By FRANK SOJAK
A former spokesman for U.S. Rep. John Murtha said his ex-boss was a tireless worker whose legacy will be felt from Johnstown to Washington and around the globe.
“He worked harder than anybody I knew,” said Brad Clemenson, who was Murtha’s district director for many
years.
“If you weren’t in the office by 7 a.m., you were late. He was so tireless and did an incredible amount for this area.
“He’s going to have an incredible legacy in terms of what he has done for the local economy over the years.”
Clemenson recalled the aftermath of the Johnstown Flood in 1977, when Murtha worked to save the steel industry and give Johnstown a chance to transition into a more diverse economy.
“We have basically totally rebuilt the Johnstown economy over the years he has been in office,” Clemenson said. “Our unemployment rate here is comparable with the national rate. That kind of diversity ... would not have happened if it weren’t for Jack Murtha and
his leadership.
“He’s going to really be missed. He left a great legacy for the district. He’s also left a great legacy nationally and internationally with the impact that he has had on international affairs and the wars.”
When the lawmaker spoke against the Iraq War in 2005, it changed the tone and tenor in Washington, Clemenson said.
Clemenson said that what stands out most to him is Murtha’s commitment to the average person on the street.
Murtha was dedicated to making sure that Medicare and Medicaid were solvent because he cared about residents.
Murtha worked hard for jobs so that people could earn a decent living and cared deeply about military personnel and their families, he said.
“He probably did more than any member of Congress to make sure that all the needs of the troops were taken care of,” he said.
When a soldier from this area was killed during a war, Murtha would personally call the family and express his condolences and afterward, make sure that any issues or problems that the family had were solved.
“He was that kind of a caring and committed person,” Clemenson said.
