‘Dean’ John Murtha and his deeds
I spent a recent afternoon at the University of Pittsburgh archives looking at the papers of John P. Murtha, the late congressman who at one time represented Fayette County on Capitol Hill.
At his death in 2010, the Johnstown Democrat was the “dean” of the state’s congressional delegation. He was a political heavyweight, and like Joe Biden, he loved to “press the flesh.”
One of the vivid images I have of Murtha is his walking down a hallway at Penn State Fayette with Beverly Peterson.
At 6 feet 4 inches tall (or better), Murtha loomed over the English prof (and co-author of “Screams from the Courthouse Basement”). As they strolled toward the campus auditorium, where he would be speaking, he put his arm on her shoulder like she was his best pal or a trusted confidant. They had just met, I believe.
It was fun and educational, my perusal of Murtha’s correspondence and office miscellany. It was interesting to see how he interacted with presidents – the personal touches.
Take Ronald Reagan. Reagan began by addressing his letters to “Dear Congressman Murtha.” Soon, however, it was “Dear Jack.”
For Murtha’s birthday in 1988, the Republican Reagan scribbled a charmingly simple note on White House stationery. It reads, “For every person involved in the busy life of government and politics, I’m sure you’ll agree, there ought to be at least one major accomplishment a year that is reliable, easily earned and always celebrated. May your special day be filled with joy.”
This was at a time when Democrats and Republicans in Washington could treat one another with respect and even be friends. They were partisans, but they might become partners on one project or another.
Until he arrived in Washington as president in 1993, Bill Clinton likely had little if any contact with Murtha. The two Democrats existed in separate political orbits, represented by the state House in Little Rock, Ark., and the House of Representatives in Washington, D.C.
Pretty quickly, Clinton felt comfortable enough to rib Murtha a little.
In the summer of 1994, Murtha played a round of golf with some of the Pentagon brass, which prompted Clinton to write to the chairman of the House Subcommittee on Military Appropriations, “I heard you shot 78…. They [the brass] will stop at nothing to protect the military budget!”
Murtha’s idea about service in Washington was different than today’s crowd, which includes Guy Reschenthaler, the Republican incumbent in District 14. Area Democrats have a right to feel unrepresented by Reschenthaler, who seems to go out of his way to disrespect them.
In contrast, Murtha wanted to represent everyone, as an internal office memo from 1976 makes clear. Some people (the memo written by administrative assistant Philip Giomariso says) “seem to feel [Murtha] was only elected by Democrats; the truth is that he was elected by both Democrats and Republicans to represent all the people in the district.
“We do not want to give the impression that the [the congressman] is anything but non-partisan and objective in the way he does his job.”
Murtha became a powerful voice in Washington and internationally on foreign policy because he took care of business back home, in his district.
Murtha was in a position to help place the traffic light, the left turning lane, and the road now scooting between a Mexican restaurant and a motel on Route 40 in South Union Township, according to a February 2002 letter from Raymond C. Polaski of the county Redevelopment Authority.
Murtha had a hand in developing the riverfront in Connellsville and all manner of other projects: Marshall Plaza in Uniontown, historic Mechesneytown Cemetery near Latrobe, and the expansion of the Parkway West in Allegheny County.
The latter was outside his district, suggesting Murtha’s influence in getting things done.
It’s possibly no exaggeration to say that Murtha forwarded more federal dollars to more municipalities for sewage and water projects than any congressman in history.
Some people might say that’s a problem. Tell that to the people benefiting from municipal sewage and water service, thanks to John Murtha.
The Murtha papers at Pitt are open to everyone. The archives are located near the H.C. Frick estate in the city’s Point Breeze neighborhood.
Richard Robbins lives in Uniontown. He can be reached at dick.l.robbins@gmail.com.