Bill Russell: The man who could topple John Murtha
My syndicated column today spotlights the upstart candidacy of Republican newcomer Bill Russell, who is challenging corruptocrat John Murtha in Pennsylvania. I’ve been writing about Bill since last fall and told you about seeing him last month at the Pennsylvania Leadership Conference, where he was warmly received by the conservative grass-roots. Last week’s second quarter fundraising reports brought amazing news: Russell outraised Murtha 6 to 1–despite not being able to actively campaign while he complete his military service (Russell is on active duty until Aug. 1). This is a miraculous counterinsurgent campaign–and an opportunity for conservative bloggers to make a difference. Campaign manager Peg Luksik told me that readers of this blog helped raised thousands of dollars for Russell when I linked his campaign page last month. As I told the RightOnline convention in Austin over the weekend, Russell is shattering the MSM narrative that the entrenched Murtha is unbeatable. And he is relying on the Internet to spread the word when he hits the great wall of MSM silence. Join the ttp://www.ldnews.com/news/ci_9923553“>Russell Brigade and help effect real change!
***
The man who could topple John Murtha
by Michelle Malkin
Creators Syndicate
Copyright 2008
A jaw-dropping political miracle may be on the horizon. No, I’m not talking about the second coming of the Obamessiah. I’m talking about the long-deserved comeuppance of troop-smearing, pork-feasting, scandal-tainted Democratic Rep. Jack Murtha of Pennsylvania.
The 18-term congressman’s challenger, staunch conservative Republican newcomer William Russell, raised nearly $670,000 in the second fundraising quarter. Earmark king Murtha scraped together a measly $119,000. Russell’s underdog campaign bested Murtha without the perks of incumbency, national name recognition, big PAC donations or mainstream media support.
Even more amazing: The 45-year-old Russell, a Desert Storm veteran, former Army lieutenant colonel and Army reservist who survived the Sept. 11 terrorist attack on the Pentagon, was not even publicly campaigning during the quarter. He is on active duty with the Army until after Aug. 1 and is barred from actively campaigning until then.
If all that didn’t make this enough of an inspiring David and Goliath story: In February, a Pennsylvania judge ruled that Russell had failed to collect enough signatures to make the primary ballot. But Russell refused to give up on his goal of permanently redeploying Murtha from his entrenched seat of power in Washington. The GOP neophyte persevered on a shoestring budget and won more than 4,000 write-in votes in the spring to earn a spot on the general election ballot. According to Russell’s campaign manager and veteran GOP activist Peg Luksik, the bulk of contributions from about 16,000 donors in the second quarter were less than $50.
Russell’s clear on where he stands. No doubt Barack Obama would label him bitter and clingy. “I am a Conservative,” he says in his defining campaign statement. “I believe in the sovereignty and security of this one nation, under God. I believe the primary role of government is to provide for the common defense and a legal framework to protect families and individual liberty. … I believe that no one owes me anything just because I live and breathe.”
The excitement and buzz around Russell stand in stark contrast to grass-roots disgust on the right with Beltway Republicans who continue to push the party to the left in a brain-dead attempt to “rebrand” the GOP. He has united pro-troops families, social conservatives, fiscal conservatives, Reagan Democrats and Independents fed up with Murtha’s culture of corruption dating back to his Abscam days in the 1980s. Murtha was not indicted in the infamous bribery probe, but he was videotaped entertaining a $50,000 bribe from undercover FBI agents posing as emissaries for Arab sheiks trying to enter our country illegally.
“The incredible story about Bill’s campaign is that the $15 and $25 contributions are coming in from all over Pennsylvania and every corner of the country,” Luksik noted on the Russell Brigade website (www.russellbrigade.com). “This is K-Street versus Main Street. These are patriotic families expressing support for soldiers, sailors and Marines, and people saying they’ve had enough of the old ‘pay-to-play’ culture in the Capitol. That’s what’s fueling this campaign.”
Russell decided to enter politics after hearing Murtha’s slanderous 2006 accusations that Marines in Haditha “overreacted because of the pressure on them, and they killed innocent civilians in cold blood.” As I reported in June, seven Marines have been cleared or won case dismissals in the Iraq war incident Murtha recklessly adjudicated in the court of public opinion — with willing mainstream journalists at The New York Times, MSNBC, and in the world press swinging their nooses.
Perhaps that complicity explains the great media wall of silence around Russell’s upstart campaign. Republican Bill Russell offers ethical, freedom-enhancing, pro-responsibility, anti-retreat, unapologetically conservative change they don’t want to believe in.
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Trackbacks
- Michelle Malkin Talks Bill Russell | PAWaterCooler.com
- The Saloon dot net
- Obama; will his Legions Fall? « Riggword Weblog
- The Conservative Revolution » Blog Archive » Conservative Bill Russell takes on John Murtha in PA 12
- The man who may slay the Murtha dragon « The Daley Gator
- CitizenCaucus.org» national news » Bill Russell: The man who could topple John Murtha
- Hot Air » Blog Archive » Video: Haditha Marine’s father unloads on Murtha
- Video: A Message to John Murtha from a Haditha Marine’s father | Infidels Are Cool
- Michelle Malkin » Boot Murtha: GOP newcomer Bill Russell’s campaign revs up
- Bill Russell’s Campaign to Boot Murtha « The Foxhole
- UPDATE: Somerset PA Saturday 2 August 2008 1000 Hours | TALON
- Boot Murtha « Something should go here, maybe later.
- Michelle Malkin » John Murtha: My constituents are RAAAACIST
- Michelle Malkin » Smear merchant John Murtha does it again; Pennsylvania, you have a choice!
- Racist, er, Redneck Congressman Jack Murtha Still a Douchebag « The Dude’s Blog
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I’ve been following this since you started covering it Michelle, I hope he wins…GO BILL…
For Murtha to lose? OMG! That would be more than sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet.
Murtha has been in office long enough so that he gets to keep his campaign war chest when he retires. He can pay for the privilege of getting the boot.
I’ve been watching and listening to Bill’s campaign from early on, when you started covering it, Michelle. I was worried, when he was reported not to have obtained enough signatures. Thank goodness he was able to get the write-in votes he needed to continue his campaign against Murtha. It’s time for him to be taken out of office.
Michelle, I think you’ve just disproven the notion some people have that you never speak out in favor of any candidate and that you just point out what’s wrong with them. I think you have the same problem so many conservatives have, and that is there are so few candidates who really merit our support.
God bless Russell. Hopefully he can kick that Murtha jerk out of office! We need more conservatives in the government.
Hey, if I can send this hero a meager 25 bucks, what can you guys do?
Step up. Show support for someone who actually deserves it.
Help get rid of Murtha, and put a person of integrity in his place.
Agreed.
The possibility of getting Murtha out of office would be exciting by itself. The possibility of replacing him with a real conservative makes it even more so.
You got is Oh abstractOne; cool, I could do it online.
http://williamrussellforcongress.com/
*blink-blink*
Oh look,
A column actually favoring a Republican – one running against a Defeatist-Dog Democrat.
I wonder, what his position is on immigration?…Because, *cough* you know how, um, important that is.
What backwoods said.
He is opposed to illegal aliens, no amnesty is his stance.
I served with William T Russell in Germany and a deployment to Kosovo. He is a decent and honorable person.
If anyone has the chance, ask Russell about the time in Iraq that he asked to go along with some Marine artillerymen during the Battle of Fallujah. As a retired Army artilleryman I thought it was great that this infantry officer had the opportunity to pull tail(Fire a round) with a Marine artillery unit during this brutal battle!
Replacing Murtha with any honest citizen is a good thing. Murtha should be taken out and hanged IMO but throwing his fat thieving treasonous ass out will suit me just fine.
LTC Russell is a patriot and an honest man. I sent his campaign money when he declared for office as I did for LTC West. I don’t live in Pa or Fla but it does not matter. They represent us all!
Come August 12, I’ll make a donation to his campaign. We need to get that chicken-livered Murtha out of office.
I live in PA but not in Murtha’s district. RATS!!!
old trooper #15:
You would need a battleship anchor chain to hang Murtha, but it’s worth doing. I can’t think of anyone beside Abscam Murtha who has given more aid and comfort to the enemy.
I gave his campaign $50 because I only wish I had someone like him running in NJ — and it is important for him to defeat Murtha for the many messages it would send: to Murtha himself, to the Dems in Congress, to the RINOs in Congress, to the new POTUS. BUT now I am getting donation requests from all sorts of “conservative” candidates and PACs. And they all have pretty much the same format – how pathetic!
I think, we should see some documentation of your assumption.
For all we know, he feels sorry for Mexicans.
It’d be a *cough* disaster.
So, lemme’ see if I got this straight…
At the end of the day, we end up with a new Republican representative, balanced with a Democrat president.
Where does that get us?…Immigration-wise.
*thumbs up*
Way to be a negative defeatist on a positive subject, AND work in McCain cheers at the same time.
/sarc off
We all know where McShamnesty stands.
You can find information about Russell at his website, posted previously, but here it is again:
http://williamrussellforcongress.com/
I’m sure you can find something there.
It isn’t just the blogosphere, but William Russell has made himself available to several of the show hosts on Blog Talk Radio, the free service where everybody can be a radio talk show host. He has graciously agreed to go on several programs over there and be interviewed. The great thing about BTR is it is just normal people and the listeners are regular people. It is like a cyber townhall meeting. For anybody who hasn’t checked out the shows, especially the conservative political ones, I encourage you to go check it out. John Bolton was on a show last week during the day in which there were only maybe 15 to 20 people present but folks got to call in and talk to him. That is the sort of stuff that goes on over there tha is just fantastic. Sometimes it is small crowds sometimes it is big, but most of the time it is more intimate, friendly, and when the stars do appear they are far more approachable.
Full disclosure. I do a show over there on Saturday and Sundays, the only time I can with my work schedule, and no I don’t get the big names, but I get to talk to people from AK and Canada to England and all points in between.
(Can you tell I like it?)
Another example. Last night Rick Moran had Michael Totten on.
From his web-site:
“I believe that we have the responsibility and obligation to control our borders and determine who is allowed to live and work in our country.”
Do you see that, as a ringing endorsement against amnesty?
I don’t.
He doesn’t say anything about what to do with illegal immigrants.
One blaring issue is absent. Where does he stand on the anti-jihad issue.
Don’t get me wrong, he has hit all the right notes. I do, however, need to know where he stands on this point.
Would Russell stand with Vijay Kumar (anti-sharia) & Sue Myrick?
Suppose, he determines, illegal aliens are allowed to live and work in our country?
The worthless load of scum that is Murtha offers none of this. Come on, PA, it’s long past time to send him packing.
You have a clear choice here. If you re-elect Murtha, we’ll know you for who you are.
Living in Philly, I gave him money since the GOP isn’t running anyone against the dem incumbent. And yes, it was thanks to Ms. Malkin’s link a few weeks back.
Like most GOPers, I’m willing to give money, but to the right person, not just any warmed over RINO in office.
Sounds pretty clear to me…of course, I also have a solid grasp of the English language.
And I haven’t had a taste of McCain’s Kool-Aid yet.
I would be more skeptical if Russell put something phrased like “comprehensive immigration reform” in his statement, which we mostly agree is an amnesty program.
I wonder who else has said that…………..
You might find something to your liking on the “About Bill” page of his site.
You may also find an answer to your question on border security and amnesty on the same page.
heroyalwhyness Go listen to any of the shows I linked to in post #22 and you will get your answer.
The shows are archived so you can listen to them anytime you want or download and listen at your pleasure.
I just got a ‘no-reply’ thank you from the Russell campaign for my contribution. And here I thought he was waiting at his computer to thank me personally )o;. Oh well, perhaps he is busy.
I too would like to know his position on illegal immigration, but we DO know Murtha is an ass and needs to go.
Yep, I like him. His address is on his site so I will send a letter asking about amnesty.
Barry F,
You deserve a tall glass of lemonade after over-exerting yourself tracking down that information for franksalterego and heroyalwhyness. Sit down and take a deep breath. Whew.
The best news I’ve seen so far this week, and worth another donation from me to his campaign.
It was exhaustive work, I’m tellin’ ya.
The question of where he stands on individual issues is an important one. However, the most important issue at hand is to get that greedy, lying sack of smelly brown stuff out of office.
It’s already on his site, AN…
No need for a letter, unless you just really want to correspond with him, I don’t think.
Can we clone him?
GO FOR IT!!!
Murtha, like pond scum, has a lot of cling around the area. This fellow seems like just the right guy to clean up Murtha’s mess.
Ah yes…Thank-you.
I was gettin’ worried, Michelle hadn’t done her homework.
That said,
I consider Murtha and Obama to be cut from the the exact same bolt of cloth.
You could throw ‘em both into a windowless room, shut off the lights, and you wouldn’t be able to find one lick o’difference.
Both of these pr*cks have put their political ambitions ahead of their patriotism.
Murtha accusing him of a war crime in 5…4…
Should Lt. Col. Russell win the Congressional seat, he should consider following the Obama model, and immediately start his bid for the White House in 2012.
I ran across a Veterans for Russell blog.
I wanna vote for him!
The tone of the Russell Brigade blurb from the LDNews sounds like its being yelled out the window of the Murtha bus.
I hope this will wake up the Republican knuckle-heads in the Senate and the House. I wish I had an opportunity to vote for someone like him.
Marshall Russ #43..We all do…
There were 203,084 total votes cast in PA’s 12th congressional district in 2006, according to the PA Department of State.
Russell got 3,165 votes in a write-in campaign this year, so that he was able to be on the ballot. Certainly not a bad start, when you can muster that many write-ins across the district.
I wonder if he can capitalize on the disgruntled HRC voters that still recall Obama’s “bitter” and “clinging” comment, before the Dem primary.
If ole Yellow Stain, corrupt, Murtha is pushed out of office, I am going to celebrate bigtime!!!!. He is number 1, in my books, that I want to see gone. Lindsey “Limp Wrist” Graham is up there too, but hasn’t reached the level of Murtha. A couple more La Raza Pandering, hate Birth Right American worker speeches and he might just move to number 1.
Maybe comparing just the campaign funds raised is misleading. It could be the sum of campaign funds plus earmarks delivered to the district that should be considered.
Porky Murtha has a pile of lard defending his incumbency.
Even so, the challenger deserves whatever we can do in terms of support. Our donations may be smooth stones for a David’s sling.
Post #22? I’m confused. Did you mean 22nd as in yesterday. Coincidentally, one of your links (from yesterday) is to a candidate in my district.
Returning vets in my district are overwhelmingly in this camp. So yes, the future political climate in this very small corner of a very blue state is beginning to look very hopeful.
I am curious to see those links you refer to .
I live in Texas, and I donated to Russell! Anything to get rid of Murtha!
There is a similar challenge to Kerry in MA from a strong conservative with military service
http://www.jeffbeatty.com/
Michele, pls write about Jeff Beatty too. We need to REMOVE Kerry.
$25 sent to his campaign this morning. I hope this helps replace the traitor with a good man.
Taking out Murtha with a conservative patriot would be awesome. I’ve been throwing him money from NJ.
I will probably also be throwing money at the conservatives here:
http://www.iraqvetsforcongress.com/candidates.htm
I’m not from Pennsylvania, but I’ll be contacting A.C.O.R.N. to see if there’s a way that I can vote for Bill Russell anyway.
Bill Russell
Alan West
Tom Manion
Tom McClintock…
My AAAAA list.
Thank you Michelle – for the head’s up last Oct.re: Bill–I gave to his campaign at that time.
We – patriotic conservatives -would do well to support the above list – even if they are not in our own state–their votes affect us all.
Good one!
By the way, I think individual contributions like this is the way to go. Bypass the GOP who have no clue and pick the conservative candidate that they choose to ignore. I have no choice on descent candidates living where I do in Oregon, so I will donate to other states candidates.
Our Marines:
Thomas More LAW -deserves our $$$ support too. The lawyers there have defended and are defending Lt.Col Chessani.
Let me know what your find out from them, Brian. I wouldn’t mind finding out a way I could cast a ballot for Russell too.
Here’s wishing Mr. Russell luck. Now if we could get rid of Pelosi, Kennedy, Feinstein, Feingold, Reid and a couple hundred more, we’d actually be in fair shape.
I’m not gonna hold my breath, voters are too uneducated.
.
william.russell@williamrussellforcongress.com
You might try this mailto: to ask the Colonel his position on Amnesty.
REPUBLICANS in Pennsyvania tried to sabatoge Bill Russell’s run…
I just read the two links-Michelle-
Now I’m REALLY focused.
The GOP ELITES are continuing to show their faces!
30 and Barry:
I just got off the phone with A.C.O.R.N. They said the only way that I can cast a vote for Bill Russell from NY is if I slash all four tires on his “Get Out the Vote” van beforehand, or if I can prove that I am a legal Mexican citizen in poor standing.
Sigh, I guess I’ll just send him a contribution instead.
Pennsylvania..
Murtha’s condemnation of the Haditha marines has deeply offended me.
I have sent in my contribution to Russell – I’m happy to gamble on his winning the election – by sending my money I hope to get better odds than playing the slots in Pennsylvania.
http://williamrussellforcongress.com/
Well, dang. How’s about if you slash the tires on Murtha’s pork patrol? Does that count?
You act surprised that conservatives would *gasp* support a through and through true conservative. Has nothing to do with the (R) next to his name and everything to do for what he stands for. And yes, McCain suckup, we all know how very important our laws are and how to deal with those who break our laws and then demand we give them benifits off the taxpayers dime. You obviously don’t… are you moving to Mexico anytime soon? I hear they actually have real immigration laws and enforce them strictly.
This has already been answered by someone linking his stance on his website. He is anti-amnesty and pro-border enforcement. A+ in my book and most of the people here besides you.
You have no moral bearing my friend. I stand for what is right, as do many of my fellow Americans. By voting in a good man like this we vote for what is right. And when the corrupt and evil Murtha is thrown down and a real man is voted into his place it sends a message to Democrat and RINO alike that this is what the American public wants. Real leadership and not a pandering RINO. Voting the lesser of two evils always results in an evil being in place, plain and simple. You are willing to vote for the lesser evil that promises not to kill you as fast over the one that promises to kill you right away. You are still voting for evil. I for one will vote for men like Bill Russel, men who stand up for the Constitution including the first and second amendments Democrats spit all over, who stands up for the life of the unborn, who stands up for the cornerstone of civilazation… the traditonal family, who stands up for smaller government and less taxes and a more efficient tax system that is more fair than the current one that is abused so rampantly, and who stands up for the defense of this nation from enemies foreign and domestic.
Hey folks I have a post up that dovetails, (sorta) with this at The Talon Michelle, I hope you don’t mind the shameless self-promotion. Thanks for helping out.
We need to target Dick (And I mean Dick) Durbin. He’s up for re-election and he needs to pay for his comments against our brave.
heroyalwhyness #48 said:
It’s gone. I did have a comment at #22 on this thread to Blog Talk Radio, BTR and now it is gone.
He’s on active duty with the US Army right now, so yes, i’d assume he is busy.
This is how we can take our country back. Support individual conservatives where ever they may be.
Thanks Abstract, I sent my 25 as well.
JT
And also by targeting for removal from office the POS Dems that are ruining our country … Murtha, Kennedy, Kerry, Durbin, Schumer, Reid, Pelosi, Feinstein, Boxer, et. al.
In addition to the many others, this alone is reason enough to eject Murtha from every last vestige of power, and to install Bill Russell.
Unfortunately I must say good luck on that. The GOP is running a good man, Steve Sauerberg http://www.sauerbergforussenate.com/, but he is totally unknown.
The party is looking for “self- funded” candidates for the most part.
The Illinois GOP party leadership could be called the ship of fools, but I don’t want to insult the Foolish-American community.
And there is no equivalent of Brian in Spanish… dang it. Alas, the contribution is probably the way to go.
I just sent $50 to help Russell send Murtha to a long overdue retirement.
I hope he wins by a landslide. Murtha is a bitter old man who needs to go lay down somewhere and hopefully he will take reid and Pelosi with him. LOL
Great column Michelle. He’s one of two republicans I actually sent money to.
From his site
Absolutely; the time to knock off RINOs is in the run up to and the primary. As McCain is the Republican nominee presumptive I will vote for him in the general election. I supported Ronald Reagan in the 1976 primary but still voted Ford in the General; too many stayed home and we ended up with peanuts and Iranians all over our parade.
Bush One McCained us in 1992. So in spite we ended up with the tax increase Bush One supported, blue dresses and Miss Hillary. I will fight the RINOs down to the primary wire. Hell, I would invite them over for undercooked chicken and chilies if that would help.
But stopping these Democrats is foremost. You step on the ugliest bug first.
[No reference to Botox Pelosi intended in Ugly Bug comment; perhaps Dingy Harry.]
I’ll give you an A++ for your Conservative Idealism
However,
You get a failing grade in Political Science.
I’ve got a couple of good domain names that I want to use. Make it easy to mobilize on issues. It seems to me that one of our main problems as conservatives is that we work for a living.
Where these moonbats get all this free time to try and turn America into a Socialist State, I can’t figure out. They seem to have the time for all their stupid stuff. While we as a group don’t have enough time to pester our reps over every little issue.
What I’d like to do is make it easy to blast fax form letters on important issues to our representatives. Every time our reps make a misstep, we jump all over them.
Something like this, but on all issues, not just on immigration:
http://www.numbersusa.com/content/
I’m hoping to get something rolling soon. I’ve been busy with my real work lately.
So you don’t mind if I start calling you LOTE then? jk I’ll just say it in my head instead of typing it out when talking to you.
So you don’t mind if I start calling you LOTE then? jk I’ll just say it in my head instead of typing it out when talking to you.
Sorry for the double post. Must have clicked twice by accident.
anytime
Sounds like a good solid conservative, I will put this fellow on my contribution list, since I no longer contribute the the RNC.
tarpon,
I do the same thing. Actions like this might also get the RNC back in line someday.
I would also suggest that if you are a military person, and you are willing and able to spend some time in Pennsylvania, I’d suggest going and knocking on doors for Bill Russell.
Having grass-roots, feet on the ground help also gives great assistance and wil make sure that Murtha is utterly defeated for being an idiot.
Bill Russell is a fine man and a great American, hope he does well!
Another excellent congressional candidate is to cheer on is
Hazelton, PA’s Mayor, Lou Barletta
Michelle, you need to fix/close the link tag to the “Russell Brigade”, as it is it reads: