Ethics Hearing Set for Rep. Murphy

WASHINGTON — The House Ethics Committee voted Thursday to hold a disciplinary hearing Nov. 5 on charges that Rep. Austin J. Murphy (D-Pa.) allowed a House colleague to vote for him when he was not in Washington and that Murphy diverted congressional office resources to his law firm.

The panel said that it will gather evidence on the charges against Murphy and that, if it finds sufficient grounds, it will recommend disciplinary action to the House.

Three counts to be considered at the hearing concern Murphy’s allegedly allowing his electronic voting card to be used by an unidentified colleague for votes on July 14, 1978; Aug. 9, 1978, and May 27, 1982, the panel said.

A fourth count alleges that Murphy, “at various times” from 1977 through 1986 allowed furniture, telephone and copying services and supplies from his congressional district office in Charleroi, Pa., to be used by the law firm of Murphy & France.

A fifth count alleges that Murphy put Michael Corbett on the payroll of the House Education and Labor Committee, even though, the ethics committee has alleged, Murphy knew Corbett “did not perform duties commensurate with the compensation he received.”