Another reason to vote for Murtha’s GOP challenger
Add this to the growing list of reasons you should be doing everything in your power to support John “In Cold Blood” Murtha’s GOP upstart challenger, Bill Russell. Via WaPo, we learn that the Democrat porkmeister intervened for a law-breaking Pennsylvania company convicted of selling military equiment parts illegally:
Rep. John P. Murtha, the Pennsylvania Democrat known for delivering federal money to defense contractors in his district, is now going to bat for a constituent’s company that was convicted last year of illegally exporting components of military equipment.
Murtha, chairman of the House Appropriations defense subcommittee, wrote State Department officials in late June urging them to meet with the president of Electro-Glass Products, a 50-employee company that was convicted in April 2007 of illegally exporting components of night-vision goggles to a company in India. The Mammoth, Pa., firm has been sanctioned by the State Department, and Murtha argues that the action threatens to put the firm out of business.
“Electro-Glass is a highly respected company known for its honesty,” Murtha wrote. He said the company, which manufactures small glass rings called “preforms,” would not have made the shipments “if they truly believed the shipments were in violation of the law.” He added: “It will be genuinely unfortunate if they are forced to close their doors.”
But Mary Beth Buchanan, the U.S. attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania, called the company’s violation “a serious offense.” The company had no license to export the items, and the government requires one to ensure “that products for military use aren’t being sold to countries that might have an improper and criminal use for the product,” Buchanan said.
The administrative penalty is a “significant remedy,” she said, “because companies that violate federal law are the type of company that the government does not want to continue in that particular business.” Electro-Glass was convicted April 19, 2007, in Pittsburgh of a felony violation of the Arms Export Control Act for its 2004 export of 23,000 rings to B.E. Delft, a manufacturer of night-vision goggles in India.
The court fined the company $20,000. The State Department automatically put the company on its list of debarred companies, prohibiting it from participating in the export of defense goods and services for three years.
Buchanan said her office pushed for conviction because Electro-Glass had been counseled before, in 1994, that it needed certification to make future shipments.
“The history of this company is very telling,” she said. ” In 2004 . . . they were charged with a criminal offense because they knowingly, willfully violated the federal statute.”
In his June 30 letter to David C. Trimble, director of the Office of Defense Trade Controls Compliance, Murtha wrote that the company, which relies on exports for about 25 percent of its business, deserved another chance.
You know who doesn’t deserve another chance? John Murtha.
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Murtha and Electro-Glass, birds of a feather. Neither respect our Country or the law.
I’ll be sending another check to “future” Congressman Russell later today. I encourage everyone to do the same.
Murtha can be voted out. I lived in Spokane when we voted out Tom Foley, Speaker of the House, for his irresponsible actions. Murtha is much more deserving of a humiliating defeat.
Of course Rep. ABSCAM would know all about honesty.
John Murtha is an enemy combatant.
Murtha comes down on the wrong side of every issue. What he knows about honesty would fit on the head of a pin and leave room for squatters.
I think I heard it explained like this: “It depends on what the meaning of ‘is’ is”.
Murtha is the lowest of low, even reid and pelois rank a notch above.
Have been backing L/Col.Russell for months now, as well as L/Col. West in FA. Both are good men.
The law does not apply to those on the left or their cronies/financiers. Nothing to see here, move along.
I watched Syriana a few nights ago and there was a line in it spoken by a Govt. type that was being nailed for illegal activity. Thanks to IMDB.com, here’s the quote:
“Corruption charges! Corruption? Corruption is government intrusion into market efficiencies in the form of regulations. That’s Milton Friedman. He got a godd**n Nobel Prize. We have laws against it precisely so we can get away with it. Corruption is our protection. Corruption keeps us safe and warm. Corruption is why you and I are prancing around in here instead of fighting over scraps of meat out in the streets. Corruption is why we win.”
Murtha’s Mantra I think.
Do ya think Nancy & Friends will want to investigate? Yeah, right.
Welcome to the most ethical congress ever.
ROFLMAO
Like Murtha and his cronies know anything about “honesty” and being “respected.”
ROFLMAO
Good one, teachem! But, have you noticed the girth o’ Murtha?
He doesn’t even care that parts could be going to some rogue nation! He should be tried for treason!
Here’s my entry for a picket sign: Hell no! Murtha’s gotta go!
I’ll be sending a few more bucks Russell’s way.
I hope this will finally do Murtha in. He simply MUST go! For the sake of our troops.
I was debating one of the guys in my car pool about whether America is a center-right nation or center-left. I pointed out that in my lifetime there have been 13 presidential elections; in eight of those elections the republican candidate won over 50% of the vote vs. only two for Democrats (the remainder had nobody over 50%). His counter was that we had Democrats in the majority in both the House & Senate – I responded that this is because our presidential elections are in a republic, and our House & Senate in a democracy – where you are most likely to get someone like Murtha.
The only response that the rest of us outside Murtha’s district can do to tilt the country back to the right is contribute to conservative candidates even though not in our district.
So many states, so many corrupt politicians. Sen Durbin from Illinois has a challenger this year, Durbin comes down on the wrong side of every issue.
sauerberg2008.com, check him out.
More than clean air, we need clean politicians.
Is there any polling as to how well Russell’s doing against Murtha?
I will certainly be sending some money to Russell, it would be worth it to see John Murtha join the unemployed!
I wish we had a Bill Russell running in NY.
Everything else aside, I can think of one good reason to vote for Bill…HE AIN”T MURTHA!!!!!!!!!
Murtha:
Criminals = Marines
Victims = treasonous law breakers.
And the voters keep electing him. So, I ask:
Who are the real treasonous idiots?
Thanks Michelle for telling us about Russell. I’ve read some of his statements. Up here we call people like him “straight talkers”. We call the Murtha types “money stalkers”.
That Murtha Furker has got to go.
The same idiots that favor the return of the Fairness Doctrine.
There are so many sheeple out there that vote for a candidate based solely on the D or R next to their name. They have no clue of the issues or what the candidate stands for. So, when Murtha comes up for re-election, they’ll have no idea what he’s done in the past nor what he stands for. All they’ll see is that little D next to his name a cast a vote for him.
Hey On-my soap-box
What evil statement could lgm say about Russell?
But don’t let the facts get in your way there Martha…
That is all too true and is much of the cause of our troubles, an uninformed and apathetic electorate.
familyman: LGM would say that he is a republican and therefore he is a spawn of satan who eats small children.
How can I add to:
ROFL
sonofdy
Maybe a soldier baby killer.
When I think of all these military besmirching-politicians like Murtha, Durbin, Kerry, etc, I think that my grandparents generation would have tarred and feathered them and run them out of town on a rail. How far we have fallen.
I only needed the one reason to not support Murtha. He called our troops cold blooded murderers.
Familyman, only the truely evil republicans eats the babys alive. The rest of you cook them first
Now they become the leaders of our country. Hell, less then half of the country wanted a draft dodger as POTUS and we ended up with him – twice.
b-cat, welcome. I am enjoying your posts. Keep up the good work!
I think the “run them out of town on a rail” mentality is still there somewhat. I mean when those jerks made those comments, how widespread was it reported? Did ABC, NBC, or any of them play the audio or video of it? Provide some commentary? Nope. They know that kind of crap doesn’t fly in most parts of the country. Problem is what I said before – people aren’t paying attention to what’s going on and voting based solely on that little D next to the name.
What is it about some x military types like Murtha and Kerry. They have seen war first hand. How can they tear down the honor of these brave young people? Especially our own troops. GOD it makes me sick!!!!!!!
Two words for you FamilyMan -
Money and Power.
What happenedto
truth and honor
Truth became relative and there is no honor among theives.
In the case of Murtha, what happened to Death before dishonor? Former Marine they say.
I think this is one they want to forget was ever a marine.
BTW, thank you Soap.
It seems the more time one spends in Congress, the more corrupt they become. We know Congress will never pass term limit laws on themselves.
So, can we just start voting them out after two terms? Just start sending them home to find real jobs.
This sounds like a feeding frenzy that may be over nothing. The degeneration of this blog into an echo chamber is depressing. Murtha is no good and deserves to be replaced. That is established and may be considered a given. His challenger appears to be a good man and deserving of support. On that, while I do not know much about him, I see no grounds for argument. Why all the excitement over the constituent services letter for a firm in a regulatory dispute? All that I see is that a company has had at most 3 violations in 14 years. To my eyes that looks pretty good. Who were the intended recipients? Was this going to the armed forces of our ally India or to a front for al Queda? The contractor may be guilty as sin but I want to see more facts first. Major corporations shipped critical technology to China under Clinton that compromised National Security. That is the type of activity that gets my blood pressure up. The real problem in Murtha’s district is that due to the pork barrel system in Congress it has become a home for to many tax payer subsidized defense contractors. That is where the focus of our outrage would be more profitably held.
Who was it that repeated the comment from a constituent marine on the floor of the House in response to Murtha?
Paraphrasing: “…Marines never run…” in reference to Murtha demanding an immediate withdrawal from IRAQ. I cannot remember the full quote but it was great, of course she had to apologize on the floor the next day. I don’t know why she apologized.
Dave…
In our local small town paper a reader was questioning the need for spending so much money on the 4th of July fireworks. My response was to remind him that we were celebrating the first time in human history the government must answer to the people. Most of our wars have returned the defeated a government like that. I think Murtha types have forgotten that. ELECT RUSSELL
In the not-so-distant past, there was a term for the worthless/lazy/dishonest 10% of the Marine Corps: Sh**bird.
Instead of a R or D next to his name it should read Rep. John P Murtha (SB)
I will never acknowledge his past affiliation and will turn my back to him if ever we should meet.
Why the slob Murtha is in Congress has long confused me….
I deal with ITAR restrictions and State Department work approval just about everyday in my job. How you can be in the export business, especially one involving potential military hardware, and not know that you need to apply for and receive an export license from the State Department, I don’t know.
The company owner’s are either a) dumb, in which case we need to shut them down for our own protection, or b) callous in their compliance of our export laws. Either way, something must be done.
P.S. Murtha is despicable.
Export Murtha. Support Russell
LC,
It happened twice! I’ll give them the benefit of doubt for the first incursion. However, they won’t get a pass for the second. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice… and all that jazz.
Not to split the effort but don’t forget Allen West (his website is allenwestforcongress.com). Russell
Brigade, and Allen’s Army 2008.
Gene
We need to be fair…
Lets change the co. name to “ELECTRO- LIB” and let them export lib’s……..
Their now I feel all warm & fuzzy….
b-cat
FYI
Murtha is an EX-Marine … he does not qualify as a Former Marine … Former Marine is a respected and honorable title … EX-Marine is not … to me and my Corps brothers there is a distinct difference …
I think the Marine Corps should re-call Murtha to active, court martial him for treason and shoot the SOB and put him out of our misery.
UMMMMMMMMMMMM
UMMMMMMMMMMMM part 2
WTH
So, you believe we should not be outraged because the country is not China? We should be outraged that Murtha wants to give them more chances – maybe to be a little better at not getting caught?
I agree about Clinton. But to say this is something not be to upset over – sorry.
Whenever I see a picture of this low class, sweaty palmed buffoon, I see the “FAT BASTARD” character from the Austin Powers movies. And the people of his district are nothing less than prostitutes for living off his pork projects and scams.
Jean Schmidt made a comment on the floor in reference to Murtha from a Marine Corps Reservist “…that cowards cut and run, Marines never do”
Jean Schmidt then withdrew her comments from the record. I think they were accurate as Murtha is a coward which also explains why he is an EX-Marine and not a former Marine. I concur with DesertLover.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Murtha#Jean_Schmidt_and_the_.E2.80.9Ccoward.E2.80.9D_controversy
They were warned yet kept selling, illegally, to a not so secure country.
They deserve to be shut down if thats how they do business.
As for the company, there is something really weird about Electro-Glass Products.
Look at their “temporary” web site, your 6 year old could build it better.
Do some searching for the owners.
And they’re selling night vision parts to India illegally?
sonofdy said (#27):
Or that he’s a Republican and will vote for borrow and spend Republicanomics that are bankrupting our nation and undermining the dollar.
Yoo-hoo, LGM!
Don’t look now, but DC, Georgia, and Russia are having a “3AM” moment.
And where’s B. Hussein Obama? Still golfing and surfing at Grandma’s place in Hawaii!
You really need to text him, and let him know what’s going on in the world – just in case we’re on the verge of a nuclear meltdown.
Tax and spend is the stock and trade of democratic policy. you should know this would get rebuffed in short order, lgm
I saw that – that is some scary stuff.
fixed.
DBNinKY said (#60):
A little off topic? So far, Bush/McCain are flunking 3am. They slept an extra hour with the phone ringing (Bush stayed at the Olympics). The Russians haven’t stopped advancing. The only partial progress made so far was made by the French. McCain’s campaign manager is a paid employee of the government of Georgia, which means that McCain has zero leverage with anyone. He sends a personal diplomatic mission — a stunning presumption of Presidential authority for the guy who is behind in the polls.
All in all, like with Katrina, like with the invasion of Iraq, like the days after 9/11, these guys look more like the Keystone Cops than anyone you want to get the 3am call.
Good one Murtha. And I guess OBL deserves another chance too huh.
Isn’t it illegal, at least unethical (Not that Ethics means anything to abscam Murtha) for a Congressman to “moonlight” on the side as a Lobbyist for some company???
Has anyone seen any polls for the Murtha-Russell race?
I have looked. Found none. And honestly, I think the reason is that no one considers this race at all competitive.
Jason Mattera of Young America’s Foundation should interview Murtha again. He should ask Murtha, given his own ABSCAM dealings and this firm’s criminal actions, exactly how many criminal offenses does one have to perpetrate to be classifed as dishonest?
Is it four crimes? Five??
As for polls, this site may have them when they become available. None there yet for 12th CD.
http://www.dcpoliticalreport.com/PAPoll.htm
Also looked for poll info on this congressional race….. found none, yet.
Appears the ‘outlook’ is Safe for the Murtha, per Roll Call and CQPolitics…
http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=district-PA-12
As someone who lives in an adjacent district, these people aren’t prostitutes, but Pavlovian dogs who have been trained to vote only for those candidates with a “D” after their name.
Sorry that I am late to this party, but
On August 15th, 2008 at 9:16 am, ajmontana said:
Open query: Since when did such a pesky little thing like facts bother Martha?
Fact: War Atrocities were not committed.
Fact: Marines found NOT GUILTY by a Court of Law.
Fact: Need I go on?
Mailing my contribution to Mr. Russell today.
Not only should this company be forced to close down, but the dirtbag, treasonous principals of the company should GO TO JAIL.
That’s rich, coming from you, the king of non sequiturs and post hoc diversions!
And as for Presidents Bush AND McCain, you have got to be kidding!
While at the Olympics, President Bush not only spoke informally with Putin about this volatile situation, allowing him and the administration to take advantage of the personal interface to plan a direct course of effective diplomacy in attempting to lessen tensions (Sec Rice is already having success in that area), he also met with China’s leadership opening a casual dialogue on our trade and human rights issues with that nation on a more personal, friendlier level.
And in case you haven’t been paying attention to the MSM, even they admit McCain has assumed the mantle of leadership in this dispute – his “Today We are All Georgians” speech is resonating far and wide, and its effects will be noticed in the next poll results wherein McCain will have a commanding lead!
And where was Obama while McCain took command of the situation in Georgia – like a real leader-President? Basking on the sunny beaches at Grandma’s house in Hawaii!
As for the rest of your post, face it LGM: B. Hussein Obama peaked in June. McCain will be President.
Silly, silly, silly.
lgm, where should Bush have gone?
I know you’re incapable of being productive and making decisions outside of your office, but I’m incredibly effective with just a blackberry. I think my capacities and abilities would soar if I had a staff and the best communications systems that money can buy.
Your notion that POTUS needs to be in the oval office (or on location) to function effectively is laughable. Personally, I’d rather vote for the leader who’s confident enough to command from the field – any field – than the clown who says, “gee, I gotta hurry back to my office so that I can concentrate.”
Wait…you probably don’t understand my point…you never have to make any executive decisions, right? Answer honestly.
Let’s address your McCain accusations.
Are you implying that a candidate running for President in 1940 would have had no credibility in confronting Hitler simply because his campaign manager had been paid a consulting fee from France?
lgm, I continue to pity you. Please email me your draft posts so that I can edit them for logic. I will certainly save you from embarrassment.
Evidently, lgm thinks that Air Force One is simply an aerial strech limo with no communication abilities…
We need a leader who can make decisions and take action away from the teleprompt
By the way, I do believe Bush 43 can and does exhibit this trait.
On August 15th, 2008 at 9:22 pm, corkie said:
Based on Obama’s “sweetheart” deal with T. Rezko, LGM’s standard explicitly excludes Obama from having any input on the subprime mess.