Murtha used gov’t Veterans
Affairs Office
to promote, bus vets into his political rally
According to an article in the
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Rep. John Murtha’s campaign contacted
and used a government Veterans Affairs Office to promote his
campaign's political rally – held Sat., Sept. 30 in Johnstown, PA.
Rally promotional materials for Congressman Murtha’s campaign event
list John Panichella as head of the Westmoreland County Veterans Affairs Office
and give his courthouse office telephone number for contact purposes. Panichella used his office in the
courthouse to
arrange bussing veterans to the campaign event.
[EXCERPTS]
John Panichella, the director of the county's Veterans Affairs Office,
is coordinating a bus trip for this morning's pro-Murtha rally in
Johnstown and doing so from his fifth-floor office in the courthouse,
according to Westmoreland GOP Chairman Perry Christopher. ...
He said representatives from Murtha's campaign contacted him several
weeks ago and asked that he coordinate the bus trip so local veterans
could attend the rally. ...
On literature promoting the Murtha rally, Panichella is listed as a
local contact for veterans who wanted to attend the campaign event. He
is identified as head of the county's Veterans Affairs Office along
with a telephone number that rings through to his desk at the
courthouse. ...
Westmoreland County Commissioner Tom Balya, a Democrat and Murtha
supporter, called Panichella's actions a minor impropriety. ...
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