Murtha, Murphy criticized

By Jerome L. Sherman, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

September 19, 2007

An ethics watchdog group yesterday named U.S. Reps. John Murtha and Tim Murphy, both Pennsylvania lawmakers, as two of the "most corrupt" members of Congress.

Mr. Murtha, D-Johnstown, also informed his colleagues this week that he is one of more than a dozen members facing subpoenas to testify in the trial of a defense contractor connected to the bribery conviction of former Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham, R-Calif.

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, or CREW, named four Democrats and 18 Republicans in their annual report, which is available on the organization's Web site, www.beyonddelay.org.

The charges against Mr. Murtha and Mr. Murphy, R-Upper St. Clair, come mostly from news stories and campaign finance records, focusing on "unethical and possibly illegal activities" by both lawmakers.

CREW criticizes Mr. Murtha for being too close to PMA Group, a lobbying firm founded by a former staffer on the House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, which the congressman chairs. The firm has been very successful at winning federal contracts for its clients. PMA Group and some of its clients also are top donors for Mr. Murtha's campaigns, giving $274,649 in the 2006 election cycle.

Mr. Murtha also faces criticism for directing a $1 million earmark to a subsidiary of Concurrent Technologies Corp., an organization based in the congressman's district.

Mr. Murtha's office declined to comment, but the congressman has said it is his duty to bring federal money to Pennsylvania and spur economic development.

The report also recounts a May episode on the House floor, when Mr. Murtha allegedly threatened to deny any future projects in the district of Rep. Michael Rogers after the Michigan Republican tried to cut off funding for a federal agency in Johnstown. Mr. Rogers unsuccessfully brought a reprimand motion against Mr. Murtha.

In its assessment of Mr. Murphy, CREW recounts last year's allegations that the congressman used staff and resources from his government office for campaign-related activities. At the time, Mr. Murphy referred the issue to the House Ethics Committee, saying he expected the panel to find no "intentional acts of wrongdoing."

Yesterday, Mark Carpenter, a spokesman for Mr. Murphy, said CREW "is part of the current political climate of divisive and personal attacks."

"This left-leaning partisan group is notorious for sending out phony reports that are nothing less than character assassinations," he said. Mr. Murphy's office declined to discuss the specifics of the allegations.

Melanie Sloan, CREW's executive director, said the report named more Republicans than Democrats because the GOP had been the majority party up until this year.

"They had the power," she said. "I don't think either party is immune to corruption."

On Monday night, Mr. Murtha released a floor statement about his receipt of a subpoena from the U.S. District Court of Southern California in the trial of Brent Wilkes, a defense contractor.

Mr. Cunningham, the former California lawmaker, is serving an eight-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to accepting more than $2 million in bribes to help Mr. Wilkes and others.

In his statement, Mr. Murtha said he would resist the subpoena, citing advice from the House general counsel that it "is inconsistent with precedents and privileges of the House."