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John Murtha dies at 77
John Patrick “Jack” Murtha Jr., the longtime 12th District Democratic congressman sometimes known as the “King of Pork” for his unmatched ability to bring federal dollars home to his western Pennsylvania district, died Monday. He was 77.
Murtha had been in stable condition at Virginia Hospital Center in Arlington after suffering complications from recent gallbladder surgery. His office announced Murtha’s passing Monday afternoon, saying he had died at 1:18 p.m., “peacefully” and with his family at his bedside.
Murtha, first elected to the House in 1974, lived just long enough to become the longest serving member of Congress from Pennsylvania. He achieved that milestone on Saturday. As a former Marine, he was the first Vietnam War combat veteran elected to Congress.
His passing leaves a congressional district in doubt for Democrats. Even despite ethics investigations that always seemed to pile up but go nowhere, Murtha was largely seen as invincible by Republicans.
Click here to read a full obituary from The Washington Post.
Click here to read an obituary from Politico.
February 8, 2010 at 2:54 pm
Tags: John Murtha, PA-12
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WESTPADEM6
Feb 8th, 2010
A hero and the greatest Congressman this state has ever seen!
Veteran Bob
Feb 8th, 2010
John will be remembered as a fighter and a true American hero. We will miss you.
GOPHAWK
Feb 8th, 2010
Even though a political adversary, Mr. Murtha was someone who enriched his country and not himself. He put on the uniform and fought for his country. He won election to Congress and fought for his constituents. Respect.
dave
Feb 8th, 2010
May you be in heaven a half-hour before the devil knows you are dead.
David Diano
Feb 8th, 2010
Quite a surprise.
The Real Murtha Legacy
Feb 8th, 2010
On May 17, 2006, Democratic Representative John Murtha of Pennsylvania, a retired Marine colonel and critic of the Iraq war, stated at a news conference that an internal investigation had confirmed the Haditha story. He was quoted as saying:
“There was no firefight, there was no IED (improvised explosive device) that killed these innocent people. Our troops overreacted because of the pressure on them, and they killed innocent civilians in cold blood.”
On August 2, 2006, Marine Corps staff sergeant Frank D. Wuterich, who led the accused squad, filed suit for libel and invasion of privacy. The lawsuit is currently pending. The filing states Murtha “tarnished the Marine’s reputation by telling news organizations in May that the Marine unit cracked after a roadside bomb killed one of its members and that the troops ‘killed innocent civilians in cold blood.’ Murtha also said repeatedly that the incident was ‘covered up.’ “[60] As of June 2008, Wuterich is charged with nine counts of manslaughter.
On September 25, 2008 former Lance Cpl. Justin Sharratt, one of the Marines exonerated in the hearings, filed a slander suit against Rep. Murtha. The lawsuit states that “Sharratt, in being labeled repeatedly by Murtha as a ‘cold-blooded murderer,’ and by Murtha outrageously claiming that the Haditha incident was comparable to the infamous (My Lai) massacre of Vietnam, has suffered permanent, irreversible damage to his reputation.”
On April 17, 2007, the Marine Corps dropped all charges against Sgt. Sanick P. De la Cruz.
On August 9, 2007, all charges against Lance Cpl. Justin Sharratt and Capt. Randy Stone were dropped.
On October 19, Lance Cpl. Justin Sharratt’s commanding officer decided the charges should be lowered to involuntary manslaughter, reckless endangerment and aggravated assault.
On September 18, 2007, all charges against Captain Lucas McConnell were dropped.
On March 28, 2008, all charges against LCpl. Stephen Tatum were dropped.
On June 17, 2008, all charges against Lt. Col. Jeffrey Chessani were dismissed by the military judge citing unlawful command influence.
Phillip
Feb 12th, 2010
David
Whats the surprise? Do you live under a rock?