Murtha goes back to his corner
As predicted, John Murtha is toast.
The House Democratic caucus today named Steny Hoyer, D-MD, house majority leader over the ethically challenged Pennsylvania Democrat in a 149-86 vote.
This vote will be considered a repudiation of incoming Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-CA, because she now must work with Hoyer, who sometimes has strayed from the party line. Pelosi and Hoyer have known each other for more than 40 years, but have been on the outs since competing in a nasty race for minority whip five years ago. Hoyer won that race.
This race may also deeply split the House Democratic caucus before it even takes power (between factions who supported Pelosi and Murtha or Hoyer) and damaging the party's chances to build its agenda over the next two years, if members remain angry at the tactics that apparently were used in the campaign for majority leader.
This is not looking very good.
The outspoken ways of Rep. John Murtha, D-PA, Nancy Pelosi's endorsed choice for House majority leader, may have just cost him his bid for House Democrats' No. 2 slot.
Roll Call (registration required) is reporting that Murtha, in a meeting with Democratic moderates yesterday, had less than flattering words for Pelosi's ethics and lobbying reform bill.
"Even though I think it's total crap, I'll vote for it and pass it because that's what Nancy wants," Roll Call quoted Murtha as saying to members of the
Blue Dog Coalition, a group of moderate to conservative Democrats.
The Murtha quote was confirmed by three sources who attended the meeting.
Despite his unambiguous misgivings, Murtha told the Blue Dogs he would work to see the bill enacted in Congress because Pelosi is pushing it.
Abramoff's ship: Now in dry dock
After years of multimillion-dollar deals and living the gilded life of a well-connected Washington lobbyist, Jack Abramoff's next job will pay far less: 12 cents an hour.
The Associated Press reports that the former lobbyist at the center of an influence-peddling scandal in Washington entered a minimum-security prison in Cumberland, Md., this morning.
Abramoff arrived at the prison about 6:30 a.m. today. He's expected to serve nearly six years after being convicted in Florida earlier this year on charges stemming from a fraudulent, multimillion dollar deal to buy casino ships.
He's awaiting sentencing in Washington for corrupting government officials and their staff members. The charges arose from years of work on Capitol Hill in which Abramoff gave out tickets to sporting events, meals and trips. He's also under investigation for bilking Indian tribes he represented out of $82 million.
If Nancy Pelosi had hoped for a good start as the presumed Speaker of the House in the next Congress, those plans have been cut short.
Today's papers are abuzz with comments about criticism directed at the California Democrat for endorsing Rep. John Murtha, D-PA, for majority leader.
Murtha's profile has risen as one of the critics of the Bush administration's handling of the Iraq war. But he's also been accused of favoring a lobbying firm that hired a former staffer and clients of his brother, Robert.
Like other members of Congress, "he is best known for turning earmarks into power," as the New York Times reported recently. Dealing from a seat in the back of the House chamber, known as the "Murtha Corner," the current ranking member on the House Appropriations Defense subcommittee "often delivers Democratic votes to Republican leaders in a tacit exchange for earmarks for himself and his allies," the Times reported.
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