Murtha to be reprimanded over earmark threat?

Remember last week the little verbal sparring match that took place between Rep. John Murtha (D-PA) and Rep. Mike Rogers (R-MI) over earmarks last week? Here’s a refresher, via the Politico:

Rep. John P. Murtha (D-Pa.) threatened to deny any further spending projects to a Republican who challenged him over an earmark, his antagonist has charged — a potential violation of House rules.

Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Mich.) had challenged money that Murtha inserted into an intelligence bill last week.

Rogers turned the tables later that night by saying he would propose a reprimand of Murtha for violating House rules.

The Republican is planning to insert a transcript of their exchange in the Congressional Record to document the potential violation.

The privileged resolution will also require a House vote to reprimand Murtha for his comments, according to a copy received by Politico. Rogers is expected to file it on Monday.

It does not call for an investigation by the ethics committee.

‘The way I do it’

According to the draft resolution, Murtha shouted at Rogers on the House floor Thursday for offering a motion last week to expose $23 million Murtha requested in an intelligence bill.

Murtha had requested the money to prevent the administration from shuttering the National Drug Intelligence Center in Johnstown, Pa.. in Murtha’s district.

“I hope you don’t have any earmarks in the defense appropriations bills because they are gone, and you will not get any earmarks now and forever” Murtha told Rogers on the House floor, according to the draft transcript given Politico.

“This is not the way we do things here — and is that supposed to make me afraid of you?” Rogers replied.

“That’s the way I do it” Murtha said.

Members are not allowed to threaten earmarks or tax provisions.

RollCall reports this morning that a reprimand might be in the works for Nancy Pelosi’s favorite Democrat:

The House floor will be the stage for a partisan fight over earmarks and ethics today, as Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Mich.) is scheduled to drop a privileged motion to trigger a House vote on whether to reprimand senior Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.) for allegedly threatening to deny Rogers’ earmarks for “now and forever.”

The Michigan lawmaker said last week that Murtha had vowed to cut his earmarks in retaliation for Rogers’ attempt to strip a Murtha project from the intelligence authorization bill the week before. Murtha has declined to offer his version of events. Once Rogers offers the resolution, Democrats have four procedural options. The most likely, aides said, is a motion to table the resolution that effectively kills the bill. They also can debate the resolution and then vote to table it, refer it to the ethics committee or allow an up-or-down vote.

How much do you want to bet that this resolution will go absolutely nowhere?