Rep. John Murtha of Pennsylvania, RIP

John Murtha, the long serving controversial congressman from the 12^th District of Pennsylvania, has died from complications of gall bladder surgery. Democrats fear that the Republicans will pick up his seat in the special election.

John Murtha had a distinguished record in the Marine Corps, fighting in Vietnam in the late 1960s. Murtha was the very first Vietnam veteran to be elected to the United States Congress.

John Murtha's long career in Congress featured controversy and brushes with the law. According to the Washington Post:

"In one of the more painful moments of his career, Murtha was listed as an unindicted co-conspirator in the Abscam scandal of the late 1970s. As a result of the FBI undercover operation, several Capitol Hill figures were charged with agreeing to pay bribes to agents posing as representatives of Arab sheiks. Murtha was taped talking with an undercover agent about his interest in helping his district, but he was not charged and said he did nothing wrong."

John Murtha became a master of pork-barrel politics, even defending the now discredited practice of earmarking. Murtha was the target of ethics investigators and others for the relationship between beneficiaries of earmarks and campaign contributors. That tendency likely denied him the post of House Majority Leader when the Democrats took over the Congress in 2006.

While voting for the Iraq War in 2002, Murtha soon turned against it and became a favorite of the anti war movement. John Murtha earned condemnation when he accused some Marines of cold-blooded murder in an incident in Haditha, an Iraqi town. Subsequently charges against most of the Marines involved in the incident were dropped, one was acquitted, one was judged by a Board of Inquiry with "no misconduct," though his actions in response to the incident were judged to be "substandard," and another awaits final judgment.

Despite John Murtha's somewhat spotty record, his passing received reactions of condolence from many Republican and conservative figures. Sarah Palin posted on her Facebook page, "Todd and I would like to express our condolences to the Murtha family on the passing of Rep. John Murtha. Rep. Murtha served his country honorably as a Marine in Vietnam and later became the first Vietnam veteran elected to the House of Representatives. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family."

A special election to fill John Murtha's seat will likely be held by May 18^th. With President Obaam's popularity at a new low and with the 12 District retaining its conservative character suggests that the Republicans have a good shot to pick up the seat. If so, while the balance of power in the House will not be tipped too much, there will be one less vote for any version of health care reform.

Sources: John Murtha dies; longtime congressman was master of pork-barrel politics, Carol D. Leonnig and Martin Weil, Washington Post, February, 9th, 2010

Rep. John Murtha, Iraq war critic, dies at 77, Peter Jackson, AP, February 8th, 2010

Defend Our Marines

Condolences to the Murtha Family, Sarah Palin, Facebook, February 8th, 2010

John Murtha dies, special election looms, Chris Cillizza, Washington Post, February 8th, 2010