Patrick Murphy is a Democrat running for re-election in Florida’s 18th Congressional district.
1. In February 2003 Murphy Was Arrested For Disorderly Intoxication And Possession Of A Fake License
On February 16, 2003, Patrick Murphy was arrested by police after a night of drinking, fighting and public intoxication. According to the police report, Murphy and a friend were kicked out of a bar for fighting and were “covered in alcohol (soaking wet) and eyes bloodshot, slurring speech and not able to stand without supporting self on fixed objects. When confronted by police, Murphy refused to hand over his I.D. and “continued to act disorderly and not listening” and had to be advised “to calm down.” Murphy was charged with disorderly intoxication and possession of a fake license.
2. During His 2012 Campaign, Murphy Detested The Role Of Money In Politics, But Is Now A Leader In Fundraising And Established His Own PAC
During his campaign, Murphy said “If I have done one fundraiser it is too many” and called the role of money in politics “gross.” Yet, after Murphy was sworn-in, he established a leadership PAC, and spends a large portion of his time fundraising. As the Tampa Bay Times reported in July 2013, “To celebrate his 30th birthday, U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy of Florida threw himself a campaign fundraiser. Then another. And another. And another.” Murphy said his seat on the Financial Services Committee helps him network and raise cash. Murphy has also raised more industry PAC money than any other freshman Democrat. Murphy’s deputy chief of staff even said, “The system is what the system is.” After he was criticized for appearing in a thank you video for House Majority PAC, Murphy said, “I guess I could put a press release out saying ‘Don’t give any money, Mr. and Mrs. Super PAC Givers,’ but that’s not very realistic.”
3. Murphy Called His Vote On No Budget No Pay Legislation “Gimmicky”
Murphy voted to halt paychecks for members of Congress unless they passed a budget by April 15, irking House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer. “It was a little bit gimmicky, to be honest,” Murphy admitted of his ‘No Budget, No pay’ position, which didn’t have a real chance of passing.”
4. During His 2012 Campaign, Murphy Was A Supporter Of ObamaCare But Now Is More Critical
In 2012, Murphy was a big supporter of ObamaCare, lauding certain provisions such as elimination of the doughnut hole for seniors and allowing young people to stay on their parents health plans until age 26. Murphy even expressed support for a public option. But now in Congress Murphy has distanced himself from the law, voting to delay the employer mandate, voting to delay the individual mandate, and voting to repeal the Health Insurance Tax. After the rollout glitches began, Murphy was critical, calling the rollout a “complete embarrassment” and “there are no excuses for what happened here.”
5. Murphy Supports Equal Pay Legislation but women in his office make sixty-one cents for every dollar a man makes.
Despite Murphy’s expressed support of equal pay legislation, women in Murphy’s office are paid on average sixty-one cents for every dollar men in his office are paid.