Irey Criticizes Murtha For Selling Vote, Selling Out Veterans

Diana Irey held a press conference today to call attention to the corruption in Washington and to John Murtha's selling of votes. First, here's what she said about teh various Washington scandals involving politicians:

"It seems you cannot pick up a newspaper today and read about what's going on in Washington without being disgusted at the corruption. Whether it's Duke Cunningham taking $2 million under the table from defense contractors seeking earmarked appropriations, or William Jefferson getting caught in an FBI sting with $90,000 cash in his freezer, or Bob Ney posing for photographs on a golf trip to St. Andrews paid for illegally by a corrupt lobbyist, or Alan Mollohan under federal investigation for directing millions of dollars in earmarked taxpayer funds to charitable organizations run by former staffers who then turn around and cut him in on business deals, the news is disappointing, disturbing, and disgusting.
"This is not a problem confined to Republicans or to Democrats, nor to conservatives or to liberals. It is a problem where the dividing line is far simpler and easier to understand, on the one hand are those found inside the Washington Beltway, and on the other hand are…the rest of us.
"This weekend's revelations regarding Mark Foley and his unconscionable behavior toward teenage children under the care of the U.S. House of Representatives is only the latest in a long line of cases of corruption in Congress, moral corruption in this case, but corruption nonetheless.

It isn't possible for people of conscience to rationalize, much less justify, the actions of Mssrs. Foley, Jefferson or Mollahan. Their actions are reprehensible and then some. It's important that Republicans not attempt to justify Mr. Foley's actions. It's apparent that Ms. Irey made no such attempt. Her outrage is palpable.

Ms. Irey next directs her focus to 'Trader Jack' Murtha:

"Let us look at two examples in particular: As reported in yesterday's New York Times, Jack Murtha voted against a proposal to research prosthetic limbs for veterans, and also against $150 million for veterans' health care and job training. In exchange for his votes, he was rewarded with earmarks."
"So our Congressman, who styles himself the champion of the military, deliberately voted against providing funds to research prosthetic limbs for veterans, and against providing $150 million for veterans' health care and job training benefits…in exchange for money. I guess helping veterans, even those who had lost limbs in the service of their country, isn't quite as important as Jack Murtha wants us to think he thinks it is.

I'd compare 'Trader Jack' with a used car salesman but I don't want to bring all used car salesmen down to Murtha's level. The public image that 'Trader Jack' has built simply doesn't square with his voting habits. It's disgraceful to hold yourself up as a champion of the military while you're voting to not provide funding for research needed to make our injured veterans and while not providing the needed funding of vets' health care and job training.

Frankly, the thought of 'Trader Jack' holding himself up as the champion of the military while (a) not providing health care funding; (b) not providing for prosthetic research that veterans need so badly and (c) after accusing the Haditha Marines of killing innocent Iraqis "in cold blood" should infuriate every veteran across the nation. Scratch that. It should infuriate every American. PERIOD.

We don't need liars like that roaming the halls of Congress. That's why Murtha Must Go.

Technorati: Election 2006, Diana Irey, Murtha, NY Times, Earmarks

Cross-posted at LetFreedomRingBlog