Vote Irey!

If Rep Jack Murtha's devotion to cut and run isn't bad enough, here's a look at his stewardship of the Federal largess: it's his to promote his incumbency. Here's Brendan Minter in WSJ Political Diary:

Rep. John Murtha, a Pennsylvania Democrat and former Marine, made himself a hero to the anti-war left twice last year by calling for immediate withdrawal from Iraq. Now he's hoping to be elected majority leader if his party captures the House. Yesterday, the New York Times made his case for him: If Nancy Pelosi becomes Speaker in a closely divided House, won't she need a strict disciplinarian like Mr. Murtha to maintain party unity?

Mr. Murtha's leadership secret is not a well-kept one. He's extremely tough in doling out earmarks on Defense spending bills, rewarding Members who vote with him and cutting off those who balk at supporting his causes. He's the only Member who has a seat unofficially reserved for him in the House chamber. Rep. Mike Doyle, one of Murtha's minions, told the Times: "No one else dares sit there." He uses that seat -- referred to as "Murtha's corner" -- to hand out federal largess as members gather around him. And Mr. Murtha has used his clout to bring home countless barrels of pork for his district, turning the washed-up steel town of Johnston into a center for defense contractors. He has been especially solicitous in helping the firm Concurrent Technologies Corporation collect hundreds of millions in federal defense grants. One former Concurrent employee called the company "Murtha's pet rock."

Mr. Murtha learned hardball politics at the foot of former House Speaker Tip O'Neill, who put him on the Defense appropriations committee more than two decades ago. And he managed to survive a brush with political death in 1980 after undercover federal agents in a sting operation offered him a $50,000 bribe. He neither accepted nor turned down the money and later became a cooperating witness.

Mr. Murtha's public declaration last summer that he would challenge Minority Whip Steny Hoyer for the majority leader's office was widely considered tactless and needlessly divisive just before an election. He has since withdrawn the declaration -- but has been frantically raising money and passing it out to fellow Democratic House candidates in hopes of buying support. If Democrats take the House next month, look for a potentially ugly fight as Rep. Hoyer reminds colleagues of the less savory parts of Mr. Murtha's record.

Give a little money to the most attractive longshot of the year, Ms. Diana Irey.

Pennsylvania Posted by jk at October 3, 2006 1:15 PM