Another Haditha Marine Prepares to Sue John Murtha

Cold-blooded John Murtha was wrong about the Haditha marines.

In May 2006 antiwar Rep. John Murtha (D-PA) accused US marines of killing innocent Iraqis “in cold blood” after the former news magazine TIME published a piece of Al-Qaeda propaganda about an incident in Haditha, Iraq.

In May 2006 antiwar Rep. John Murtha (D-PA) also announced that there was a grand coverup to to stifle the story:

Notice the ABC headline: “Worse than Abu Ghraib”
Murtha was wrong.

Today Drudge reported that another one of the exonerated Haditha marines is preparing to sue John Murtha.
World Net Daily reported:

With most of the eight Marines charged in the Haditha, Iraq, incident now exonerated, the highest-ranking officer among the accused is considering a lawsuit against Democratic Rep. John Murtha, who fueled the case by declaring the men cold-blooded killers.

The lead attorney for Lt. Col. Jeffrey Chessani, Brian Rooney, acknowledged to (Michael) Savage it’s difficult to sue a sitting congressman, but he believes it can be done.

“If he leaves his realm of speaking from the congressman’s point of view … then he can be sued for libel and defamation,” Rooney said.

The Time magazine story, according to Rooney, was planted by an insurgent propaganda agent. Publishing of the story was soon followed by a May 17, 2006, news conference by Murtha. The congressman announced he had been told by the highest levels of the Marine Corps there was no firefight and Marines “killed innocent civilians in cold blood.”

…Rooney acknowledged the Haditha case taken a toll on the Marine Corps.

“There’s no doubt it’s affected recruiting,” he told Savage. “How could you have your sons or daughters join the Marine Corps when you’re not sure the government will protect them?”

Rooney was asked by Savage why he thought Murtha, a former Marine himself, accused the officers and enlisted men.

“In my opinion, it’s clear it was done during the election cycle, it was done to bolster himself in the party,” the attorney said. “He was vying for a leadership position, and if he had to throw some Marines under the bus to do so, that was the cost of power for him.”

He hopes soon politicians will weigh in on the case in support of Chessani and the others.

“I would think all politicians, especially politicians that have military records, should say something about this case,” he said.

“In a horrible and very complex environment, when you have an enemy that’s using women and children as shields, you should always give the benefit of the doubt to the Marine or soldier,” said Rooney. “You should never bring him back and put him in front of a court martial.”

Let Freedom Ring has more on the developments.

SSgt. Frank D. Wuterich already filed a lawsuit in federal court in Washington claiming that Rep. John P. Murtha (D-Pa.) defamed him when the congressman made public comments about the incident in 2006.

** Michelle Malkin has more on the persecution of Haditha Marine Lt. Col. Jeffrey Chessani.

Democracy Project says it’s time for the DOD Inspector General to inspect JAG.

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Jim Hoft is the founder and editor of The Gateway Pundit, one of the top conservative news outlets in America. Jim was awarded the Reed Irvine Accuracy in Media Award in 2013 and is the proud recipient of the Breitbart Award for Excellence in Online Journalism from the Americans for Prosperity Foundation in May 2016. In 2023, The Gateway Pundit received the Most Trusted Print Media Award at the American Liberty Awards.

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