Stumble of the Week

The Eponymous Mr. Pitts.  The office of Joseph R. Pitt (R PA) is desperately trying to tamp down the laughter after the veteran Congressman sent a letter to a constituent declaring: “With the global war against terrorism, it is now incumbent on Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian Authority (PA) Chairman Yasir Arafat to clamp down on Palestinian extremists that have perpetuated violence and to restart a peace process that has collapsed.”

There was no immediate response from Arafat, who died in 2004, or Sharon, who has been comatose since 2006.

Pitts, a former member of the International Relations Committee, is seeking his 9th term (despite his public pledge to limit himself to five). One of the House’s most right-wing members, he was tapped as a freshman to chair the Values Action Team, which is the liaison between “traditional values oriented Members and similarly-minded citizen groups.”

Despite his ideology of small government, Joe has dined without interruption at the public trough since 1972, first as a member of the state legislature and then, since 1996, as a Congressman. As a result, he will receive two hefty pensions (including the largest legislative pension in Pennsylvania), numerous perks, and the best health insurance that our money can buy.

I’m not saying “I told you so,” but I did run against Joe Pitts in 1996.

Roger Clemens Trial Update.  Injections also seem needed in the jury box, as Judge Reggie Walton dismissed the second juror in a week for sleeping during the trial.