Diana Irey
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Diana L. Irey (born 20 August 1962) was a Republican Congressional candidate running against Democratic Congressman John Murtha in the United States House election, 2006 in Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district.[1]
She is currently a commissioner of Washington County, Pennsylvania. Irey lives in Carroll Township, Pennsylvania, with her husband Robert and their three children. She is a 1981 graduate of West Virginia Business College.
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[edit] 2006 Congressional race
Irey's long-shot campaign gained national attention thanks to her vocal and pointed criticism of Murtha, who became the frist major Democrat to challenge President Bush's Iraq policy. Irey lost by a margin of 22%, garnering 39% to Murtha's 61%.[2]
[edit] The Haditha controversy
Commissioner Irey stated that Congressman Murtha “defamed” American troops serving overseas when he accused U.S. Marines of killing innocent civilians in Haditha. Congressman Murtha's statements came during an investigation by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service; they came before Murtha was briefed by Marine Corps Commandant General Michael Hagee on the Haditha killings. However, according to Mark Zaid (an attorney for one of the accused) Murtha maintains that he had been “briefed by several Defense Department officials” on the matter before making his statements.[3][4][5][6] In addition, Irey claimed that “Jack Murtha was wrong when he said Frank Wuterich and the Marines under his command ‘killed innocent civilians in cold blood’ before the first Marine was charged, before the first court-martial was convened, before the first soldier was convicted.”[7] As of 2 August 2006, Staff Sgt. Frank Wuterich filed a lawsuit against Congressman Murtha for character defamation during an ongoing investigation into the Haditha incident.[8][9] Donald Ritchie, associate historian in the Senate Historical Office, said “that such defamation suits happen from time to time but that they tend not to go anywhere because of the constitutional protections members have.”[10] Murtha's statements are said to be based on a report prepared by the military in July.[11]
An Irey campaign ad that aired late in the 2006 mid-term congressional election season deceptively created the illusion that Murtha accepted a $50,000 bribe in the ABSCAM FBI sting when in fact Murtha explicitly turned down the bribe.[12]
[edit] The Schiavo controversy
Irey gave several interviews to Jim Robinson, founder of the Free Republic Internet forum.[13] Irey condemned John Murtha in the interview for what she claimed was a vote Murtha cast as a congressman that allowed “Terri Schiavo to starve to death”.
[edit] Irey's financial supporters
Irey's campaign reported that she received financial backing from most states, because of Murtha's controversial statements about US troops during the Iraq War.
