Murtha Lies, LA Times Provides Cover
Patterico has made a direct inquiry to General Hagee's office to confirm when the Marine briefed John Murtha. Murtha first made has execrable statements about the accused marines on May 17th and repeated them endlessly. The LA Times and the Philadelphia Enquirer both have said that Hagee briefed Murtha before he made his comments. Unfortunately for Murtha, the general's office has specifically stated, with no ambiguity whatsoever, that the first briefing did not occur until the week after Murtha shot his mouth off. The LA Times, however, will not admit its mistake. Patterico:
But when I wrote the L.A. Times Readers’ Representative, she insisted that The Times’s report had been accurate, despite my having provided her with evidence to the contrary, including the Reuters story. Some suggested that Reuters might have gotten the story wrong, or overlooked an angle. So I contacted Gen. Hagee’s office directly.
I heard back yesterday from the Public Affairs Officer for the Commandant. She directly contradicted the L.A. Times’s version of the facts — but declined to criticize the article specifically. Here is her statement:
While it would not be appropriate to comment on any particular press article, I can confirm that the Commandant of the Marine Corps, Gen. Michael Hagee, provided a progress update on the Haditha investigations to Congressional leaders, to include Rep. Murtha, on May 24, 2006.
In a follow-up phone call, she confirmed that May 24 was the first progress update Gen. Hagee gave Murtha and others. I specifically asked her whether May 24 was the first time Gen. Hagee spoke to Congressman Murtha about Haditha, and she said “yes.” So Hagee first briefed Murtha on Haditha on May 24 — a solid week after May 17, when Murtha first accused Marines of killing civilians “in cold blood.” Yet the L.A. Times specifically said that Hagee had briefed Murtha first, and Murtha “later” made his “in cold blood” accusation.
What is quite apparent is that Murtha was lying when he told the Inquirer that the information had come from Hagee. The man is a disgrace to his office and to the people he is supposed to be representing in Congress. What is also apparent is that the LA Times is willing to wreck its own reputation to provide cover for Murtha. Well, what's left of its reputation, anyway.
Diana Irey could use your support if you are as disgusted with Murtha as I am. You can donate through Rightroots.
Media, Politics, Uncategorized | Gaius August 17, 2006
By KMan, August 17, 2006 @ 11:43 am
I wonder if this will be an important fact when it is introduced in the lawsuit that the Marine filed against him.
By Gaius, August 17, 2006 @ 11:45 am
It goes to credibility even if the statement was not made under oath. It could very well damage Murtha in court.