Diana Irey
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Diana L. Irey (born August 20, 1962) serves as a County Commissioner of Washington County, Pennsylvania. She was first elected in 1995 and has been twice re-elected. Irey lives in Carroll Township, Pennsylvania, with her husband Robert and their three children. She is a 1981 graduate of West Virginia Business College. She 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]
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[edit] 2006 Congressional race
Irey entered the 2006 Congressional race as a long shot to defeat Congressmen Murtha. At the same time, she was the first serious Republican candidate to run in the 12th District for years. Her fledging campaign gained national attention after Murtha made repeated controversial remarks on the Iraq war.
An array of veterans and conservative groups soon joined in against Murtha. Pointed attacks were made at Murtha’s call for troop withdraw and accusations of Marines committing murder of Iraq civilians made by Murtha. Murtha’s involvement with Abscam also came up during the campaign as the whole FBI video tape was published to the internet.
Irey lost to Murtha 61% to 39% in the final totals. Her best showing came in Armstrong County, gleaning 49% of the vote while her worst showing was in Murtha’s home Cambria County with just 31%.
[edit] Political views
Irey's campaign platform was based on a health care reform package that includes a tax-free Health Savings Account and lowering health insurance. For immigrants, she opposed amnesty and argues that “a policy that allows people who are here because they broke our laws is a policy that will encourage more people to come here in violation of our laws.”[2] She also supported research into alternative fuels and freeing investment from Middle-Eastern oil to diversifying the United States oil acquisitions domestically.[3] Fiscally, she supported the reduction of taxes and the adoption of a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution of the United States that would require Congress by law to balance the federal budget.[4]
For the Iraq War, according to Irey, “we must continue to support efforts to strike pre-emptively, [before] the bombs go off.”[5][6] She stated “the best defense is a good offense — that, rather than wait until after the bombs have gone off and thousands, or tens of thousands, of innocent lives [have] been lost.”[7]
[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.[8][9][10][11] 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.”[12] 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.[13][14] 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.”[15] Murtha's statements are said to be based on a report prepared by the military in July.[16]
An Irey campaign ad that aired late in the 2006 mid-term congressional election season raised questions about Murtha accepting a $50,000 bribe in the ABSCAM FBI sting. While Murtha ultimately turned down the cash bribe, it was suggested that his attorney could accept it on his behalf during the taping.
[edit] The Schiavo controversy
Irey gave several interviews to Jim Robinson, founder of the Free Republic Internet forum. 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.
