John Murtha, Pennsylvania’s long-time 12 district Congressman, and Vietnam War combat veteran, passed away today after complications from gall bladder surgery. He was 77.
He was revered among Democrats — and even some Republicans — for his skill over 19 terms in using the power of the federal purse to make kings and deals. A right-hand man of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, he was considered one of the most influential lawmakers on Capitol Hill and credited with her ascension.
The Washington Post has a full obituary that you can continue reading here.
The really sad thing about the Congressman’s death is that it was apparently preventable. According to an article on HuffPo, the surgeon nicked his intestine during Murtha’s operation-which caused a lethal infection.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/09/murthas-death-caused-by-s_n_454861.html