October Surprise!

Okay, in November. Maybe the Dems learned from the Foley scandal to not spring the surprise too early.

Rep. Tim Murphy(R), battling in the tightly contested PA CD-8 race, has had allegations brought against him yesterday by 'members of his staff'. He's been accused of forcing the staff "to help Murphy's re-election campaign instead of his constituents."

District office staff member Jayne O'Shaughnessy stated ""I just feel someone has to stand up and report it, because he's a congressman and we all need to look up to him, but he's breaking the rules." KDKA-TV's investigative reporter Andy Sheehan presented Rep. Murphy with documents, presumably from his district office, that direct staff workers to canvas door-to-door "all summer long", a direct violation of Congressional ethics rules. When confronted, Rep. Murphy took the documents from Mr. Sheehan and refused to return them.

Rep. Murphy neither confirmed or denied the allegations, but said he is going to seek a congressional investigation of his own conduct. But isn't it curious that this is only coming to light 4 flippin' days before the election. If the staff were directed to canvas door-to-door all summer, why only NOW is Ms. O'Shaughnessy speaking out?

O'Shaughnessy's title is "District Scheduler", a position she's held since April 2005. Some of the allgations include:

Members of his taxpayer-paid staff have been expected to have campaign materials with them at all times when accompanying the congressman, in case he wants to provide them to constituents.

In sending congressional staff such as unpaid interns to perform door-knocking and drop off official literature throughout the district this summer, they were instructed to stop only at the homes of registered voters.

Multiple staff members from the district office were instructed last December to devote their time to labeling, stuffing and mailing greeting cards to individuals who were campaign contributors of Mr. Murphy's. The postage and materials were paid by his campaign fund, but several staffers said they performed the functions in the middle of the government workday, rather than on their own time.

I'll try to keep up on this as time permits, and post any pertinent information.