It appears the "bounty" on the head of U.S. Rep. John Murtha of Johnstown is still on the table, at least for another day.
No one attending a dinner for Democratic candidates in Indiana Friday night was able - or at least willing - to try to collect the $1,000 reward being offered by U.S. Rep. Frank Mascara of Washington County to persuade Murtha to debate him.
Mascara's campaign earlier this week unveiled a poster that promises to pay the reward to anyone who can convince Murtha, who is running against Mascara for the seat in the revamped 12th Congressional District in the primary election, to have a one-on-one debate before the election.
The poster, distributed to the media at last night's event by Mascara aide Lou Lignelli, shows three unsmiling photos of what the placard refers to as Jack "Payraise" Murtha.
The poster charges that Murtha "has never debated the issues in an open forum" before constituents in his 28-year career in the House.
It also claims that constituents will likely find Murtha "being chauffeured in one of his luxury cars that are being paid for by special interest dollars being funneled through his campaign account."
The two lawmakers attended a banquet sponsored by the Indiana County Federation of Democratic Women.
While gathering with other candidates for a photograph before dinner, Mascara greeted Murtha with a terse "Hi, Jack," to which Murtha replied, "Hi, Frank."
During dinner, the two men sat about three seats apart at the head table where the candidates were seated.
During his brief remarks, Mascara conceded he was in "hostile" territory, a reference to Murtha's strong constituency in that part of the district.
Murtha sat stone-faced as Mascara spoke at the podium and smiled only once, when Mascara turned to Murtha and told him that if he gained only one supporter it was worth the trip.
When Murtha approached the podium, he was greeted with a standing ovation by about half the audience, the only candidate to receive one.
Although neither attacked the other during their speeches, both Murtha and Mascara had words to say about the other when the setting was less formal.
Murtha called the poster and Mascara's charge that he was afraid to debate "frivolous" and an "attack by someone who's way behind and trying to distract (voters) from the real issues."
He accused Mascara of running a "scurrilous" campaign and of pushing the debate issue because he "doesn't have the money to get his message across."
"His campaign has been absolutely down in the mud," Murtha said. "He even brought in a mudslinger from Texas," referring to Mascara campaign manager Billy Horton.
Asked if he would debate Mascara, Murtha said, "We're trying to work it out, but we haven't been able to."
Mascara said he at first thought the poster might appear "too gimmicky" but decided to distribute it anyway in an attempt to "shake (Murtha) a little" into debating him.
"I think we have an obligation to the voters, especially to ones in areas we don't represent now, to take our message to them," Mascara said. "I believe these people need to know who we are and what we stand for."
He also said he was serious about making good on the reward offer on the poster. "If you can get (Murtha) there, we'll pay up," he said. "Some people might think it's a joke, but it's not."
Lignelli said Mascara's team is putting up the posters throughout the remapped congressional district.
Lignelli said the signs are drawing attention. "We have one hanging from the window of our campaign office in Charleroi, and you'd be surprised how many people stop and read that thing from top to bottom," he said.
