Monday, November 13, 2006
One of the 20 most corrupt members of Congress endorsed by the incoming Speaker for Majority leader
Washington, DC – Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) questioned soon-to-be House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-CA) commitment to eradicating corruption with her endorsement of one of the most unethical members in Congress, Rep. John Murtha (D-PA), to be Majority Leader of the House of Representatives.
Rep. Murtha was listed in CREW’s report Beyond DeLay: The 20 Most Corrupt Members of Congress (and five to watch). As reported in the study and by the news media, Rep. Murtha has been involved in a number of pay-to play schemes involving former staffers and his brother, Robert “Kit” Murtha.
Eight incumbents in CREW’s report lost their races to ethics issues.
“Future House Speaker Pelosi’s endorsement of Rep. Murtha, one of the most unethical members of Congress, shows that she may have prioritized ethics reform merely to win votes with no real commitment to changing the culture of corruption,” Melanie Sloan, executive director of CREW said today. “How can Americans believe that the Democrats will return integrity to the House when future Speaker Pelosi has endorsed an ethically-challenged member for a leadership position? Rep. Murtha is the wrong choice for this job.”
Not only is Rep. Murtha beset by ethics issues, The New York Times reported on October 2, 2006 that he has consistently opposed ethics and earmark reform. Sloan continued, “Rep. Murtha’s opposition to ethics reform does not bode well for future Speaker Pelosi’s promise to enact ethics legislation in the first 100 hours of the new Congress.”
Melanie Sloan is available to discuss CREW’s opposition to Rep. Murtha’s candidacy. Please contact Naomi Seligman Steiner at 202.408.5565 or press@citizensforethics.org.
CREW’s report can be found at www.beyonddelay.org.
And you're doing something when the Greorge Soros funded group tags you as a Democrat. As Hot Air points out, just watch the graft he can get his his hands on as Majority leader. Thanks Nancy, you must want to give this one back quick!
