Since every move the Democrats have made on the Iraqi war has been so deeply steeped in politics (apologies, Joe Lieberman), this theory makes more sense to me than it ought to - from Jim Kouri at the Sierra Times:
Why did Murtha suddenly change his mind? Was this a calculated effort to win the news media over? Is this something he hopes will insulate him from something that is brewing within the Beltway?
Well, according to investigative journalist Sher Zieve, the House Ethics committee is considering investigating Rep. John Murtha for House multiple ethics violations. The investigation would center on Rep. Murtha’s involvement with his brother’s firm KSA Consulting.
The story, which originally ran in the Los Angeles Times on 13 June, surrounds the 2005 appropriations bill that funded $20M to companies for which KSA Consulting lobbied. Murtha is a leader on the House Defense Appropriations Committee. An aide to Murtha, Carmen Scialabba, also works for KSA.
Kouri speculates:
My own BS meter is showing that Murtha conducted a calculated and probably successful operation to neutralize Republicans if they should make an issue of his ethics deficiencies. The LA Times article in June was written while Murtha was considered a war hawk. Now that he's become an "enlightened" anti-war spokesperson don't expect to see followup articles about any ethics violations or criminal acts by Rep. John Murtha.
....As long as he calls for troop withdrawals and makes ridiculous statements about the US military, he's insured himself against the mainstream news media reporting on his ethics problems. Besides, the media only cover Republican politicians accused of misconduct.
Why do I have a sickening feeling that Kouri is on-spot here? Maybe I shouldn't be distressed; the American public is not behind Murtha, and it appears as if the Democratic party is about to follow him off a cliff...
Link to Kouri's post here: http://www.sierratimes.com/05/12/05/152_163_100_12_18073.htm
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