4/25/24, 11:55 PM Austin Murphy - Wikipedia

Austin Murphy
Austin John Murphy Jr. (June 17, 1927 – April 13,
Austin Murphy
2024) was an American politician who served as a
Democratic member of the U.S. House of
Representatives from Pennsylvania from 1977 to 1995.

Personal life
Born in North Charleroi, Pennsylvania, to Austin John
Murphy Sr. and the former Evelyn F. Spence, Murphy
grew up in New London, Connecticut. He later
returned to Charleroi and served in the United States
Marine Corps from 1944 to 1946. He earned a B.A. at
Duquesne University in 1949 and an LL.B. at the
University of Pittsburgh in 1952 and was admitted to
Official portrait, 1990
the Pennsylvania bar in 1953. He practiced law in
Washington, Pennsylvania, and was an assistant Member of the
U.S. House of Representatives
district attorney for Washington County before he was from Pennsylvania
elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives
In office
in 1958.[1]
January 3, 1977 – January 3, 1995
Murphy married Elieen Ramona McNamara Murphy Preceded by Thomas Morgan
on March 1, 1953, and they had seven children, 19 Succeeded by Frank Mascara
grandchildren, and 17 great-grandchildren. Mona died Constituency 22nd district (1977–1993)
March 1, 2016, in Nevada. Austin died on April 13, 20th district (1993–1995)
2024, at age 96. He is survived by six of his seven
Member of the Pennsylvania Senate
children, 16 of his 19 grandchildren, and 16 of his 17 from the 46th district
great-grandchildren.[1][2] In office
January 5, 1971 – January 4, 1977
Political career Preceded by William Lane
Murphy started his political career as a member of the Succeeded by Barry Stout
Pennsylvania House of Representatives, where he Member of the
served from 1959 to 1971. He then served in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Pennsylvania State Senate from 1971 to 1977.[3][4] In In office
1976, he was elected to the United States House of January 6, 1959 – November 30, 1968
Constituency Washington County
In office
January 7, 1969 – November 19, 1970
Preceded by Constituency established

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Representatives, replacing longtime incumbent Succeeded by Barry Stout

Thomas E. Morgan.[5] He served as a delegate to the Constituency 48th district
Democratic National Conventions in 1984 and 1988.
Personal details
Born Austin John Murphy
Scandals June 17, 1927[1]
Murphy was reprimanded by the 100th Congress in North Charleroi, Pennsylvania,
December 1987 for ghost voting and misusing House U.S.[1]
funds. He diverted government resources to his former Died April 13, 2024 (aged 96)
law firm, had a ghost employee on his House payroll Political party Democratic
and had someone else cast votes for him in the House.
Spouse Eileen Ramona McNamara
The scandal ultimately led to his decision not to seek ​
​(m. 1953; died 2016)​
reelection in 1994.[6]
Children 7
In May 1999, Murphy was indicted by a Fayette County Education Duquesne University (BA)
grand jury of engaging in voter fraud. He was charged University of Pittsburgh (LLB)
with forgery, conspiracy, and tampering with public Military service
records. Murphy insisted that he was only trying to
Branch/service United States Marine Corps
help elderly nursing home residents fill out paperwork
that accompanied an absentee ballot. According to the Years of 1944–1946 (active)
grand jury, Murphy and two others forged absentee service 1948–1951 (reserve)
ballots for residents of the nursing home and then Unit United States Marine Corps
added Murphy's wife, Eileen Murphy, as a write-in Reserve
candidate for township election judge. The next month,
following closed-door negotiations, all but one of the voter fraud charges were dropped. Following the
hearing, he left the building by a back door to avoid an angry crowd outside. He was sentenced to six
months probation and fifty hours of community service.[7]

See also
Biography portal
List of American federal politicians convicted of crimes
List of federal political scandals in the United States
List of United States representatives expelled, censured, or reprimanded

References
1. Hundt, Brad (April 17, 2024). "Austin Murphy, longtime congressman, regional political leader, dies
at 96" (https://www.observer-reporter.com/news/local-news/2024/apr/17/austin-murphy-longtime-c
ongressman-regional-political-leader-dies-at-96/). Observer-Reporter. Washington, Penn.
Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20240418001129/https://www.observer-reporter.com/news/l
ocal-news/2024/apr/17/austin-murphy-longtime-congressman-regional-political-leader-dies-at-96/)
from the original on April 18, 2024. Retrieved April 18, 2024.
2. "Austin Murphy Obituary (1927–2024) – Monongahela, PA – Observer-Reporter" (https://www.lega
cy.com/us/obituaries/observer-reporter/name/austin-murphy-obituary?id=54885722). Legacy.com.
Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20240419031625/https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/obs

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4/25/24, 11:55 PM Austin Murphy - Wikipedia

erver-reporter/name/austin-murphy-obituary?id=54885722) from the original on April 19, 2024.

Retrieved April 19, 2024.
3. Cox, Harold (2004). "Pennsylvania Senate – 1977–1978" (http://staffweb.wilkes.edu/harold.cox/le
gis/161S.pdf) (PDF). Wilkes University Election Statistics Project. Wilkes University. Archived (http
s://web.archive.org/web/20160408125813/http://staffweb.wilkes.edu/harold.cox/legis/161S.pdf)
(PDF) from the original on April 8, 2016. Retrieved December 13, 2009.
4. Cox, Harold. "Senate Members "M" " (http://staffweb.wilkes.edu/harold.cox/legis/SM.html). Wilkes
University Election Statistics Project. Wilkes University. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/201
60408112141/http://staffweb.wilkes.edu/harold.cox/legis/SM.html) from the original on April 8,
2016. Retrieved December 13, 2009.
5. Barone, Michael; Ujifusa, Grant (1987). The Almanac of American Politics 1988. p. 1056. {{cite
book}}: |work= ignored (help)
6. "Austin Murphy won't run again Democrat beset by controversies leaving congress" (http://nl.news
bank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=PG&p_theme=pg&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=20
0&p_field_label-0=Author&p_field_label-1=title&p_bool_label-1=AND&p_text_label-1=Austin%20
Murphy%20Won%27t%20Run%20Again;%20Democrat%20Beset%20by%20Controversies%20L
eaving%20Congress&s_dispstring=headline%28Austin%20Murphy%20Won%27t%20Run%20Ag
ain;%20Democrat%20Beset%20by%20Controversies%20Leaving%20Congress%29%20AND%2
0date%28all%29&xcal_numdocs=20&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&xcal_useweights=n
o). Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. January 19, 1994. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/2018061701
5249/http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=PG&p_theme=pg&p_action=sear
ch&p_maxdocs=200&p_field_label-0=Author&p_field_label-1=title&p_bool_label-1=AND&p_text_l
abel-1=Austin) from the original on June 17, 2018. Retrieved December 14, 2009.
7. Heltzel, Bill (June 22, 1999). "Six of seven charges against Austin Murphy dismissed" (http://old.po
st-gazette.com/regionstate/19990622murphy6.asp). Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Archived (https://we
b.archive.org/web/20160804030409/http://old.post-gazette.com/regionstate/19990622murphy6.as
p) from the original on August 4, 2016. Retrieved May 10, 2017.

"Murphy arraigned on vote-fraud charges" (http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_prod

uct=PG&p_theme=pg&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_field_label-0=Author&p_field_label-
1=title&p_bool_label-1=AND&p_text_label-1=Murphy%20Arraigned%20on%20Vote-Fraud%20Ch
arges&s_dispstring=headline%28Murphy%20Arraigned%20on%20Vote-Fraud%20Charges%29%
20AND%20date%28all%29&xcal_numdocs=20&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&xcal_usew
eights=no). Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. May 25, 1999.
"Most charges against austin murphy dismissed" (http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?
p_product=PG&p_theme=pg&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_field_label-0=Author&p_field
_label-1=title&p_bool_label-1=AND&p_text_label-1=Most%20Charges%20Against%20Austin%20
Murphy%20Dismissed&s_dispstring=headline%28Most%20Charges%20Against%20Austin%20M
urphy%20Dismissed%29%20AND%20date%28all%29&xcal_numdocs=20&p_perpage=10&p_sor
t=YMD_date:D&xcal_useweights=no). Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. June 22, 1999.

External links
United States Congress. "Austin Murphy (id: M001088)" (http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodi
splay.pl?index=M001088). Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved on
2008-02-15
Appearances (https://www.c-span.org/person/?7123) on C-SPAN

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