It is About the Warrior - "Till the Last Shot's Fired"

With Memorial Day Weekend upon us, the following video provides a chilling reminder of the price of war but presented in a most patriotic way. "Remember, it is about the warrior and not the war." The song is presented by the Trace Adkins & the West Point Cadet Glee Club! God Bless our military and our veterans! Wounded Warrior Project!

John Murtha Airport Funding Even Stinks in Arkansas

ARRA News Service: The National Republican Congressional Committee put together a commercial linking Rep. Vic Snyder (D-AR) to Rep. Nancy Pelosi and highlighting his vote for $800,000 to repave a runway a what is essentially John Murtha's (D-PA) private rural airport used by only around 20 passengers. Though Arkansas' conservative values are apparent to anyone who opens their eyes, Vic Snyder votes with ultra-liberals Nancy Pelosi and John Murtha 97% of the time in Congress. Is this who Arkansans need representing us in DC?

Jason Tolbert, The Tolbert Report: This could mean trouble for Snyder. The fact that the NRCC is starting to spend money seems to indicate that Snyder could face a challenge in 2010. This could be a result of the poll showing Snyder’s reelection at virtual toss-up at 43% to 41%. My sources also tell me several individuals are looking at running.

Democrats' Airport For No One

Nancy Pelosi promised to drain the swamp - she failed and now taxpayers are on the hook for the Democrats' Airport for No One. Oh, yes it for one John Murtha. Underscores the Democrats' desire to put political gain before America interests (reference GITMO detainees) and campaign promises (open and transparent government).

Murtha's Aide Threatened Russell

by John Bresnahan, Politico is reporting that Bill Russell, the Republican who challenged Rep. John Murtha in 2008, and plans to do so again in 2010, says Pennsylvania Democrat John Murtha's chief of staff John Hugya threatened to have him recalled to active duty. Hugya made the threat during a National Rifle Association event in mid-March.

Ret. Col. Gregory Ritch, a former Army Reserve officer who served as Russell’s commanding officer, said he heard Hugya make a similar threat in January. “[Hugya] said, ‘When the [new] secretary of the Army comes in, we’re going to call his ass back to active duty and we’re going to prosecute him under the [Uniform Code of Military Justice],’” Ritch said Hugya told him during their January conversation . . .

Russell said Hugya approached him at an NRA event in March and said, “I got something for you. What are you going to do when we get the new secretary of the Army seated and have your ass recalled to active duty for that s—- you pulled last summer?” Russell said that he and Hugya then engaged in a nasty exchange over comments Murtha made in 2005 about the killing of 24 Iraqi civilians by U.S. Marines. Murtha, himself a former Marine colonel, alleged that the Marines had killed the civilians “in cold blood,” a claim that infuriated current and former Marines. . . . [Full Story: "John Murtha opponent says aide threatened him"]

If I'm Corrupt

by Paul Jacobs, Common Sense: John Murtha, a Pennsylvania congressman going on 36 years, may be today's uncrowned "king of pork." Recently, he told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, "If I'm corrupt, it's because I take care of my district." Murtha was responding to questions about the FBI, which is now looking into his "pattern of steering millions in earmarks to defense contractors who give to his campaign and hire his allies as lobbyists."

In taking care of his district, Murtha takes care of himself, too. For instance, he has his own airport: the John Murtha Johnstown-Cambria County Airport. The airport has received over $200 million in federal tax money, most of it earmarked by Murtha. In addition to a big portrait of the congressman, the airport also has free parking and boasts "easy check-in."

Of course, the airport hosts only three flights a day -- all going to Washington, DC. A recent Washington Post report mentioned that there were seven TSA personnel screening the four passengers boarding with their six pieces of luggage. Federal taxpayers also provided the airport an $8-million radar system back in 2004 -- a system that has never been used.

In addition to Murtha's numerous earmarks, the Murtha airport just got $800,000 in federal stimulus funds. Seems it was "shovel-ready." Yes, one needs a shovel for all the . . . well, you know. This is Common Sense. I'm Paul Jacob.

Ethics Probe of Murtha; The White House Rebuff & the Murtha Clan

The Washington Times is reporting that four political watchdog groups that typically support Democratic causes want a congressional ethics panel to probe ties between three House Democrats and the defunct Washington lobbying firm, the PMA Group, which benefited from the lawmakers' help. They are seeking investigations of whether Reps. John P. Murtha of Pennsylvania, Peter J. Visclosky of Indiana and James P. Moran of Virginia were influenced by campaign contributions and other financial benefits when they approved special pet projects, or earmarks, for clients of the PMA Group, in violation of House ethics rules.

PMA was founded by former Murtha aide Paul Magliocchetti and specialized in winning earmarked taxpayer funds for its defense industry clients. Murtha collected $2.37 million in campaign contributions from PMA's lobbyists and the companies it has represented since 1989, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, which tracks political money. Mr. Visclosky collected $1.36 million; Mr. Moran, $997,348.

The three lawmakers in 2007 and 2008 directed $137 million to defense contractors who were paying Mr. Magliocchetti's PMA Group to get them government business.

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that the The White House has thwarted a legislative attempt by Rep. John Murtha to split a $40 billion Air Force contract between Boeing Co. and its rival, Northrop Grumman Corp., according to people tracking the process. The White House asked House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.), to persuade Mr. Murtha to back down.

The New York Times is reporting that Murtha’s Nephew Named a Lobbyist for Marines. The corps has named one of his nephews, Col. Brian Murtha, to the office charged with advocating for its interests on Capitol Hill, where Representative Murtha, Democrat of Pennsylvania, helps write the military budget. In relocating to be near the Pentagon, Colonel Murtha has even moved into a unit in the same condominium building where his influential uncle lives in Arlington, Va.

Colonel Murtha is not the first Murtha family member to be in a position to profit from his uncle’s influence. The congressman earmarked millions of federal dollars to an institution in his district, St. Vincent College, while the Rev. John F. Murtha, his cousin, was its president. He has directed millions more in earmarks to clients of a firm, KSA Consulting, where until about three years ago his younger brother, Robert Murtha, known as Kit, worked as a lobbyist.

Colonel Murtha is one of Kit Murtha’s sons. Another son, also named Robert Murtha, is a former Marine with a master’s degree in engineering. He previously worked for two military contractors who, seeking earmarks, hired a lobbyist with close ties to Representative Murtha. Over the last three years, the younger Robert Murtha has operated Murtech Inc., a small contractor in Glen Burnie, Md., that runs a warehouse and offers engineering services. It has received more than $3.5 million in military contracts over the last three years, not including subcontracts through other companies.