Is Jack Murtha trying to expose his hidden guilt?
Jack Murtha apparently has a lot to be guilty about. He has funneled millions of dollars — $20 million at least — to his brother under the pretense of being a pro-military Congressman. He has similarly benefitted the families of other Democratic politicians including Nancy Pelosi, as we have written. He has built and cherished an undeserved reputation as a fierce hawk. But he may be an utter fraud. His own Purple Hearts has been called into question by another Congressman — based on an emotional confession Murtha himself made to the man. And he was a crook in the Abscam scandal 25 years ago to boot — avoiding prosecution by testifying against other democratic Congressmen.
Our question is this: has the recent outspoken and erratic behavior of Murtha — his insistence on the guilt and war crimes of other military men uncharged and unconvicted of any offense — been a cry for help? Is he bringing attention to himself in order to assist the exposure of his own shameful and guillty past in the military, Congress and elsewhere? Is he trying to expiate his guilty conscience in his last years? (Or is his the more mundane effort of trying to deflect attention from the dough he has funnelled to his relatives and others through his position of power?) Our guess: mostly the former, but his Okinawa comment embarassment suggests the simple and sad possibility of mental decline, a thought that has occurred to us before.