A federal appeals court ruled Tuesday that Rep. John Murtha cannot be sued for accusing U.S. Marines of murdering Iraqi civilians "in cold blood," remarks that sparked outrage among conservative commentators.
The appeals court in Washington dismissed a defamation lawsuit brought by a Marine who led the squad in the attack. The judges agreed with Murtha that he was immune from the lawsuit because he was acting in his official role as a lawmaker when he made the comments to reporters.
Staff Sgt. Frank Wuterich of Meriden, Conn., claimed Murtha damaged his reputation by saying the squad he was leading engaged in "cold-blooded murder and war crimes" in Haditha, Iraq, on Nov. 19, 2005.
On to Scotus
Murtha will win this if it goes to SCOTUS. Once the court decides that Murtha was acting within his official duties it has no choice but to dismiss the suit.
Suing Murtha isn't the best way to go. Finding a suitable opponent, funding that person and seeing Murtha lose in 2010, now that my friends would be revenge ... |
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