Double Whammy: Target Dems Sit on Funds from Another Corrupt Colleague

July 31, 2010

FYI, a version of the release below went out to the following districts: Sanford Bishop (GA-02); Leonard Boswell (IA-03); Chet Edwards (TX-17); Tim Holden (PA-17); Patrick Murphy (PA-08); Earl Pomeroy (ND-AL); Ciro Rodriguez (TX-23); Dan Seals (IL-10); and David Wu (OR-01).

Double Whammy: Murphy Sits on Funds from Another Corrupt Colleague

With Waters Facing Trial, Pennsylvania Dem Holds on Tightly to $20,000 in Dirty Money

Washington- As Patrick Murphy continues to hold tightly onto dirty campaign contributions from corrupt Democrat colleague Charlie Rangel, a new round of charges from a House Ethics panel reveal that Murphy is sitting on even more tainted money. That’s because Democrat Maxine Waters has been charged with abusing her power in order to steer bailout funds to a bank with ties to Waters’ family. Waters has given Murphy at least $1,000, meaning that the Pennsylvania Democrat is sitting on $20,000 in tainted funds between the two troubled lawmakers. (Source: FEC)

“By holding onto thousands in dirty campaign contributions, Patrick Murphy is sending a clear message that he has no problem with the corruption that has been a hallmark of Democrat rule in Washington,” said NRCC Communications Director Ken Spain. “Despite empty promises to ‘drain the swamp,’ Democrats like Murphy are offering a silent endorsement of possible major ethics violations. The pressure to hand over these funds has been mounting for years, but Murphy is content to hold onto tainted money from colleagues whose violations appear so blatant that they will soon be defending them in front of a jury.”

Rep. Waters has been charged with using her position to arrange government bailout money for a bank where her husband serves on the board:

“A House panel is preparing to accuse Rep. Maxine Waters of at least one ethics violation in her efforts to help a bank with ties to her husband… The funding came three months after Waters, a senior member of the committee that oversees banking, helped arrange a meeting between officials of the bank, other minority-owned financial institutions and Treasury Department representatives. Waters’ husband, Sidney Williams, had owned stock in the bank and served on its board.” (Richard Simon and Lisa Mascaro, “Maxine Waters Faces Ethics Charges,” Los Angeles Times, 7/31/10)

And of course, Murphy still hasn’t handed over donations from the notoriously corrupt Charlie Rangel, who was recently charged with 13 major ethics violations by a House Ethics panel:

“A special ethics subcommittee on Thursday afternoon charged Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-N.Y.) with 13 counts of violating House rules and federal laws, including conduct reflecting discreditably on the chamber… Such proceedings are a rarity in the House, and the last occurred in 2002 when then-Rep. James Traficant was convicted in federal court on corruption charges. The Ohio Democrat was ultimately expelled from the House.” (Jennifer Yachnin, “Rangel Charged with 13 Counts of Wrongdoing,” Roll Call, 7/29/10)

Will Murphy finally do the right thing and turn over his dirty money, or will he continue to side with his corrupt Democrat colleagues?

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