It's unofficial: Russell's on the ballot!

Bill Smith reports that despite efforts by the Murtha campaign along with those of two local RINO republicrats to get William Russell taken off the ballot, Col Russell reports that he has more than the required write-in ballots to put him on the November ballot as the Republican-endorsed candidate for U.S. Congress!

Read the whole thing.

Murtha's Office Calls Police on Iraq Vet's Mother

The first thought I had when I heard about this story was that John Murtha's staffers need to get their asses handed to them. Here's the gist of this outrageous story:

I had seen an absolute enough disappointed Marines walk by and tell me that John Murtha did not see them and could not see them. When I asked how did it go, they all reported pretty much the same answer “Didn’t have time for us.” Could this be the same John Murtha who had all kinds of time to badmouth these Marines even before he was officially briefed on what occurred in Haditha?!!! The mother and protector in me could not let this disrespect go by. I believe these Heroes need someone to speak up for them because they cannot and I can no longer sit and be silent. I headed down to John Murtha’s office with two mothers of Soldiers, one who’s Son currently serves and one who’s Son has served proudly. We entered the office and I asked to see Murtha.

John Murtha talks all the time about visiting the wounded vets in Walter Reed to show that he cares about these wounded veterans. It's inexcusable and disgusting that he won't take the time to listen to pro-war military veterans. John Murtha loves doing photo ops. It's equally apparent that he won't talk with people who think this war is winnable. Isn't it his responsibility to meet with people with various perspectives, not just those who agree with him?

“Do I have an appointment?” a young man asked. I gave him my card and told him I was outraged that several Marines had been in to see Mr. Murtha and were refused. This young man stood up and told me that “people” cannot just come in there and expect to see the Congressman without an appointment. I was outraged by his pompous attitude and insulted that he didn’t seem to understand that these brave Warriors are not just “people!” I clearly saw the problem here and was so deeply offended that he didn’t seem to understand, and I informed him that these fine Marines are not just people, THEY ARE SOLDIERS, THEY ARE HEROES, and MR. Murtha needs to show them respect and further, he needs to apologize to everyone of them. The last thing I said was “He is a Coward” because I believe that he is. A white haired lady asked us to leave and we did, and as we walked down the hall, the white haired lady called us “Cowards.”

It's apparent that anti-war sentiment in Rep. Murtha's office isn't limited to Rep. Murtha. It's apparent that his staff shares their boss' perspective. This woman is entitled to her opinion. What she isn't entitled to do is hurl mean-spirited epithets at people she disagrees with. That's unacceptable. She's supposed to be a public servant, just like Rep. Murtha is supposed to be a public servant.

Simply put, this staffer should be fired immediately for calling Bev Perlson a coward. Rep. Murtha owes Mrs. Perlson an immediate apology, too. As disgusting as this is, the story isn't finished yet:

As I just reached the Cannon Bldg., 3 or 4 Police cars with flashing lights pulled right up near me. I think I saw 6 or 7 Policeman around me and was asked to step aside to speak with one of the Officers. I was asked if I had just been in the Rayburn Bldg and what was my business there. I explained to the Officer what transpired in Mr. Murtha’s office, I was asked for my driver’s license and that was it. I did tell the nice Policeman I was not at all sorry for what I said in Murtha’s office and that I have NEVER been arrested. I did tell him that I was very sorry if I caused him any trouble or a lot of undue paperwork. If Mr. Murtha’s purpose in calling the Police on me was to scare me or intimidate me, his bullish tactic did not work and I say he is lucky my father wasn’t around! I am angry that this man, who accuses our military of using excessive force, sent 3 Police Cars and 7 Officers to intimidate me. Had me chased down like a fugitive! I know one thing for certain: John Murtha does not respect our Soldiers and he sure doesn’t respect their mothers. You are shameful John Murtha.

There's only one reason why the police were called: This white-haired Murtha staffer wanted to intimidate Bev Perlson. That's a boneheaded move. It doesn't take rocket science to realize that it's almost impossible to intimidate a member of the Band Of Mothers.

More importantly, the thought of intimidating her shouldn't have crossed this staffer's mind. But it did.

We need to turn up the heat on Rep. Murtha and the House leadership. It's time that we flooded Rep. Murtha's offices with calls for this staffer's termination. Here's the number to Rep. Murtha's DC office:

1-202-225-2065

Here's the number to Rep. Murtha's Johnstown office:

1-814-535-2642

It's time that we unabashedly told Rep. Murtha that he and his staff had better treat Americans with far more respect than they've been treated thus far.

Technorati: John Murtha, Iraq War, Anti-War Activists, Staffers, Intimidation, Walter Reed, Bev Perlson, Band Of Mothers, War Veterans

Cross-posted at California Conservative

Murtha Criticizes McCain

Speaking at a Hillary campaign rally this afternoon, John Murtha declared that John McCain was too old to be president. Watching the clip of it brought a smile to my face. Specifically, here's what Rep. Murtha said:

"I've served with seven presidents," Murtha told a union audience. "When they come in, they all make mistakes. They all get older."

"This one guy running is about as old as me," he said, drawing laughter and applause. "Let me tell you something, it's no old man's job."

It's worth noting that Rep. Murtha is 75 going on 110 while Sen. McCain is 71, going on 51. Let's just say that Rep. Murtha looks less than fit. Meanwhile, Sen. McCain looks as fit as anyone still in the race. What's most fascinating to me is that Murtha actually gave Sen. McCain a nice opening when he said that "When they come in, they all make mistakes."

Sen. McCain is right in pointing to his experience as a reason why he won't make as many mistakes as someone as green as Obama and Hillary. That's something Sen. McCain did earlier this week:

Earlier this week, McCain was asked about his age and he joked about it, at first feigning sleep.

“Watch me campaign. We keep a heavier schedule. We campaign harder,” he said Monday during The Associated Press annual meeting. “People will judge me by my performance. I am confident that my energy, my intellect, my experience, and my judgment is what American people will, hopefully that they will view me as qualified to be president of the United States.”

Here's Sen. McCain's specific response to Rep. Murtha's attacks:

McCain, in an interview with FOX News on Wednesday, said, “I invite John to come out with me on the campaign trail. I out-campaigned everybody else and that’s why I’m the nominee of my party. I can certainly out-campaign either Senator Obama or Senator Clinton.”

This is a losing attack for Democrats. It isn't difficult to spot John McCain's vitality and energy. only an old fart like Murtha wouldn't notice that.

I suspect that Sen. McCain loves the thought of John Murtha shooting his mouth off in this race. Sen. McCain looks positively youthful compared to Murtha. Additionally, Rep. Murtha is the poster child for Washington corruption while Sen. McCain has a reputation of integrity. It can't hurt that Rep. Murtha is campaigning for another ethically challenged candidate in Hillary Clinton. That's a contrast that the McCain campaign should welcome.

Technorati: John Murtha, Hillary, Corruption, John McCain, Integrity, Election 2008

Cross-posted at LetFreedomRingBlog

Jack Murtha & Time: So Far, So Wrong

That's the title of Phil Brennan's Newsmax article. It's the perfect title for the article because Murtha and Time have gotten precious little right about the insurgents' November 19 attack in Haditha. Let's start with what they got right since that won't take much time:

There was an insurgent attack in Haditha on November 19, 2005. The 3/1 Marines were involved. After that, you've got to do alot of searching for anything else that they got right. Let's get to Phil Brennan's article because, unlike Tim McGirk's article, it's got alot of important information.

On Nov. 19, 2005, during an insurgent ambush of the Marines of Kilo Company 3rd battalion 1st Marines, 15 Iraqi civilians and nine suspected insurgent ambushers were killed. One Marine was killed in an IED explosion and two others seriously wounded.

Thanks to the battalion intelligence officer, Lt. Jeff Dinsmore, who monitored the daylong engagement, the entire Marine chain of command were given the full story of the engagement that very night and it was agreed that no further action in connection with the civilian casualties was needed.

Phil Brennan has been one of the people who's actually disseminated Article 32 testimony. His reporting hasn't been perfect in terms of timeliness but it's been solid. Here's another important bit of information:

Typical of Murtha’s rantings were his comments on a May 28, 2006, ABC News broadcast. In response to George Stephanopolis’ comment that he claimed to have been briefed several times since Nov. 19 and said that that the evidence showed that the Marines had committed cold-blooded murder, Murtha said:

“Well there’s no question in my mind, what happened was an IED exploded. It killed one Marine. And then a taxi drives up. When the taxi comes up there’s four of five people in it. And they shoot … shoot those four or five people unarmed.

“And then they go on a rampage throughout the houses and kill people. One woman, as I understand it, in talking to officials in the Marine Corps, was kneeling over a child pleading for mercy and they shot her in cold blood. That’s the thing that’s so disturbing. And even more disturbing is the fact that we know that the Iraqis knew about it because they made payments to the Iraqis for accidental deaths or salacious deaths whatever you want to call it. And in addition to that, they had … there has to have been a cover-up of this thing.”

That interview won't reflect kindly on Rep. Murtha. As I posted here, there's a YouTubed Hardball interview that totally contradicts Murtha's statements on Stephanopoulos' show. Here's the YouTube video:

Here's the transcript of that interview:

Matthews: Let me ask you something, Mr. Murtha, to give us some details, to tell us what happened at Haditha.
Murtha: Well, I'll tell you exactly what happened. One Marine was killed and the Marines just said "We're gonna take care of this." They don't know who the enemy is, the presure was too much on them so they went into houses and they actually killed civilians. And you know that I...
Matthews: Was this Mi Lai? Was this...When you say cold blood, Congressman, alot of people think you're basically saying that you've got some civilians sitting in a room or out in a field and they're executed.
Murtha: That's exactly what happened.
Matthews: Not because the Marines are scared...
Murtha: This was not an action. This was not...First they tried to say that it was an
IED. There was no IED involved in this. Those troops that went in, they were so stressed out, they went into houses and killed children...women and children, 24 people they killed. Now this is the kind of stuff...That's the kind of stress they're under. I understand this. I don't excuse it but I understand what's happening. And the responsibility for this goes straight to the top. This is something that should not have happened. It should have been investigated. As I understand it, they've already relieved three commanding officers. But this is the kind of stuff that stress is gonna cause these sorts of things. That's why I'm so upset about it.

My question to Rep. Murtha is quite simple. Do you want to stick with your statement to George Stephanopoulos where you said that an IED went off or do you want to stick with your statement to Chris Matthews where you said that there wasn't an IED explosion? It doesn't matter which choice Murtha makes. Either way, he's discredited because he's caught in a 'Heads, you win, tails, I lose' situation.

Personally, I agree with what Michelle Malkin said about Murtha:

Murtha indicts himself every time he opens his mouth.

Michelle, I couldn't agree more. My only question is whether Murtha is somehow related to Joe Wilson...

Technorati: John Murtha, Scandal, Corruption, Tim McGirk, Time Magazine, Joe Wilson, Haditha Marines, Jeffrey Dinsmore, Chris Matthews, YouTube, George Stephanopoulos

Cross-posted at LetFreedomRingBlog

Murtha’s Past Statements

Please indulge me for trotting out a reminder of Murtha's disgusting tactics in smearing the Haditha Marines. Here's a YouTube video that should be a wake-up call for people:

Here's the transcript of the Matthews-Murtha interview:

Matthews: Let me ask you something, Mr. Murtha, to give us some details, to tell us what happened at Haditha.
Murtha: Well, I'll tell you exactly what happened. One Marine was killed and the Marines just said "We're gonna take care of this." They don't know who the enemy is, the presure was too much on them so they went into houses and they actually killed civilians. And you know that I...
Matthews: Was this Mi Lai? Was this...When you say cold blood, Congressman, alot of people think you're basically saying that you've got some civilians sitting in a room or out in a field and they're executed.
Murtha: That's exactly what happened.
Matthews: Not because the Marines are scared...
Murtha: This was not an action. This was not...First they tried to say that it was an IED. There was no IED involved in this. Those troops that went in, they were so stressed out, they went into houses and killed children...women and children, 24 people they killed. Now this is the kind of stuff...That's the kind of stress they're under. I understand this. I don't excuse it but I understand what's happening. And the responsibility for this goes straight to the top. This is something that should not have happened. It should have been investigated. As I understand it, they've already relieved three commanding officers. But this is the kind of stuff that stress is gonna cause these sorts of things. That's why I'm so upset about it.

Let's look at what John Murtha said happened vs. what actually happened.

John Murtha said that "There was no IED involved in this." At the same time, he admits that a Marine was killed, which caused the Marines to snap before they went on their murderous tirade.

Question for Mr. Murtha: If there wasn't an IED explosion, how did LCpl. Miguel Terrazas get killed? The Time Magazine article Rep. Murtha is so fond of citing says that a roadside bomb killed LCpl. Terrazas:

The incident seemed like so many others from this war, the kind of tragedy that has become numbingly routine amid the daily reports of violence in Iraq. On the morning of Nov. 19, 2005, a roadside bomb struck a humvee carrying Marines from Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, on a road near Haditha, a restive town in western Iraq. The bomb killed Lance Corporal Miguel (T.J.) Terrazas, 20, from El Paso, Texas. The next day a Marine communique from Camp Blue Diamond in Ramadi reported that Terrazas and 15 Iraqi civilians were killed by the blast and that "gunmen attacked the convoy with small-arms fire," prompting the Marines to return fire, killing eight insurgents and wounding one other.

That's the only accurate part of the infamous McGirk article. Here's another Murtha fabrication:

Those troops that went in, they were so stressed out, they went into houses and killed children...

Whether they were stressed out or not, I can't say with total certainty. What I can say is that they followed their rules of engagement flawlessly during the firefight. That suggests to me that these Marines weren't stressed, that they didn't crack.

Here's the most flagrant lie Murtha tells in this exchange:

They don't know who the enemy is.

That's a bunch of crap. Their S2 intelligence officer told them to expect a white taxi to be part of the insurgents' ambush. It was part of the insurgents' ambush. The S2 told them that "that some 20 insurgents would take part" in the ambush. That's what happened.

A total of 24 Iraqis died that day in Haditha. Eight of those Iraqis were identified later as known insurgents. Five of those eight insurgents were shot immediately after they jumped out of the white taxi.

To summarize, the Haditha Marines knew alot of details about the insurgents' ambush, especially considering the fact that they "don't know who the enemy is."

That's why Murtha Must Go.

Technorati: Haditha, John Murtha, Chris Matthews, Insurgents, Haditha Marines, Miguel Terrazas, Intelligence

Cross-posted at LetFreedomRingBlog

The Indictment Against John Murtha

Charges were dropped against LCpl. Stephen Tatum on Friday, leaving Lt. Col. Jeffrey Chessani, Sgt. Frank Wuterich and Cpl. Andrew Grayson as the remaining three Marines who haven't had their cases resolved. Eventually, John Murtha will be exposed as a corrupt man who used the Haditha Marines in his attempt to become the House Majority Leader.

What We Know As Fact

We know that John Murtha accused the Haditha Marines of "killing innocent civilians in cold blood" before the investigation on Haditha had been completed.

We know that Rep. Murtha's story has changed several times. When reporters initially asked him about his sourcing on May 18, 2006, Rep. Murtha said this:

“All the information I get, it comes from the commanders, it comes from people who know what they’re talking about.”

That didn't last long. On May 30, 2006, he made this contradictory statement:

The Commandant of the Marine Corps was in my office just last week, so you know, I know there was a cover-up someplace.

He later offered another statement. This time, the spokesman for Marine Corps Commandant Michael Hagee had to correct Rep. Murtha:

He had told The Philadelphia Inquirer that Gen. Michael Hagee had given him the information on which he based his charge that Marines killed innocent civilians. But a spokesman for the Marine Corps said Hagee briefed Murtha on May 24 about Haditha.

Let's highlight that conflict between rep. Murtha and the Marine Corps spokesman because it highlights extremely important information.

If Gen. Hagee did indeed brief Rep. Murtha on May 24, 2006, that means that Rep. Murtha couldn't make these accusations based on irrefutable facts; at least he couldn't do that on May 17, 2006.

That brings us to our first 'counts' against Rep. Murtha: Violating the Haditha Marines' constitutional protection of (a) being presumed innocent until provent guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and (b) violating their due process rights.

Another accusation Rep. Murtha made was that the officers in charge of the 3/1 Marines covered up their findings of what happened on November 19, 2005 in the city of Haditha. That's absurd because we know that Captain Jeffrey Dinsmore put together a comprehensive PowerPoint presentation, which was sent up the chain of command. That isn't speculation; that's his sworn testimony. The fact that the people further up the chain of command said that there isn't anything to investigate says it all.

Rep. Murtha told ABCNews' Charlie Gibson that he knew there was a cover-up "someplace." As I've said before, if you think something is true but can't prove it, then you should say that "I believe that there is a coverup someplace." You don't say that you know there's a coverup.

That's the second count in the indictment. Rep. Murtha made false accusations against the Haditha Marines. What's worse is that he made those accusations without verifiable proof of wrongdoing. Knowingly filing false charges against someone is a crime.

The third count in the indictment is possibly the weightiest of charges. Murtha's connections within the Pentagon are deep. He's built a mini-empire by acting as a 'recruiter' for companies in the military industrial complex. When they want a new hardware, Rep. Murtha gets it for them. As a result, they paid particularly close attention when Rep. Murtha made an accusation against the Haditha Marines.

With his clout, Rep. Murtha did everything except play the role of judge, jury and executioner. In civilian court, he would've been accused of poisoning the jury pool, which is another violation of the Haditha Marines' due process rights.

Speculation

I can only speculate that Rep. Murtha also knew about the "shadow body" within the Pentagon established to monitor the proceedings against the Haditha Marines. In the aftermath of the Abu Ghraib and Pat Tillman investigations, it's perfectly reasonable to think that there was a strong political component to these investigations. Here's what Richard Thompson, president and chief counsel of the Thomas More Law Center, said on that matter:

"The hysteria and media firestorm over Abu Ghraib and the Pat Tillman investigations led to fear of a similar media reaction to the Haditha incident, causing the military's civilian bosses to set up this shadow oversight body," said Richard Thompson, president and chief counsel of the Thomas More Law Center.

"This extraordinary action politicized the military justice system and was a clear signal to top generals that they were expected to hold individuals criminally responsible. The investigation turned into a quest for a prosecution, not justice," Thompson said.

If there was a political component to these investigations, then it's equally reasonable to think that John Murtha's fingerprints are all over that portion of the witch hunt.

Based on the known facts alone, Rep. Murtha would have a fight if he found himself in a court of law.

That's why it's time to turn up the heat on the House Democratic leadership to open a thorough ethics investigation into the role John Murtha played in the smearing of the American heroes we know as the Haditha Marines.

It should insult everyone's sensibilities when people's constitutional protections are ignored. That should go double when the people whose rights were violated are military heroes.

In the end, that's the most damning indictment against Rep. Murtha of them all.

UPDATE: Welcome Instapundit readers. I've been chronicling Mr. Murtha's accusations and 'revisions' since he first made the accusations against the Haditha Marines on May 17, 2006. Follow this link if you want a timeline of Murtha's 'revisions'. You'll want to check out this post. This one, too.

Hillary Gets SuperJack Endorsement

Every other significant Democrat in Pennsylvania is hitching his caboose to the Hillary train -- so why not Murtha?

A boost more powerful than a locomotive.....

Rep. John Murtha, D-Johnstown, stirred up a hornet's nest in 2005 when he spoke out against the war in Iraq. Yesterday, the Vietnam War veteran created a buzz by endorsing Mrs. Clinton.

Mr. Murtha said Mrs. Clinton "will forge a consensus on health care, education, the economy, and the war in Iraq."

There's no way to measure the power of Mr. Murtha's endorsement as far as influencing voters, but he is a pretty good fund-raiser. And in a race this close, it's worth noting that Mr. Murtha is one of those all-powerful super-delegates.

I will try to set aside the image of John Murtha in spandex tights and concentrate on the topic at hand (thanks a lot, Mr. Post-Gazette reporter!).

Since Murtha has been an advocate of "declare defeat and bring 'em home!" for a few years now, it's almost surprising that he has not gotten behind Barack Obama, whose advocacy of a policy of surrender seems closer to Murtha's position than does Hillary Clinton, who is in favor of a gradual withdrawal. The only reason that the Murtha endorsement is NOT a surprise is that Pennsylvania politics are old-fashioned and somewhat bizarre. PA politics do not reflect the popular image of politics in other parts of America. This is the state (or should I say, Commonwealth) that is currently represented by a pro-life Democrat and a pro-abortion Republican (who is not a Christian) in the US Senate. Boom boom, out go the stereotypes. In the big elections, PA voters thumb their noses at party affiliations in many general elections. For a few decades now, Pennsylvanians have been electing a Republican Governor for two terms, then a Democrat for two terms, then a Republican for two, then a Democrat...and so on. A few years ago, every statewide elective office was held by Republicans except for one. Today, the exact opposite is true. Our voters are fickle. We are a political pendulum.

This goes a long way to helping understand John Murtha's success in getting re-elected to Congress, biennium after biennium. He's a Democrat. But he's a conservative! That's what the media tells us, and compared to most other Dems, he certainly seems that way. Considering Murtha's voting record over the decades, labels like "conservative", "liberal", and "moderate" are meaningless. The only description that accurately fits him is "Porkmonger". He's all about delivering the goods. Today, those goods are called Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Like his support for immediate troop withdrawal from Iraq, this endorsement is an example of Murtha going along with the prevailing winds. Governor Ed Rendell, the mayors of Philly and Pittsburgh, and other major league Democratic political players have publicly backed Hillary. Jack Murtha is following suit. Hillary has become Murtha's other white meat, so to speak. A Clinton victory already seemed like a foregone conclusion in Pennsylvania; Murtha has made it even more so.

Getting back to the Murtha-as-superhero image (more like super-villain), it's not hard to imagine him assuming the identity of...The Porkmonger! I don't know if the Porkmonger can fly off of rooftops, but I wouldn't mind seeing him try.

Leo adds:

There ya go, Dave :-)

Murtha Gets His Way On Haditha

According to this Thomas More Law Center action alert, Lt. Col. Jeffrey Chessani is being thrown under the bus because the military caved to John Murtha's political agenda. Here's what Richard Thompson said on behalf of his client:

“Military Judge Colonel Stephen Folsom’s, USMC, ruling yesterday refusing our request to take the deposition of Congressman John Murtha, D-PA, is the latest indication that it will be impossible for Marine Lt. Colonel Chessani to get a fair trial regarding November 19, 2005, Haditha incident,” said Richard Thompson, Chief Counsel of the Thomas More Law Center, the Ann Arbor, Michigan based public interest law firm defending Lt. Col. Chessani.

“This entire prosecution is politically motivated and stinks to high heaven. Denying us the right to take Murtha’s deposition so that we could show undue command influence, as well as denial of our request for production of documents in the possession of Lt. Col. Chessani’s superiors makes it impossible for us to render this loyal Marine officer the effective assistance of counsel he deserves — they are attempting to throw him under the bus. In many ways this is a trial like the one in Alice in Wonderland—the verdict first and then the trial.”

Continued Thompson, “In the next couple of weeks we will reveal startling facts tracing the impetus for this prosecution to the highest levels of military and civilian
command.”

John Murtha's despicable behavior should turn every American's stomach. He started this in motion because he wanted to be the House Majority, not because he'd found out that the Haditha Marines had "killed innocent civilians in cold blood" but because he's a despicable human being without a hint of integrity.

If Murtha were to repeat under oath the things that he's said on TV, he'd be convicted of perjury in the shortest trial in history. This timeline reveals all the discrepancies in Murtha's evolving story. Here's Rep. Murtha's initial account:

Rep. John Murtha, an influential Pennsylvania lawmaker and outspoken critic of the war in Iraq, said today Marines had “killed innocent civilians in cold blood” after allegedly responding to a roadside bomb ambush that killed a Marine during a patrol in Haditha, Iraq, Nov. 19. The incident is still under investigation by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service and Multi-National Forces Iraq.
———-
“It’s much worse than was reported in Time magazine,” Murtha, a Democrat, former Marine colonel and Vietnam war veteran, told reporters on Capitol Hill. “There was no firefight. There was no [bomb] that killed those innocent people,” Murtha explained, adding there were “about twice as many” Iraqis killed than Time had reported.

First of all, there was a day-long firefight. We know this because it was captured on film by a UAV monitoring the events of that day. Second of all, of the 24 people killed that day, eight were known insurgents.

When first asked by reporters how he got his information, here's Rep. Murtha's explanation:

Murtha confidently replied, “All the information I get, it comes from the commanders, it comes from people who know what they’re talking about.” Although Murtha said that he had not read any investigative reports by the military on the incident, he stressed, “It’s much worse than reported in Time magazine.”

It wasn't long before Rep. Murtha's story started 'evolving':

Murtha, a Pennsylvania Democrat, is being sued by one of the accused Marines for libel. He had told The Philadelphia Inquirer that Gen. Michael Hagee had given him the information on which he based his charge that Marines killed innocent civilians.

But a spokesman for the Marine Corps said Hagee briefed Murtha on May 24 about Haditha. Murtha had made comments on the case as early as May 17. On May 17, for example, he said at a news conference, “Our troops overreacted because of the pressure on them and they killed innocent civilians in cold blood.”

When ABC's Charlie Gibson pressed Rep. Murtha on this, here's the exchange they had:

GIBSON: Jonathan just mentioned, there’s no charges yet filed against any of the Marines that were in this outfit, but Jonathan mentioned a moment ago, defense lawyers are already saying, well, there’s drone video and there is actual radio traffic to higher-ups that will give a different picture than you have been talking about of this incident. What do you know about that?

MURTHA: I can only tell you this, Charles. This is what the Marine Corps told me at the highest level. The Commandant of the Marine Corps was in my office just last week, so you know, I know there was a cover-up someplace. They knew about this a few days afterwards and there’s no question the chain of command tried to stifle the story. I can understand why, but that doesn’t excuse it. Something like this has to be brought out to the public, and the people have to be punished.

"I know there was a cover-up someplace"? You'd think that if Rep. Murtha knew it, he'd be able to point directly to it. It's worth noting Capt. Jeffrey Dinsmore's testimony on what happened that fateful day in Haditha:

Intelligence gathered by Marine S2 officers in advance of the events of Nov. 19th, 2005, revealed that it was known that an insurgent ambush was planned for the day. Although exact details of the planned ambush were not known, some important details were revealed, most importantly, that some 20 insurgents would take part, and a white car would play an important role in the ambush. The intelligence was made available to the officers and men of Kilo Company, including Sgt. Frank Wuterich who has been charged with, among other things, murdering the occupants of a white car that came on the scene following the IED explosion that killed one Marine and seriously wounded another. The evidence will show that Wuterich acted appropriately when he shot the passengers of the vehicle.
Although the media continues to report that 24 innocent civilians were killed that day, the S2’s testimony shows that eight of the dead, including four of the five occupants in the white car killed by Wuterich, were known insurgents and the dead civilians therefore numbered 16, not 24.
The insurgents whose communications were intercepted and which revealed the planned ambush were the same two men who were the sources of the fallacious and dishonest Time magazine story, which was the source of the accusations against the Marines.

By now, it's clear that Rep. Murtha's deposition testimony would expose him as a liar. It's also clear that he threw innocent Marines under his bus strictly for political gain.

This is reprehensible behavior for a man who claims that he's the soldier's best friend. He's nothing of the sort. He's a disgusting, corrupt excuse for a man. Of all the sleazy people I've seen serve in the nation's capitol, John Murtha is easily the most corrupt, most reprehensible man to serve in elected office.

Because of Murtha's influence-peddling, it's now likely that Lt. Col. Jeffrey Chessani will be convicted of the “dereliction of duty” and “orders” violations broght against him. Here's something else that should get everyone's attention:

Murtha also has ties to Navy Secretary Donald Winters. Winters had over 65 NCIS investigators assigned to investigate Lt. Col. Chessani and the Marines charged in the case. The NCIS Director claimed that to be the highest number of investigators assigned to an investigation in the history of the NCIS.

This is extremely strange considering how straightforward this is. All that needs to be done is to look at Capt. Dinsmore's testimony and view the aerial footage shot by the UAV to know that these charges are without foundation or merit.

It's time for this travesty to end. It's time that Rep. Murtha apologized for his treachery perpetrated against the Haditha Marines. Most importantly, it's time to remove him from his position of power.

Technorati: Haditha, John Murtha, Corruption, Michael Hagee, USMC, Frank Wuterich, Jeffrey Chessani, Jeffrey Dinsmore, Insurgent Attack, Charlie Gibson, Stephen Folsom, Richard Thompson, Thomas More Law Center

Murtha Pork Fest...

In a gala reminiscent of the Appalachian Mob Meeting back in 1957, Murtha is having a thank you party for all the defense contractors who have contributed to his ongoing culture of corruption.

Tonight, Rep. John Murtha (D-PA) will be hosting a gala dinner tonight at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Pentagon City for defense industry lobbyists who have received and who hope to receive millions of dollars worth of earmarks in FY 2009 appropriations bills.

Mr. Murtha will be joined by Reps. James Moran (D-VA) and Peter Visclosky (D-IN). All are well known for their “Earmark for a Contribution” prowess. Last year Roll Call found that these three members funneled millions of earmarked tax dollars to firms whose executives subsequently contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars to their campaign funds.

Par for the course, eh Jack??

Sooo-weee!!!! Sooo-Weee!!!!

Murtha slimes past another one.

If it were about the issues, Jack Murtha would lose.

If it were about integrity, Jack Murtha would lose.

If it were about honor, Jack Murtha would lose.

If it were about dignity, Jack Murtha would lose.

If it were about shame, Jack Murtha would lose.

But Jack Murtha, thanks in part to some RINO toadies, has slimed past yet another election.

Jack Murtha has no shame.

Jack Murtha has no dignity.

Jack Murtha has no integrity.

Jack Murtha wouldn't know honor if it came up on his ass and bit him.

Jack Murtha is wrong on the issues.

Jack Murtha does not deserve the title, U.S. Marine.

Jack Murtha knows this.

That is why Jack Murtha knew that he stood no chance against an honorable war veteran like William T. Russell.

That's why the Jack Murtha syndicate thug machine sprang into action, and found Russell's 1000-vote petition short by 7 votes.

What's the matter, Jack Murtha?

Why the cut and run from this campaign?

Why the cut and run from the issues?

Why the cut and run from your responsibility to apologize to the Haditha Marines and to the Pendleton 8, Jack Murtha?

Do you have a shred of decency left anywhere in that fat-backsided, tired, scandal-riddled Dorian Gray visage?

But you already know the answers to those questions, don't you, Jack?

It is my fervent hope that Lt. Col (ret.) William Russell will continue to opt to wage a write-in campaign.

All he would need is 1,000 votes and be the top vote getter in the Republican primary.

The citizens of PA-12; indeed, the United States of America, deserves better than Jack Murtha.

What Hath Murtha Wrought, Part II

Where is the apology, Jack?

So who is Donato Zucco?

As I asked in the previous post, what would lead Don Zucco, a republican, who signed a petition to get Lt. Col. William T. Russell on the ballot, to not only turn away from Russell, but to spearhead an effort to get him off of the ballot?

Could it be that Zucco is as polluted by Murtha's corruption as is anyone?

Follow the money:

Republicans play a similar game. Donato Zucco, a Republican and mayor since 1994, works closely with Murtha and state politicians, mostly Democrats, to get funding. Every six weeks he meets with 35 chief executives from Johnstown's largest companies, then goes off lobbying to Harrisburg or Washington.

Not to mention that Zucco is a regular donor to the Murtha campaign to the tune of $1000 per year (aside from playing both sides of the fence, when in the same year he donated $25,000 to the RNC).

At any rate, Mr. Zucco has turned a blind eye to decades of pork and corruption that has been the Murtha administration, an ignorance whereby judging by recent actions, has poisoned his very soul.

Just what does Murtha have on Mr. Zucco? Or, conversely, what is Mr. Zucco getting from Murtha?

Murtha's Tentacles of Corruption run deep in PA-12

"Unlimited power is apt to corrupt the minds of those who possess it"

-William Pitt the Younger, The Earl of Chatham and British Prime Minister from 1766 to 1778

Nowhere does this phrase ring with more clarity and truth than in PA-12, and in no heart more-so than the soul-less Jack P. Murtha. After making the above post, I took the liberty to telephone Lt. Col. (ret) William T. Russell and get his take on the slimy she-nanigans afoot to remove him from the ballot to challenge the perennial political boss of PA-12. What I found was nothing less than nauseating.

As the Johnstown Democrat stated,

The challenge was filed by two local Republicans: Former Johnstown Mayor Don Zucco and attorney Jeanne McKelvey.

In what was an ominous statement that could have otherwise been uttered by a Stepford wife,

Zucco said only, “There are lots of ways to support the congressman.”

Aside from being totally non-sensical, what could drive a former Republican mayor, one who actually signed the petition to put Russell on the ballot, to initiate a petition to recall the ballot? Zucco reportedly lives across the street from Murtha. What kind of quid pro quo would make Zucco turn tail and not only run away from Russell, but attempt to derail the nomination of a viable candidate from his own party?

The answer, my dear readers, is found in the climate of fear created over three decades of immoral, corrupt, political powerbroking in PA-12 that would make the likes of Don Vito Corleone seem like Albert Schweitzer in comparison.

The history of corruption that has been Murtha's decades-long tenure in the U.S. House of Representatives, time and time-again chronicled on this blog, has resulted not in a constituency representative of a free people, but rather a fiefdom of serfs afraid that any action against their liege would turn into certain repercussions by a nefarious network that could easily be labeled the Murtha Crime Syndicate.

Rather than utilizing his office in a manner befitting a public servant, Jack Murtha has displayed a clear pattern of abuses that has allowed him to cleave onto power just as surely as the legendary hydra clung onto a sinking ship as its hapless captives drowned.

It just so happens that Murtha's corruption has bought the allegiance of nearly half of the Republican party structure in PA-12, not to mention countless professionals who are afraid to sign a public petition, or be on a list of contributors to a contender, lest they face retribution at a workplace in which Murtha's largesse has been a benefactor. William Russell recounted a number of occasions of talking to professionals who would like nothing more than to see Murtha go, but at the same time are afraid to be publicly seen supporting an opponent.

PA-12's allegiance to Jack Murtha, while certainly bringing about a booty of baubles and beads, has at the same time left them captive to the whims and fancies of a bald-faced, ruthless tyrant.

The venerable Thomas Jefferson once acutely observed, “A government afraid of it’s citizens is a Democracy. Citizens afraid of government is tyranny!”

It is time that the citizens of PA-12 renounce this travesty of government that has been the Murtha tenure in the U.S. Congress. It is time for men of character to stand up once and for all and declare that the emperor has no clothes, and once and for all break free of the fiefdom resultant of decades of greed and corruption.

Good citizens of PA-12. It is time to cast off the golden-fleeced shackles of servitude and to once again restore honor to your seat in the House of Representatives.

Good citizens of PA-12, Murtha Must Go!!

Just when you think he couldn't get any lower...

The Johnstown Democrat reports:

William Russell’s campaign to unseat U.S. Rep. John Murtha could meet an untimely end.

A challenge filed in the state’s Commonwealth Court claims that Russell, a Johnstown Republican, does not have enough valid petition signatures to get his name on the April 22 primary ballot.

If Russell were deemed ineligible, that would leave Murtha – a Democrat who has served 34 years in the House – with no opposition in this year’s elections.

“Certainly, I intend to fight this,” Russell said Thursday.

A hearing is scheduled next week in Harrisburg.

Murtha’s campaign committee issued a statement saying Russell appears to have “filed a nominating petition that contained over 180 invalid signatures or unregistered voters in the 12th Congressional District” – apparently leaving him short of the 1,000 names needed.

Murtha's Big-Boss, Big-Money tentacles appears to have garnered him quite a menagerie of toadies:

The challenge was filed by two local Republicans: Former Johnstown Mayor Don Zucco and attorney Jeanne McKelvey.

Zucco said only, “There are lots of ways to support the congressman.” McKelvey could not immediately be reached.

And to add yet more slime to this already odious, foul-smelling, mix

Murtha’s committee supports the challenge: “The law states that candidates must have (the signatures of) 1,000 registered party voters to be on the election ballot. We believe that all candidates running for office should follow the law.”

That would be a good rule to live by, Jack... if you actually were honorable enough to live up to it.

As an aside, Jack... maybe it's my hearing, but I have yet to hear any apology coming from your piehole for wrongly de-faming a platoon of Marines; one who just happens to be one of your constituents.

John Murtha lecturing another regarding morals isn't only laughable, it's downright pathetic.

If this ploy succeeds, I urge all fair-minded Republicans in Washington County to write in Lt. Col. William Russell.

Jack Murtha deserves nothing less than a resounding defeat in November.

Jack Murtha: Unabashedly Porcine.

It is widely spread news that the National Drug Intelligence Center (NDIC) at Johnstown is more or less a slush fund for Jihad Jack Murtha's perpetual re-election to PA-12's U.S. congressional seat. A poster child for government waste and the consequences of the "earmark mentality," NDIC, and Murtha's connection to it, has been the subject of continuing ethics violation investigations. Not only is Murtha so arrogant as to accept his connection to the pork-laden, waste-laden redundant bureaucratic bloat-ocracy, he's proud of it:

Van Osdol: "Congressman, what about the National Drug Intelligence Center?"

Murtha: "You're from WTAE?"

Van Osdol: "Yes, sir."

Murtha: "Nice to see you."

Van Osdol: "What are you going to do to secure funding for that, sir?"

When Van Osdol tried to keep asking questions, one of Murtha's men tried to block the television camera.

Van Osdol: "Congressman, can you respond to the criticism that people say NDIC is just a pork barrel program?"

Murtha: "No comment. How's that?"

Van Osdol: "Why don't you want to talk about that program, sir?"

Murtha: "Just talk to them about it. Talk to NDIC."

Van Osdol: "We've talked to NDIC."

Murtha: "What did they tell you?"

Van Osdol: "They say you are the man who keeps it going."

Murtha: "That's right. You got that right."

Heh. Straight from the horse's pig's mouth.
PA-12, there's a reason that politicians, like diapers, need to be changed.

Murtha won't give up hope...

Despite the undeniable successes associated with George Bush's and General Petraeus' surge strategy, Jihad Jack Murtha refuses to give up hope that we can declare surrender:

A leading House Democrat wants to reignite the debate over the withdrawal of troops from Iraq in March, a move that represents a marked change after Democratic leaders in both chambers toned down their rhetoric in recent months.

Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.), the chairman of the Appropriations Defense Subcommittee and a leading critic of the Iraq war, said that his panel would likely be done considering the second installment of the 2008 war supplemental by the end of February.

“After that I will try to convince the leadership to bring it up in March,” he told reporters Thursday, after he spoke at the Center of Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). He said he would make the same recommendations as he did last year: setting a goal date for troop withdrawals and mandating standards for troop readiness.

Murtha added that introducing troop withdrawal language is a leadership decision. House leadership is still under pressure from the liberal base to force a change in Iraq policy.

“People have been to my office every day saying, ‘You have not gotten out of Iraq yet,’ ” Murtha said.

Nor have you apologized for trying to unjustly accuse Haditha Marines of cold blooded murder for reasons of political gain, have you, Jack?

Where's that apology, asswipe?

But we knew back then, Jack Murtha, as we know now:

It's never been about the troops. It's never been about the welfare and security of the United States, nor of your constituents in PA-12.

Since the stench of Abscam reared its ugly head back in 1980, as is the case now, It's always been about Jack Murtha.

PA-12, isn't it time to send this moronic, corrupt piece of self-centered excrement to the cistern from whence he crept?

You have an honorable choice in the name of William Russell to support.

For the love of God, Murtha Must Go!!

When it Comes to Pork....

Murtha remains the King....

From the New York Times, nonetheless:

The Pork King Keeps His Crown

The new earmark disclosure rules put into effect by Congress confirm the pre-eminence of Representative John Murtha at procuring eye-popping chunks of pork for contractors he helped put in business in Johnstown, Pa. The Pennsylvania Democrat, a power player on defense appropriations, exudes pride, not embarrassment, for delivering hundreds of millions of dollars in largesse to district beneficiaries. They, in turn, requite with hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign donations.

Mr. Murtha led all House members this year, securing $162 million in district favors, according to the watchdog group Taxpayers for Common Sense.

[SNIP]

In 1991, Mr. Murtha used a $5 million earmark to create the National Defense Center for Environmental Excellence in Johnstown to develop anti-pollution technology for the military. Since then, it has garnered more than $670 million in contracts and earmarks. Meanwhile it is managed by another contractor Mr. Murtha helped create, Concurrent Technologies, a research operation that somehow was allowed to be set up as a tax-exempt charity, according to The Washington Post. Thanks to Mr. Murtha, Concurrent has boomed; the annual salary for its top three executives averages $462,000.

There’s been no report of Mr. Murtha’s profiting personally. “This is about jobs,” the congressman insists. But the Murtha operation — which has become a model for other entrepreneurial lawmakers — is a gross example of quid pro quo Washington. Every one of the 26 beneficiaries of Mr. Murtha’s earmarks in last year’s defense budget made contributions to his campaign kitty, a total of $413,250, according to the newspaper Roll Call.

Once a Marine, now a bloatedly corrupt politician.

Is this really who you want representing you, PA-12???

A Defining Atrocity

Diana West's latest column does a great job of highlighting what we've been saying here at MMG for months. It's great having Ms. West on board. The more voices talking about Murtha's disgraceful actions, the better.

What a difference a year has made since charges came down at the end of 2006. The New York Times in October mourned, I mean, noted, the shift: “Last year, when accounts of the killings of 24 Iraqis in Haditha by a group of Marines came to light, it seemed that the Iraq war had produced its defining atrocity, just as the conflict in Vietnam had spawned the My Lai massacre a generation ago.”

No “defining atrocity”? Gee, that’s too bad. The Times went on to lament that the presiding military investigator recommended that murder charges against the ranking enlisted Marine, Staff Sgt. Frank D. Wuterich, be dropped. And this, the newspaper bellyached, “may well have ended prosecutors’ chances of winning any murder convictions in the killings.”

No murder convictions? Well, boo — the heck — hoo.

This got started way back in May, 2006. John Murtha, one of the most corrupt politicians in US history, told a wrapt audience of Beltway reporters that US Marines "killed innocent civilians in cold blood."

Rep. John Murtha, an influential Pennsylvania lawmaker and outspoken critic of the war in Iraq, said today Marines had “killed innocent civilians in cold blood” after allegedly responding to a roadside bomb ambush that killed a Marine during a patrol in Haditha, Iraq, Nov. 19. The incident is still under investigation by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service and Multi-National Forces Iraq.
----------
“It’s much worse than was reported in Time magazine,” Murtha, a Democrat, former Marine colonel and Vietnam war veteran, told reporters on Capitol Hill. “There was no firefight. There was no [bomb] that killed those innocent people,” Murtha explained, adding there were “about twice as many” Iraqis killed than Time had reported.

As the cases moved through their respective Article 32 hearings, recommendations were made that charges be dropped against Justin Sharratt, Randy Stone and Lucas McConnell, recommendations that were accepted.

I put together a timeline that show the disingenuousness of Murtha's statements. Here's where I nailed Murtha the hardest:

The next day, Murtha was asked about the sourcing for his accusations. Here’s his answer:

Asked about his sources during a midday briefing on Iraq policy in the Capitol, Murtha confidently replied, “All the information I get, it comes from the commanders, it comes from people who know what they’re talking about.” Although Murtha said that he had not read any investigative reports by the military on the incident, he stressed, “It’s much worse than reported in Time magazine.”

The Marine Corps later corrected the record:

Murtha, a Pennsylvania Democrat, is being sued by one of the accused Marines for libel. He had told The Philadelphia Inquirer that Gen. Michael Hagee had given him the information on which he based his charge that Marines killed innocent civilians.

But a spokesman for the Marine Corps said Hagee briefed Murtha on May 24 about Haditha. Murtha had made comments on the case as early as May 17. On May 17, for example, he said at a news conference, “Our troops overreacted because of the pressure on them and they killed innocent civilians in cold blood.”A spokeswoman for Murtha was not immediately available. (Sounds familiar.)

I said then what I've believed throughout: that John Murtha's inventing this stuff and he's getting caught doing it.

Technorati: Haditha, John Murtha, Corruption, Michael Hagee, Military, Justin Sharratt, NCIS, Randy Stone, Tim McGirk, Time Magazine

Why Russell has more than a chance to win!

There are those who believe that Lt. Col. William Russell has no chance to win against the Gasbag from Johnstown, Jack P(utz). Murtha (D- Al Qaeda).

To that I politely say, HOGWASH.

While Diana Irey, Murtha's most formidable opponent to date, garnered 39 percent of the vote and fell short of victory, certain circumstances exist today that weren't in play at the time of Irey's candidacy that play well in Russell's favor:

1. Haditha. The truth about Haditha had not yet come to light. There is no longer an argument regarding the fact that the Haditha Marines had *NOT* committed "cold blooded murder," as Murtha had so loudly proclaimed; and to this day Murtha refuses to apologize for and to retract his unfounded accusations.

One of the Marines that Murtha wrongfully accused of cold blooded murder, Justin Sharrat, is in actuality one of PA-12's own constituents. There is a heavy concentration of military personnel, both active and retired, in PA-12. The truth about Haditha, especially after having been brought to light not only by Darryl and Justin Sharrat, but also by the highly decorated candidate, Lt. Col. William Russell, shall sprout some mighty stout legs.

There is no honorable military person who, in good conscience, can vote for an ex-Marine who sold one of their own down the river. Just ask John Kerry.

2. William Russell is retired military.

While Diana Irey was bright, knowledgeable, and in every way competent, Lt. Colonel Russell will add yet another dimension of credibility to the mix that will appeal to PA-12's military voters. Not only is Russell retired military, his record is beyond reproach, and Russell exemplifies all that is honorable in a veteran; a stark contrast to his incumbent opponent.

3. Murtha continues to be corrupt.
His earmarks and other "boss politician" antics, while certainly bringing pork in the area to buy votes (this, being the latest example), at the same time have gotten additional scrutiny that had not been brought to bear, even in local media, until relatively recently.

Due to these factors, do not lose sight of the notion that now, more than ever, the Murtha Machine is a corrupt, and yet vulnerable machine that could well be on life support at this juncture, and that Lt. Colonel William Russell, via his weapon of honor and righteousness, will be the one to put this monster in retirement mode, once and for all.

WIll Murtha Now Apologize?

The investigations have been finalized. There was no "massacre" in Haditha; and none of the Marines involved in the incident will face murder charges.

by Nathaniel R. Helms

December 31, 2007 -- The Marine Corps has now acknowledged that none of the Marines charged with criminal offenses for their actions at Haditha, Iraq committed murder. Lieutenant General Samuel Helland’s decision to dismiss charges of unpremeditated murder against Staff Sergeant Frank Wuterich lay to rest specious allegations by Time Magazine reporter Tim McGirk and Congressman John Murtha that a My Lai-style massacre occurred in Haditha on November 19, 2005.

A Marine Corps spokesman said Monday that Staff Sgt. Frank Wuterich will face trial on charges of voluntary manslaughter, aggravated assault, reckless endangerment, dereliction of duty and obstruction of justice for his role in the debacle that followed an Al Qaeda led attack on a squad of 12 Marines.

Lt Gen Helland, the final arbiter in the matter, dismissed twelve charges of unpremeditated murder, and separate charges of soliciting another to commit an offense and making a false official statement. His decision removes the onus that war crimes were committed by any of the American Marines who fought in the day-long battle for the strategic city.

Attorneys Neil Puckett and Mark Zaid, in Washington, D.C., co-counsels for SSgt Wuterich, responded:

“The good news is that SSgt Wuterich (and all of the Marines, for that matter), have been forever cleared of murder charges. That means that there is (and never was) any evidence to support Congressman Murtha’s and Time magazine’s allegations of these Marines killing Iraqis 'in cold blood.'

“The bad news is that the extensive pretrial investigation and legal analysis conducted by an experienced military judge was essentially ignored. It is always disappointing when professional military prosecutors profess to want to do the right thing by setting up the system to work, and then ignore its results because they refuse to give Marines under attack in combat the benefit of the doubt that they were responding according to their training. We are confident that a military jury will acquit SSgt Wuterich of all remaining charges, because he is, in fact, not guilty.”

Congressman Murtha: All Marines involved in the Haditha incident have been cleared of the charge of MURDER. You, sir, accused them of cold-blooded MURDER; without the benefit of trial, without even having received an official briefing on the matter.

Congressman John P. Murtha:

We, the writers and editors at MURTHA MUST GO!! call on you to apologize for impugning the honor of