The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review is urging voters in Pennsylvania's 12th Congressional District to elect Republican Tim Burns to fill the unexpired term of the late Jack Murtha. Sending Burns to Congress would be Pennsylvania's equivalent of electing Scott Brown to the Senate seat formerly held by Ted Kennedy.

In the 12th & 4th: Burns & Rothfus - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

The death of powerful Pennsylvania Congressman John Murtha brought all sorts of reaction from political figures in Pennsylvania and across the nation. Here's a sampling:

"Jack was a devoted husband, a loving father and a steadfast advocate for the people of Pennsylvania for nearly 40 years. His passion for service was born during his decorated career in the United States Marine Corps, and he went on to earn the distinction of being the first Vietnam War combat veteran elected to Congress. Jack's tough-as-nails reputation carried over to Congress, where he became a respected voice on issues of national security. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife of nearly 55 years, Joyce, their three children, and the entire Murtha family." — President Barack Obama.

"He was a public servant in every sense of the word and his passing is a great loss to all of Pennsylvania," said Sen. Arlen Specter, D-Pa.

"He was a good friend to me and my family for years. He was one of the first people to say to my father (the late Gov. Robert P. Casey) after he'd lost three times that he'd support him the fourth time for governor, and believed in him when a lot of folks didn't." — Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa.

"Jack Murtha didn't just worry about his district. He worried about all of Pennsylvania and in some ways he worried about the entire country. He was really the congressman for the entire state of Pennsylvania. Sort of a super, uber-congressman," said Gov. Ed Rendell, D-Pa.

"(Murtha) served his country as a Marine in Vietnam and in Congress for more than three decades. He worked hard for western Pennsylvania and he consistently guarded the interests of our men and women in uniform," — House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md.

"Today, our nation has lost a decorated veteran and the House of Representatives has lost one of its own. I was saddened to hear of John Murtha's passing, and my thoughts and prayers are with his friends and loved ones," — Rep. John Boehner, R-Ohio.

"He's bigger than life in so many ways. ... He's a strong and powerful political titan, yet he's very human and very soft-spoken. He wasn't a table-banger in any sense of the word," — Pennsylvania Democratic Party Chairman T.J. Rooney.

"While the congressman and I often differed when it came to politics, he always had my deepest respect. The thoughts and prayers of the Republican Party of Pennsylvania go out to Jack’s family," — Republican Party of Pennsylvania Chairman Rob Gleason.

"Jack served his country in uniform and in Congress for many years, and his service will long be remembered and appreciated by the people of Pennsylvania." — U.S. Senate candidate Pat Toomey

"John Murtha may have represented Western Pennsylvania, but he was the voice of hard-working Democrats across the Commonwealth. Representative Murtha's service to his country and the strength of his convictions made him a powerful force to be reckoned with on Capitol Hill. His career took him from Parris Island to Vietnam, from Harrisburg to Washington, D.C. He was a leader until the end, fighting for American values and middle class ideals. He stood up for veterans and stood firm in his beliefs, not caring as much about political expediency as what he thought to be in the best interest of his constituents and his country. I am deeply saddened by the passing of Congressman Murtha and extend my deepest condolences to his family." — Pa. Sen. Democratic Leader Robert Mellow.

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) has released its fifth annual report on the most corrupt members of Congress.

CREW's Most Corrupt Members of Congress provides a detailed analysis of the unethical and sometimes illegal activities of 15 congressmen and women who have most egregiously betrayed the public's trust.

"With the economy in a free-fall, unemployment rates at record highs and health care solutions still nowhere in sight, members should be spending their time looking for answers to the nation's problems, not finding new ways to enrich themselves." said Melanie Sloan, executive director of CREW. "The members of Congress profiled in CREW'sMost Corrupt report have betrayed those who voted them into office. This report holds them accountable for their bad choices."

CREW also has launched the report's tandem Web site, www.CREWsMostCorrupt.org, which offers short summaries of each member's transgressions as well as the full-length profiles and all accompanying exhibits.

The 15 most corrupt members of Congress (listed alphabetically) are:

Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL)
Sen. Roland Burris (D-IL)
Rep. Ken Calvert (R-CA)
Rep. Nathan Deal (R-GA)
Sen. John Ensign (R-NV)
Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-IL)
Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-CA)
Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY)
Rep. Alan Mollohan (D-WV)
Rep. John Murtha (D-PA)
Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY)
Rep. Laura Richardson (D-CA)
Rep. Pete Visclosky (D-IN)
Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA)
Rep. Don Young (R-AK)

From a CREW press release:

New to this year's list are Sens. Roland Burris and John Ensign, and Reps. Nathan Deal, Jesse Jackson Jr. and Pete Visclosky.

After a two-year absence, Rep. Maxine Waters has reappeared in the study for unethical activities unrelated to the conduct that landed her on the list in the past. A detailed list of those who have previously graced the report can be found on the Web site.

Of this year's list of 15, at least 12 are under investigation: Reps. Ken Calvert, Jerry Lewis, Alan Mollohan, John Murtha, Pete Visclosky and Don Young are under Department of Justice (DOJ) investigations, while Sens. Roland Burris and John Ensign and Reps. Charles Rangel and Laura Richardson are under congressional ethics committee investigations. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. is under investigation by both the DOJ and the Office of Congressional Ethics and Rep. Vern Buchanan is being investigated by the Federal Election Commission.

Visit CREWsMostCorrupt.org or click here to read the full report.

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) is a non-profit legal watchdog group dedicated to holding public officials accountable for their actions.