Democracy Has Prevailed.

December 17, 2006

A Tim Murphy Update

Remember Congressman Tim Murphy? He made it on to 2PJ here and here.

Well, looks like the Feds are investigating him. Here's Andy Sheehan at KDKA from the 14th of December:
A federal investigation is underway after allegations surfaced against US Rep. Tim Murphy.

Sources tell KDKA federal agents have begun interviewing former Murphy staffers on whether they did political work for the congressman on government time.

Murphy denies the allegations.
And the P-G a few days later:
Authorities are investigating whether Rep. Tim Murphy's legislative staff members performed campaign work while on government time, which would violate federal law, according to a broadcast report.

Federal authorities have started interviewing Mr. Murphy's former staff members, according to KDKA-TV, which cited anonymous sources.
The story has again made it all the way to talkingpointsmemo.com (one of the major blogs around):
You may recall some of the dandy investigative reporting on Rep. Tim Murphy (R-PA) turned in by Pittsburgh's KDKA-TV during the midterm election campaign. At issue was whether Murphy was illegally using his congressional staff for campaign purposes. Now it looks like the feds are investigating. KDKA has the latest.
If it's at talkingpointsmemo, then lefties all over the country are reading about the investigation.

This ain't a local story anymore.

There's even a blurb about all this at the wikipedia. Please note that there are pdf files posted of some leaked documents - go take a look. One of the posted documents describes what can only be described as creepy oppostition research, though as far as I can tell this isn't part of the federal investigation. The "research" was on a number of constituents who've written critical letters to the P-G. Here's Melissa Meinzer at the City-Paper:
Opposition research is part of almost every political campaign. But the campaign staff of U.S. Congressman Tim Murphy (R-Upper St. Clair) may have spent part of the 2006 election season doing research on a less likely target: people who wrote letters to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

"The following is the information I was able to retrieve on the individuals who wrote negative letters to the editor about you," reads the beginning of a three-page memo dated June 23, 2006. The memo, addressed to "TFM," was apparently written by Murphy campaign manager Justin Lokay.

The memo includes copies of two letters to the Post-Gazette from earlier that month. The first, by Brian Rampolla, criticizes Murphy's claims that a visit to Iraq had shown him the war was going well and getting better by the day. The second, by Christine Gallo, echoes Rampolla's statements.
But wait. According to Meizner, this isn't just stuff found via google:
In addition to Rampolla's and Gallo's addresses and phone numbers, the documents detail Rampolla's voting record and religion, his stances on gun control and abortion, and his place of business -- as well as his supposed support for Rick Santorum's Democratic opponent in the 2000 U.S. Senate race. Gallo's voting record and place of business are also noted in the document.
How did they get that information, why did they think they need it, and what on Earth gave them the idea that they could go get it? And remember, all this was done for a Member of the House of Representatives of the United States Congress.

- under investigation by the Feds.

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

Tim Murphy thinks he is untouchable. What makes me sick is that the Teamsters backed him for re-election this year.
I can't wait until he is exposed for the lying cheat that he really is. Do you think he'll send himself white powder in the mail like Habay did? Maybe his wife will go back to using her maiden name - Missig - just like she did before he ran for state office.

Anon #2

Anonymous said...

Lokay used to be a fat slob - then his gastric bypass facilitated his rise as a rethug lying star.
I wonder if oridinary people who think Murphy and his 'prom queen' wife Nan Missig will be investigated next by Mr. Lokay? Or would that require Lo-key to do more than google people?
Can't wait for more on this story.........

Shawn said...

I amazed at the press's (sic?) tenacity. I mean, I thought it was all over when Congressman Murphy snatched those papers and ran away.

Anonymous said...

Speaking of investigations:

Funny, nothing...not a peep, not a word coming from any of you regarding William J. Jeffeson. You know him, right? He's the one who was caught by the FBI with what, $90,000.00 in his freezer?

Looks as if he's in deep doo-doo considering there is hardcore evidence of him accepting bribes.

But wait, he denies it. In fact, he won't even step down. Why not? Because he's a Democrat, and when you're a Democrat it's *just* different.

You all know that if a Republican would be caught in the same thing, he/she would of stepped down. So why won't William J. Jefferson? Why is that, folks? C'mon, I want to see John's answer on this one. Let's see the attempted excuse(s).

Now, if only "Anon#2" could be creative enough to come up with something else rather than knock-off my "When You're A Democrat, it's *just* different" line.

Nah, she's too busy flaming using her "if you're for the war enlist" argument which is the stupidest counter-argument I've ever heard considering the fact that well over 90 percent of the population has never served with the Military. So that being said, I guess a huge percentage of the population who disagrees with her should enlist, too.

See the logic of a liberal? I knew you could (not!).

Liberals are those people who stand on their heads, and tell the rest of the world that we're upside down.

Anonymous said...

Master Lie, Master Lie. All the liberals on this blog condemn the conduct of Rep. Jefferson. So do Congressional Democrats. In fact, if you removed your head from that dark place you've been storing it lately, you might have noticed that the big debate among Democrats in the House has been whether Mr. Jefferson will be expelled before or after he is seated. They can't do it until they're in power, you know.

I don't think much of Democrats and their ethics, either. But usually when Democrats catch one of their own cheating, they send him to jail. They did it with Rostenkowski, they'll do it with Jefferson.

OTOH, your conservative Republican buddies actually changed their rules so that Tom Delay could continue as Majority Leader while under indictment. (They changed it back under massive public pressure.) The Republican leadership covered for Foley for more than a year and wouldn't let him resign. The Republican governor of Ohio is still in office after pleading guilty to corruption charges. Hastert. Cunningham. Ney. Ryan. Libby. Scanlon. Frist. How many of those have gone to jail?

Get help, Master Lie. Your anger is overcoming any tiny bit of judgement you might ever have had. But until you get that help, keep coming back here. We love you.

Anonymous said...

"Master Lie, Master Lie. All the liberals on this blog condemn the conduct of Rep. Jefferson. So do Congressional Democrats."

Oh really? Show me a post on this blog which supports your excuse.

"OTOH, your conservative Republican buddies actually changed their rules so that Tom Delay could continue as Majority Leader..."

See, you just cannot focus on what was said. Instead, you'll take it and spin/twist it around and try to avoid the situation, all in liberal Democrat fashion.

Speaking of big dark places, just how big is that ego of yours? You remind me of Frank Burns, the dude who on MASH who thinks everything he says comes from the Almighty himself. Again, another liberal trait of yours.

You can call me Master Lie all you want when the reality is you are the Master Spin-Meister.

One could say that sh*t stinks and you'll put a spin on it attempting to convince others that it smells like freshly picked pansies.

You're just another example of the liberal who stands on his head and tells the rest of the world that they're upside down.

Master Lie, indeed.

Whatever you say, Master Spin-Meister. Whatever you say.

Anonymous said...

Oh really? Show me a post on this blog which supports your excuse.
My last one.

See, you just cannot focus on what was said.
I said everything that needed to be said. We condemn his behavior.

how big is that ego of yours?
Big enough that I can call myself Schmuck Shitrock.

You remind me of Frank Burns, the dude who on MASH who thinks everything he says comes from the Almighty himself.
Invoking the deity would be something you do, not I.

You can call me Master Lie all you want
I have offered to call you whatever you want. You haven't responded, so I call you by your chosen last name. That's respect.

See, you just cannot focus on what was said.
And how many topics did you cover in your post, Master..., er, sir?

Keep coming back. It works when you work it.

Anonymous said...

Excuse me, but your comment does not constitute a posting on this blog.

Show me a post, not a comment. I knew you'd consider your comment an official post. There's that ego of yours again.

I rest my case again, Frank.

Anonymous said...

Wow, D-L, you just keep going further and further off of the deep end. The leading national progressive blogs have all called for Jefferson's ouster and raised funds for his opponent in the Louisiana run-off election earlier this month. The Dem leadership booted him from a prime committee post. He is a pariah among Democrats. I would suspect David or Maria haven't done anything on it on this site because it was covered so well on the other progressive sites that I suspect most of the visitors to this blog also visit regularly.

As for other Republicans being caught doing illegal things stepping down, are you kidding me? C'mon. You're a little crazy, but you're not absolutely blind, are you?

Dayvoe said...

Ladies and Gentlemen;

Our troll has again opted to comment and in doing so has shown us again all the laughably flawed reasoning that makes him such a favorite here.

His general rhetorical device is to assume that because we haven't posted in opposition to a particular event, that we must some how be OK with that event.

His particular example is Congressman William Jefferson. Jefferson was found with $90,000 in his freezer. It was a bribe. After his trial, he should go to directly to jail, he should not pass GO on the way.

By the way, we've also never spoken out against Watergate, the attack on Pearl Harbor, or the assassination of Jean-Paul Marat. There hasn't been a peep about Paris Hilton's porn DVD, the general stupidity of "American Idol", or the utter crap that is the music of Andrew Lloyd Webber, the comedy of Carrot-top and the "singing" of Celine Dion.

But to grown-ups, NOT speaking about a subject does not imply any sort of acceptance of that subject.

Grown-ups know this. We shouldn't be surprised that our troll doesn't.

Maria said...

Actually, I made a veiled reference to Jefferson in the title of this post on corruption and Twanda Carlisle -- asking if anyone had checked her freezer. Obviously the reference was not meant to be positive in nature.

Anonymous said...

Yeah? Well, you upside-down liberals never came out against halitosis, either. It's about time somebody called you on that.

Seriously, what would we do for fun around here if we didn't have Mast...er, uh, you know who I mean.

Anonymous said...

OLD JOKE WARNING

Our troll certainly tries to BAIT us into an argument.

Can't say he's a MASTER at it, though.

You guys can do the rest...

Anonymous said...

Just for the record, that Corday chick was a Girondist. Is that the same as Republican?

Shawn said...

Since the "Junkies" haven't spoken out against the following, they must support them:

- Driving slow in the passing lane.

- Randy Orton and Edge's savage beating of the "Nature Boy" Ric Flair.

- K-Fed.

- Gorrilagrams.

- Smooth Jazz.

Maria said...

K-Fed

Bite your tongue!

Anonymous said...

Well, Ric Flair IS a Republican.

Anonymous said...

David:

If you would stop thinking about pudding for at least 10 seconds, perhaps you would realize that:

If you don't support what William Jefferson (and those like him) has done, then why haven't you spoken of it via posts?

Oh, I know! Because it would project a negative image of your political party, and you know it.

Dude, I called you on your lack of postings whenever a Democrat such as William Jefferson does something wrong, and you start your "Ladies and Gentleman" shit. Please.

Like I said, if you were so against his actions, then why your silence until now (now that I've called you on it)?

Your actions speak volumes, my friend (or lack thereof).

Shawn said...

D.L.: What's wrong with pudding?

Maria: You'll take umbrage at my K-Fed mention but not Smooth Jazz? So, yer sayin' yer pro-Smooth, then?

Anon #whatever: Yeah, Flair's a Republican. But more than that, he's the "Nature Boy." WOOOOOOOO!

Anonymous said...

update! Tim Murphy is again losing staff members!

In the last couple of weeks, he has lost four staffers. Morgan Jones, F. Michael Baxter, Col Brian Schill, and John Sivenda.

(I don't know if that is the order of their departure.)

Can 2PJ verify this?