The incomming Speaker of The House, Nancy Pelosi (D), has endorsed John Murtha (D) to be House Majority leader. Why would the woman who swore on Brian Wilson’s show, “to turn this Congress into the most honest and open Congress in history” choose such a sketchy person?

Murtha has been mired in controversies and scandals since he took office. His resume looks more like a rap sheet. He has no ethics and even less honesty. Just look at some of the crap he has been involved in:

First off, the nasty Abscam sting of the 1980’s. Murtha, while never formally charged, was involved with the controversy. Here is the original Abscam survelliance video. There is another copy on YouTube, but the guy edits it so that it ends with Murtha saying “Not interested” when asked to take the bribe by the FBI. It, unfortunatley, doesn’t play all of Murtha’s statement. Here’s the full video:

Murtha has denied any wrongdoing in this, but as you can see and hear, he is all but innocent. He is displaying the same mafia type attitude that has followed him most of his post Abscam political life. His cheering section also likes to say that this is ancient history and it happened so long ago it isn’t important. Funny, when Bush’s National Guard record was supposedly uncovered it was very important, but when it’s a Democrat having the credibility problem, it’s not an issue and is ancient history. Ha.

Murtha is known as the man in bed with all the lobbyists. He is an insiders’ insider. He has helped more than one defense contractor connect with the right people in the Pentagon to get themselves favorable bids and has many other lobbyists in his pocket. How does he do that? Call it the Murtha Corner.

The Murtha Corner is a joke among House members to describe the “political trading posts” that Murtha runs in the back corner of the House. There, politicans from both sides of the aisle come to get Murtha’s blessing on certain items that they need to pass. He is like the Godfather. When you need a lobbiest to do your dirty work, Mutha has ‘em. If you need a close bill passed, he can arrange it as long as one gets passed for him. As Pennsylvania Democrat Paul Kanjorski told the New York Times when discussing the Murtha Corner, “nobody ever leaves completely disappointed.” It is just more of the political corruption that should be removed from Congress, but never will until the American public finally open their eyes and put an end to it.

According to a Washinton Times OpEd piece I read, Murtha is one of 12 Democrats who voted against the McCain-Feingold campaign finance reform bill. He’s one of four who killed a strong Democratic ethics package earlier this year. He is a one-man earmarking factory whose beneficiaries have included a lobbying firm that employed his brother and another founded by a former top aide.

John Murtha has been upset about America being in Iraq, but I don’t believe it is for the reasons most people think. I believe it’s because his favorite special interests groups, the ones in the defense sector, didn’t get the security or clean-up bids for Iraq so he can’t make money off the war over there. He could be the most decorated Marine in Vietnam, but he is nothing more than a greedy coward now.

Great work on making the Congress more ethical and clean, Nancy. You’re already off to a bang-up start.