By Alex Roarty
PoliticsPA Staff Writer
roarty@politicspa.com
The Pennsylvania Democratic Congressional delegation Thursday recommended Patrick Murphy for a seat on the Appropriations Committee, giving the two-term southeast congressman a considerable boost in profile, a source familiar with the vote tells PoliticsPA.
The House Democratic Steering Committee will now determine whether to give Murphy or another state’s congressman a seat on the powerful committee. But because the Steering Committee is replacing the late U.S. Rep. John Murtha with its selection, a Pennsylvania representative would seem to have the inside track.
Murphy won the recommendation over U.S. Rep. Chris Carney, himself a two-term congressman who represents northeast Pennsylvania. The two men and U.S. Rep. Kathy Dahlkemper were vying for the position.
Spokesmen and women for Murphy and Carney were not immediately available for comment.
U.S. Rep. Paul Kanjorksi appears to have cast the deciding vote in Murphy’s favor, which might surprise some political observers. Kanjorski and Carney represent adjacent congressional districts, meaning Carney’s newfound clout could have benefited the region Kanjorski represents. The two congressman, in fact, represent two of the same counties: Lackawanna and Luzerne.
U.S. Rep. Chaka Fatta is Pennsylvania’s only Democrat currently sitting on the Appropriations Committee.
UPDATE: A spokeswoman for Kanjorski tells PoliticsPA that the vote was taken by a secret ballot, meaning the other congressmen and women in the room did not necessarily know who voted for whom. She declined to deny Kanjorski voted for Murphy, saying she did not know who the congressman supported.
Tags: Chris Carney, Patrick Muprhy
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It’s nice to see Kanjorski is using hi seniority to help Philadelphia. I guess the only way he is interested in helping NEPA is if he can line his own pockets in the process.
Enjoy it for the next 6 months little Pat. You’re finished you coward.
Now we know how the Democrats paid off Murphy for his health care vote. He sold out the voters of his district for more power. See you at the polls in November.
The Nations Terror threat level may be yellow but Murphy’s threat level to our Country is at RED the Highest….He’s not a Blue dog, he’s a Lying Dog…..Theses rats in DC like Murphy and Pelosi are destroying our Nation from within…and they Must be stopped…..
How “appropriate!” Patrick Murphy will fit right in with Fattah and Kanjorski. Individually and collectively there has not been a spending bill these corrupt politicians have not endorsed.
Ironic that 99% of those mentioned will most likely be voted out of office in November. Three guesses as to how Fattah has survived and the first two don’t count.
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