Breaking news from Roll Call, “GOP Lawmakers Float Ethics Probe of Murtha”:
Republican lawmakers say that ties between Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.) and his brother’s lobbying firm, KSA Consulting, may warrant investigation by the House ethics committee.
From a GOP standpoint, the timing here is absolutely terrible—and so hamfisted as to be laughable. True or not, such a probe, should it happen, will certainly be spun as payback for Murtha’s willingness to Speak Truth to Power—and it smacks of the worst kind of political pettiness.
Sure, today’s House Dems under Pelosi have engaged in egregious opportunism and are, by dint of their official position on the war, serial obfuscators. So why give them the cover of being able to claim victim status? Why allow them to scream that they’re being punished for their patriotism by neo-McCarthyites?
A terrible and hamfisted blunder, if you ask me.
Unless of course in turns out KSA Consulting represents, say, Cindy Sheehan or United Patchouli Inc. Because then the GOP might be on to something…
(h/ JWebb)
I agree. So much of the reason that Dems are able to get any traction at all is the total lack of PR savy by Republican Congressional leadership.
STUPID
The idea of the ethics probe has been out there for a while, but Murtha commanded to much respect to call for one. I kind of think that some whispers got back to Murtha and promted his breakdown as a pre-emptive alibi. Such things have been done before.
This was mentioned at the time Murtha dropped his “leave now” load two weeks ago.
The idea is that Murtha stepped out front on Iraq as a way of self-immunization on the ethics problems he already knew were brewing,and the ones he had in the past, (anyone remember Abscam?)
Which, when you think about it, is pretty much run of the mill democrat tactics.
I contrast Murtha advocating surrender in Iraq in order to cover his own ass with Cunningham falling on his sword in public for doing things which, while wrong, and illegal, are hardly unknown to some of the louder democrat congresstypes.
And with MSM control of the public debate, and republican reluctance to rock this particular boat due to God-knows-what, (incumbency?), Jack (don’t even mention Abscam)Murtha will probably get away with it. Which makes him worse than a petty thief as far as I’m concerned. It makes him a traitorous petty thief.
I’m “through” with these guys. It’s time to hang a few from lamposts as an example to the rest.
I would be more inclined to take Murtha even fractionally seriously if it weren’t for the fact that he was recommending to Clinton that we run away from Somalia, using much the same phrasing that he does today.
And we all know how that little fracas worked out, don’t we?
Tit-for-tat crap like this is one of the dumbest thing the GOP could do. This story provides a tiny bit more info:
But still. Isn’t the point of being on these committees to steer money toward pet projects and friendly donors? Wouldn’t many (most? all?) politicians have the same type of skeletons in their closets? I’m not saying this is good policy, but I’m also not seeing anything unusual in this behavior. (Sadly)
I heard rumors of this possible investigation a while back, too, and thought Murtha’s “sudden” troop withdrawal revelation (ahem, dating back to ‘03) could’ve been construed as the most cynical type of preemption imagineable. If it works, the Dems get a twofer – Murtha’s call allows cover for withdrawals already in the pipeline and gives cover for his ethics investigation. Either way, the Republicans look like dumbasses for letting it happen. Where’s Machiavelli when you need him?
NO WAR FOR BIG PATCHOULI!
I disagree. It’s about time the Republicans struck back, hard. It’s obvious payback, and a long overdue warning that there will be payback for the DeLay dustup.
Let the circular firing squad begin!
Heh. Did anyone ever actually believe that just because DeLay isn’t majority leader anymore, that nobody asks “how high” anymore when he says “jump”?
Hmmm… and I remember all the calls to feel some compassion for Viet Nam vet and air ace Randy Cunningham when?
“Unless of course in turns out KSA Consulting represents, say, Cindy Sheehan or United Patchouli Inc.”
Murtha gets a lot of money from defense contractors. I’ve heard he’s among the top, if not the top.
Is it smart? Maybe. Will it be spun as payback? But of course. Much like Livingston of Louisiana taking that fall for pulling a modified Clinton. Gee, how did that find its way out into the public? MSM? Certainly.
No party has squeaky clean laundry. However, each side expects the other side to have it. “Do as I do, not as I say” has to be one of the most popular attitudes inside the Beltway.
Until I see the evidence and charges, I can’t really say that I know enough to make an informed decision.
The Republicans have the worst tin ear ever when it comes to “politics”(the game), but they could play to the strengths they have and nullify that deficit. The fact that they are, oh, I don’t know, the f’ing majority? The fact that they control the agenda? They had the moral highground so clearly after Clinton, and they screwed the pooch with money, corruption, bad faith tactics, not to mention the small fact that they did not do what they told us they would do when they got into the leadership.
From the Gingrich tapes vs. Miranda’s revelation, to Sandy Burger vs. Libby Scooter, and Tom Delay vs.(pick your fav here), it is clear when the press will attack or defend. With the MSM to do the attacking (and, by doing so, adds a modifier of “legitimacy” (yeah, that’s why I put it in “brackets”), the democrats have a permanent slot in the “victinhood” class.
With the recent scandals, resignations, track backs, poor political instincts, etc. the Republican party should be on life support. Oddly, like 2004 moonbats Anybody But Bush religion fanatics, the Anybody But the Democrats movement may be the only thread holding the majority together.
F’ing shame.
tw: front:
Yeah, we checked, but we didn’t even find one, let alone the pair.
Tom M  Is that why Dorgan and Reid have stepped right up on Abramoff?
If I understand you correctly, I’m not so sure that they couldn’t even pull that off. They can swim in the same fishbowl, crap in the same water, and get away with blaming the muck on the other fish.
Hmmm.
Yeah the timing is idiotic. Gotta be the Republican leadership! lol.
KSA Consulting
Frankly they mostly look like military contractors. Is Murtha on any military or budget related committees? I’d check but I ran into a brick wall of sorts.
Now if you want to see the stupidest website on Earth then go here.
hint: it reloads endlessly so you can’t actually select anything. A rather ironic and yet zen example of the futility of man compared to the ever expanding cosmos that represents the utter pig-headed stupidity of governments and their contractors all the world over.
What are the chances the Dems have been preasuring Murtha? Knowing his tendencies to cut out and proclivity for the green, they may have hinted that their support for him in an investigation might be waiverable.
Certainly his statements, i.e. regarding Somalia, raise doubts to my theory. However, in light of Dem leadership knowingly using a strategy to ”use some verterans” it is not out of the realm of possibility. Indeed, it would be in lock step with their stated plan.
But what do they gain? Regardless of the consequences, their lack of genuine military knowledge, nay, loathing of the military and shortsided defense, leads them to use people like Murtha for their own advantage. And that’s for personal advantage, not for the national well-being or security.
Republican leadership would have to beat the drum adnosium that this is an investigation that has been going on for however long before now. And then keep saying it, with documentation, and thrw it back at the Dems that they are trying to hide his misdeeds by wraping Murtha in the rainbow peace flag.
Don’t let Oliver hear you say any of this.
But at least you’re a good jackass, Jeff.
Well, looks like Oli changed my comment. Paraphrasing from memory:
“Does it matter that the 30 or so military guys who commet on my site would back me up on this?
“And speaking of keyboard jockeys, when’s the last time you could ride one of them puppies, Oliver? I’m guessing maybe 100 calzones ago, am I right?”
Yes, it’s surely hamfisted. But what can you expect from the GOP?
GOP hamfisting is just fine with me. Keeps them out of power here in California. At least at the legislaive level….