Text 25170, 118 rader
Skriven 2006-11-16 13:56:00 av Jeff Binkley (1:226/600)
Ärende: Murtha
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Well damn.  There goes an opportunity for us...

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http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/11/16/D8LEA3NG1.html

House Democrats Name Hoyer to No. 2 Post
Nov 16 12:37 PM US/Eastern
   
By ANDREW TAYLOR
Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON


Democrats picked Rep. Steny Hoyer to be House majority leader on 
Thursday, spurning Rep. Nancy Pelosi's handpicked choice moments after 
unanimously backing her election as speaker when Congress convenes in 
January. 

A Marylander and 25-year veteran of Congress, Hoyer defeated Rep. John 
Murtha of Pennsylvania in a vote of 149-86. 
 

His election to the No. 2 job came just a short time after the 
Democratic caucus put Pelosi in line to become the first woman to be 
speaker, a position which is second in line of succession to the 
presidency. It marked a personal triumph for Hoyer. 

Earlier, an ebullient Pelosi declared: "We made history and now we will 
make progress for the American people." 

In remarks after being chosen for speaker, the Californian vowed that 
after 12 years in the minority, "we will not be dazzled by money and 
special interests." Pelosi also called for unity in the party, but 
within moments she put her prestige on the line by nominating Murtha. 

Murtha, a Pennsylvanian, is a powerful lawmaker on defense matters, and 
he gained national prominence last year when he called an end to U.S. 
military involvement in Iraq. 

He and Pelosi have long been close, and when Pelosi issued a statement 
supporting Murtha on Sunday night, it raised the stakes in a leadership 
election within a party that is taking control of the House in January 
for the first time in a dozen years. 

Pelosi and Hoyer have long had a difficult relationship. The two ran 
against each other in a leadership race several years ago. Pelosi won, 
but Hoyer rebounded more than a year later when he was elected the 
party's whip. 

Hoyer, 67, is a veteran of 25 years in Congress. 

His margin of victory reflected a pre-election strategy in which he 
showcased support from moderates, veteran lawmakers in line to become 
committee chairmen and more than half of the incoming freshman class _ 
the majority-makers whose victories on Election Day gave the party 
control of the House. 

The intraparty battle had preoccupied Democrats, overshadowing Pelosi's 
promotion to speaker _ a position that is second in line of succession 
to the presidency. 

Many Democrats were dismayed that the family feud had broken out in the 
first place and objected to heavy pressure placed on longstanding Hoyer 
supporters. 

Pelosi officially becomes speaker in January, succeeding Rep. Dennis 
Hastert, R-Ill., when the House convenes and formally elects her in the 
next session of Congress. 

Pelosi's selection was more history than mystery; that was reserved for 
the Hoyer-Murtha faceoff. 

Murtha, 74, was a problematic candidate because of his penchant for 
trading votes for pork projects and his ties to the Abscam bribery sting 
in 1980, the only lawmaker involved who wasn't charged. 

The race dredged up Murtha's involvement in the Abscam scandal. FBI 
agents pretending to represent an Arab sheik wanting to reside in the 
United States and seeking investment opportunities offered bribes to 
several lawmakers. When offered $50,000, Murtha was recorded as saying, 
"I'm not interested ... at this point." A grand jury declined to indict 
Murtha, and the House ethics committee issued no findings against him. 

"I told them I wanted investment in my district," Murtha told MSNBC's 
"Hardball" on Wednesday. "They put $50,000 on the table and I said, 'I'm 
not interested.'" 

Democrats also selected James Clyburn of South Carolina as majority 
whip, their No. 3 post. Clyburn, who is black, would become the highest-
ever ranking member of his race in Congress. Campaign chair Rahm Emanuel 
of Illinois was rewarded with the caucus chair post, the No. 4 position 
for Democrats, for his efforts in leading the party back into the 
majority. 

Meanwhile, House Republicans, soon to be in the minority for the first 
time since 1994, met in private Thursday to hear presentations from 
candidates for their leadership posts. Their election was scheduled for 
Friday. 

Finding a replacement for Hastert, R-Ill., as the caucus leader turned 
into a two-man race between Majority Leader John Boehner of Ohio and 
conservative challenger Rep. Mike Pence of Indiana after Rep. Joe Barton 
of Texas dropped out and endorsed Boehner. 

In the Democratic race, Murtha came forward for the job despite a record 
of not always being a leadership loyalist. He often supplied votes to 
GOP leaders who were struggling to pass bills. The none-too- subtle 
trade-off: Murtha and his allies would do better when home- state 
projects were doled out by the Republicans. 

Murtha also had been criticized by ethics watchdogs such as Citizens for 
Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, who have said he exemplifies a 
"pay-to-play" culture of Washington. 

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