John Murtha Reveals Darkside On Abscam Tapes

The September Issue of The American Spectator features an article "The Full Murtha" that sheds some light on a disgusting episode in the life of Rep. John Murtha (D) PA.

But an August 6, 1980, Washington Post column by the sometimes controversial, Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative columnist Jack Anderson, overlooked in recent reporting on Murtha, fills in some of the gaps. Anderson framed Murtha's performance as "perhaps the saddest scene on the secret Abscam videotapes.... He refused to take the money, but his reason was hardly noble."

The column continues, quoting Murtha speaking to the undercover agents:

"I want to deal with you guys awhile before I make any transactions at all, period.... After we've done some business, well, then I might change my mind...."

... "I'm going to tell you this. If anybody can do it - I'm not B.S.-ing you fellows - I can get it done my way." he boasted. "There's no question about it."...

But the reluctant Murtha wouldn't touch the $50,000. Here on secret videotape was this all-American hero, tall and dignified in a disheveled way, explaining why he wasn't quite ready to accept the cash.

"All at once," he said, "some dumb [expletive deleted] would go start talking eight years from now about this whole thing and say [expletive deleted], this happened. Then in order to get immunity so he doesn't go to jail, he starts talking and fingering people. So the [S.O.B.] falls apart."...

"You give us the banks where you want the money deposited," offered one of the bagmen.

"All right," agreed Murtha. "How much money we talking about?"

"Well, you tell me."

"Well, let me find out what is a reasonable figure that will get their attention," said Murtha, "because there are a couple of banks that have really done me some favors in the past, and I'd like to put some money in....["]

In the following exchange with an undercover agent, part of which appears on the 13 seconds of available videotape, Murtha leaves the door open for later negotiations:

Amoroso: Let me ask you now that we're together. I was under the impression, OK, and I told Howard [middleman Howard Criden] what we were willing to pay, and I went out, I got the $50,000. OK? So what you're telling me, OK, you're telling me that that's not what you know....

Murtha: I'm not interested.

Amoroso: OK.

Murtha: At this point, you know, we do business together for a while. Maybe I'll be interested and maybe I won't.... Right now, I'm not interested in those other things. Now, I won't say that some day, you know, I, if you made an offer, it may be I would change my mind some day.

It is damning stuff. But the mainstream media have yet to question Murtha aggressively about even the short snippet of available tape, much less the full reel.

Hat tip to FreeRepublic.com and GrassrootsPA