“TRANSPARENCY IS JOHN MURTHA’S WORST NIGHTMARE”

“Transparency is John Murtha’s Worst Nightmare” RSC Chairman Goes on the Offense Against Murtha’s Crusade for Earmark Secrecy
	Washington D.C.-  In a conference call this morning with bloggers and writers, RSC Chairman Jeb Hensarling was asked to address recent comments from Congressman John Murtha to a reporter writing about earmark transparency.  “After a recent House vote, he stopped for a moment in the lobby adjacent to the House floor, just steps from his corner, to take a question from a reporter about the difficulty of piecing together which members got how much money for which projects in his bill.  Murtha answered abruptly before walking away. ‘So, you have to work,’ he said. ‘Tough [expletive].’” -- CQ Weekly, 10/1/2007 (partial transcript here)   Reason magazine asked RSC Chairman Hensarling, who has helped lead the fight for earmark transparency, to respond to Rep. Murtha’s comments.   "My mother doesn’t permit me to use the language that Congressman Murtha uses.   But let’s get this straight - transparency is John Murtha’s worst nightmare." -- Conference Call, 10/3/2007 (Reason)   House Republicans are working to ensure that EVERY earmark should be transparent and able to withstand scrutiny on the House Floor.  The GOP led earmark discharge petition has now been signed by 196 Republicans (not a single Democrat) and will force the House Democratic leaders to allow a vote on H.Res. 479.  This legislation that would ensure all taxpayer-funded earmarks in all congressional bills are publicly disclosed and subject to challenge and open debate on the House floor, yet continues to be rebuffed by Democrats who seem to prefer earmark secrecy. (####)