Politics PA

Rep. John Murtha’s (D-Pa.) campaign has asked the Democrats’ reelection arm to write a memo detailing how he can use funds in his campaign account if he retires.

The request from an assistant to Murtha’s Chief of Staff John Hugya was made in late October, after the Appropriations subcommittee Murtha chairs passed the defense-spending bill.

Word of the request has made its way around Democratic circles in recent weeks and is spurring talk that Murtha is planning to leave at the end of this Congress. A House ethics investigation of Murtha and the longtime lawmaker’s recent health problems have only escalated the talk.

Murtha’s office said the congressman has no plans to retire.

“Congressman Murtha is not retiring and looks forward to winning reelection to a 20th term in 2010,” Murtha spokesman Matthew Mazonkey said in response to questions about the memo. 

The office acknowledged asking the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) for the advice, but explained that it did so only in response to a constituent who assumed that members could put their remaining campaign funds to personal use when they retired. 

“Our staff confirmed with both the [Federal Election Commission] and the DCCC that this was not the case, and we relayed this information to the constituent,” Mazonkey said.

Read the full article in The Hill here

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Tags: John Murtha

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