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FLASHBACK TO NOVEMBER 27, 1989….
The Cold War was ending….
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade was in theatres….
Billy Joel’s “We Didn’t Start the Fire” was on the radio….
AND CONGRESSMAN MURTHA WAS IN THE NEWS….
Time Magazine, November 27, 1989
Even as the House was promising last week to cut down on perks in exchange for a pay raise, old habits were asserting themselves. Speaker Thomas Foley was embarrassed to learn about an amendment slipped into the defense-spending bill that required an Air Force C-20 jet be made available to him at all times. A military version of the Gulfstream III, the C-20 carries just eight passengers and is serviced by a crew of five.
But Foley had not asked for an Air Force Three (the President and Vice President have much larger jets). Pennsylvania Democrat John Murtha had inserted the provision. He enjoys luxurious travel and undoubtedly figured he could borrow Foley's jet. The Speaker quickly shot down his own plane.
FAST FORWARD: FEBRUARY 8, 2007
Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., the Pelosi ally who chairs the House military appropriations subcommittee, said he has spoken to Pentagon officials about the need to provide Pelosi with a bigger plane that can fly passengers coast to coast in comfort…. "I don't need to pressure them. I just tell them what they need to do.” Murtha said.
(San Francisco Chronicle, 2/8/2007)
“Late Wednesday afternoon, one of Pelosi's closest allies in the House, Rep. John Murtha, D-Penn., chairman of the key Appropriations Committee subcommittee on defense, told CNN that the Pentagon was making ‘a mistake’ by leaking information unfavorable to the speaker ‘since she decides on the allocations for the Department of Defense.’”
(CNN, ABC News, 2/8/2007)
(San Francisco Chronicle, 2/8/2007)
“Murtha predicted that Pelosi would end up getting a plane that would be able to fly across country without stopping to refuel. ‘I'm seldom wrong on these kinds of predictions,’ he said.”
(CNN,2/8/2007)
UNANSWERED: If only the Sergeant at Arms Office was involved in the talks to secure Speaker Pelosi a private jet as has been claimed… why on Earth would Mr. Murtha be making demands to Pentagon officials?
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