicted in federal court. The videotape showed Murtha declining to take cash but expressing interest in further negotiations, while bragging about his political influence. Murtha testified against the popular Rep. Frank Thompson, which created lifelong enemies in the Democratic cloakroom. The House Ethics Committee exonerated Murtha of misconduct charges by a largely party-line vote, after which the committee's special counsel resigned in protest.

As John Murtha makes his rise within the Democratic Party, us Republicans can't be happier! Novak concludes saying, "The transfer of Murtha's tough-guy rhetoric from the back row of the hall of the House of Representatives to national television may not be what Democrats want communicating their side of the Iraq debate. It is why Murtha's candidacy for majority leader is cause for concern among serious Democrats."

The Democrats' call to cut and run seems to be falling on deaf ears. Not one, but two "pull out" bills were shot down in the Senate today. A bill that imposed a timetable requiring troops to be out of Iraq by July 1, 2007 lost 89-13. A second bill, which didn't have a timetable attached but would urge the President to provide a timetable, lost 60-39. The Democrats aren't even a unified party on the biggest issue facing America! How could we possibly trust them in a majority position?

Meanwhile, the more John Murtha talks, and the more the media and the public are reminded about his law-breaking, conspiring, bribe-taking past, the better off Diana Irey will be. Irey, Murtha's Republican opponent this November, continues to get huge national support from military families who are tired of Murtha's rhetoric. She will also be receiving the full support of the Seton Hill U. College Republicans.