PA Rep John Murtha dies at age 77

Democrat congressman from Pennsylvania John P. Murtha (pictured) died today in a Virginia hospital. He was being treated for an infection following gallbladder surgery last month.

From a report at the first link below:

His decision to call for an end to the Iraq War in 2005 -- after voting for it -- was a watershed moment in Democrats’ efforts to unite against President George W. Bush in his second term. Nancy Pelosi pressed for Murtha to be elected House majority leader after she became House speaker in 2007, though the Democratic caucus went with Steny Hoyer instead.

Murtha’s district is certain to be hotly contested this year. Republicans have long viewed his predominantly rural district as a prime pick-up opportunity. Murtha’s was the only congressional district in the country to support John Kerry in 2004 and John McCain in 2008.

A report about John Murtha's lavish taxpayer-funded "airport to nowhere" can be found at the third link below.

Murtha was on CREW's (Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington) list of most corrupt politicians as shown at the second link below.

Link here, here and here.