John Murtha represents the people of this region in all that he does.
We can’t accept the congressman’s earmark dollars with one hand and brush off his alleged transgressions with the other.
When he steps in mud, or when others throw mud at Murtha, we all get dirty.
That’s why, when questions are raised about possible improper activities at a Murtha-created organization, we get anxious.
And when a watchdog group rates our local congressman as being among “the most corrupt” lawmakers in Washington, we are embarrassed.
We don’t like being characterized as folks who support questionable activities, or who endorse troubling behavior by our elected officials.
In the past week, Murtha has taken shots from two sides over the way he does business in our nation’s capital.
The nonprofit Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, or CREW, released its third annual report on lawmakers. The group said 22 House and Senate members - 18 Republicans and four Democrats - were listed because of “their egregious, unethical and possibly illegal activities (as) the most tainted members.”
Specifically, Murtha was chosen – the group said – because of “abuse of his position on the (defense appropriations) subcommittee to benefit the lobbying firm of a former long-term staffer and for threatening to block earmarks of other members for political purposes.”
In 2006, CREW rated Murtha as a “dishonorable member” to be watched. CREW said he jumped into the “most corrupt” group in 2007 for “threatening a House member for criticizing earmarks ... a clear violation of House ethics.”
That incident was Murtha’s run-in with Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Mich., who unsuccessfully tried to kill a $23 million earmark for the National Drug Intelligence Center in Johnstown.
Meanwhile, Roll Call, a Capitol Hill news organization, reported that a Murtha-backed nonprofit group received government contracts and works with other companies Murtha has helped to fund.
The Pennsylvania Association for Individuals with Disabilities, or PAID, is run by former Murtha aide Carmen V. Scialabba.
Ex-U.S. Sen. Max Cleland, D-Ga., confirmed to The Tribune-Democrat that he had resigned from the PAID board of directors, saying: “Once I learned more about the organization, I just decided it was not for me.”
Cleland is Murtha’s friend. The triple amputee and Vietnam veteran came to Johnstown last fall to speak on Murtha’s behalf at a political rally in Central Park.
“I’m not associated with PAID,” Cleland said. “I am not interested in pursuing that relationship at all.”
In it’s report on PAID, Roll Call said the organization “can point to few successes that are unrelated to (Murtha).” Roll Call contacted various Pennsylvania disability organizations that said they never worked with the Johnstown-based charity.
In both cases – the PAID debate and the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics report – Murtha would not comment.
That’s his prerogative.
But our prerogative is to say what we think.
We’re weary of hearing about – and writing about – accusations concerning Murtha’s character, and we wish he seemed more concerned about them.
And we’re angry that “corrupt” is how many people view our local congressman.
Editorials
Mud thrown at Murtha stains all of us
- Editorials
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Readers' Forum 2-8 | Ambulance crew following protocol
In response to the Readers’ Forum letter on Feb. 3 by Molly Comperatore, “Ambulance assoc. bill extravagant, unethical”:
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Protect young lungs
A recent CDC study concludes that too many kids are breathing others’ smoke in cars.
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Richard Dreyfuss | Future generations will come out on losing end of budget
As the governor’s state budget undergoes intense scrutiny, there is no shortage of speculation surrounding various fiscal austerity proposals and which departments and programs will likely be the ultimate budgetary “winners and losers.”
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‘219’ optimism is driven closer toward reality
Making U.S. Route 219 a four-lane highway from Somerset to the Mason-Dixon Line is a crucial project for our entire region.
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Readers' Forum 2-7 | Country controlled by wackos
You just can’t make this stuff up.
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‘219’ optimism is driven closer toward reality
Making U.S. Route 219 a four-lane highway from Somerset to the Mason-Dixon Line is a crucial project for our entire region.
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Mark Critz | National Drug Intelligence Center – how we got here
Last week, the pending closure of Johnstown’s National Drug Intelligence Center became official, as years of fighting to keep it open came to an end.
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Readers' Forum 2-6 | Sidewalk, security issues plague city
Despite Johnstown’s relatively mild winter, there continues to exist major concerns for senior citizens and disabled residents as we look toward the future and more-seasonably nasty winters.
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Tech Park move good for downtown
While it has been a struggle to fill the much-ballyhooed Greater Johnstown Technology Park, another prospective tenant for the Kernville facility is welcome and uplifting news.
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Zachary Hubbard | A letter from ‘Shadowland’
My mother Phyllis divorced my hard-drinking, truck-driving father when I was 6. She subsequently took a tough job as a nurse’s aide to earn a living for us.
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