Fla. Dem gives money back to Murtha

Daniel Malloy Oct. 14, 2009

A Congressional candidate has told Rep. John Murtha, D-Johnstown, that his help is not required. Politico is reporting that Lori Edwards, a Democrat running for an open seat in a Republican-leaning Central Florida district has returned $1,000 to the scandal-plagued Democrat's Political Action Committee. Politico's Jonathan Allen writes that the give-back, which occurred this summer and was revealed in campaign finance reports released this week, offers "further evidence that Democrats in competitive races may want to limit their association with Murtha, who has come under intense scrutiny for his earmarking practices."

According to the Center for Responsive Politics, which has not yet compiled data from the third quarter of this year, Mr. Murtha's PAC has doled out $17,000 in contributions for the 2010 campaign cycle -- including $5,000 for Rep. Kathy Dahlkemper, D-Erie, and $1,000 for Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa.