Is John Murtha Feeling the Heat?
In an interview with The Tribune-Democrat, John Murtha intimated, in an underhanded manner, that Diana Irey may have entered the congressional race because she and her husband stand to benefit from Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Murtha said he is concerned about Irey’s motivation for running against him, considering her husband, Robert, is CEO of a Canonsburg-based firm that secured a $300 million contract with the Iraqi government two years ago.
“I worry about that,” he said. “If they’re benefiting from this war, and if this is the reason she’s in this, it really bothers me. I don’t like that.”
In response, Diana Irey asks a question that has already been answered, "Have you no decency, sir?"
(MONONGAHELA, July 10) – Washington County Commissioner and Pennsylvania 12th district Republican Congressional nominee Diana Irey – responding to a statement by U.S. Rep. Jack Murtha, in which Murtha suggested that Irey is running for Congress because she and her husband are “benefiting from this war” – today released the following statement:
“Today I have a simple question to ask Jack Murtha: Have you no decency, sir?
“Jack Murtha’s comments in yesterday morning’s Tribune-Democrat – wherein he said, essentially, that my husband and I are ‘war profiteers,’ and impugned the motives of American civilian contractors involved in trying to help Iraq defend its new democracy – are shameful.
Shameful indeed. Irey continues.
“Note that he said ‘It really bothers me. I don’t like that.’ This is not the appropriate response after raising a question; this is a response to a conclusive act. That is, he did not say, ‘It WOULD really bother me,’ nor did he say ‘I WOULD not like that.’ This was an accusation, pure and simple, no matter how poorly he failed in trying to dress it up as a question. He’s about as subtle as the candidate who, wanting to attack his opponent without being accused of dirty campaigning, says ‘Oh, please don’t ask me about my opponent’s well-known penchant for driving drunk after spending an evening gambling with prostitutes at the illegal casino down the street – I wouldn’t want to be accused of negative campaigning.’
“To imply, suggest, hint, whisper, or even wink and nod that I am running for Congress because my husband is a partner in a firm that had a contract with the Iraqi Government and that, therefore, we stand to ‘benefit’ from the war, is despicable.
“For the record: My husband, Robert Irey, is a partner in a firm that once had a subcontract with the Iraqi Government, jointly administered by the U.S. Department of Defense, to help the new democratic Government of Iraq take over the burden of defending itself by refurbishing equipment and material destroyed or damaged by the war. Had that contract been fulfilled, it would have allowed the Iraqi Government to take over more of the burden of defending itself sooner – which would have had the result of making possible a withdrawal of U.S. troops sooner than they would otherwise have been able to come home.
“But that contract was terminated more than a year and a half ago, when one of Bob’s partners and one of their employees were murdered in Iraq- a fact reported at the time by both the Los Angeles Times and The Associated Press, and , therefore, presumably known to Jack Murtha”
Keep an eye on the Murtha/Irey race. Irey has an uphill battle, but this quasi-suggestion by Murtha may indicate that his idiocy of late is beginning to catch up with him. Words often have consequences. In Murtha's case, I hope that his numerous irresponsible utterances are enough to undo him on November 7.
Posted by Andi C on July 10, 2006 at 04:22 PM in Elections
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