Apr 17, 2024 By Brad Hundt 6 min read

Austin Murphy, a former Democratic congressman and member of the Pennsylvania General Assembly whose life was marked by service and clouded by controversy, died Saturday. He was 96.

At the time of his death, Murphy, a native of the Mon Valley, was a resident of Carroll Township. Murphy won the allegiance of voters during his years in politics by focusing on employment, labor and Social Security, and those voters stayed with Murphy despite unflattering headlines about ethical lapses and an official rebuke from the U.S. House of Representatives in 1987.

After he left office, Murphy’s reputation was also tarnished after he was indicted by a Fayette County grand jury on charges of voter fraud and conspiracy.

Murphy represented Pennsylvania’s 22nd District in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1977 to 1993, and then in the redrawn 20th District from 1993 to his retirement from the House in 1995. The districts included Washington, Greene and Fayette counties.

Before arriving on Capitol Hill, Murphy had steadily risen through the ranks of local politics, serving on the borough council in Speers and as assistant district attorney in Washington County before winning a seat in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in 1958.

One of many World War II veterans who were seeking and winning public office – Murphy was a corporal in the Marine Corps during the war – Murphy served six terms in the state House before moving up to the Pennsylvania State Senate in 1971. Then, in 1976, in the year that saw Jimmy Carter win the White House, Murphy replaced retiring Democratic incumbent Thomas Morgan, who had been a congressman since the 1940s.

When Murphy retired from the U.S. House, fellow congressman John Murtha, who represented a neighboring district, said he and Murphy stood up for constituents who had “suffered through difficult economic times as a result of the slump in the steel and coal industries.” Murtha, who died in 2010, also said Murphy fought for workers “whose voices are not always heard over the din of debate in Congress.”

“Working people are Austin Murphy’s people,” Murtha said.

Former state Rep. Pam Snyder, a Democrat from Greene County, said, “Austin Murphy was more than just a congressman; he was a beacon of dedication and service, a guiding light for his community. His tireless commitment to the people he represented resonated deeply with all who knew him. His presence at community events was not just a formality but a testament to his genuine care and understanding of the issues facing his constituents.”

She added, “To call him a friend was an honor, for he exemplified the values of compassion and integrity. My heartfelt condolences go out to his family during this difficult time. May his legacy of service and kindness continue to inspire us all.”

Murphy may have won over voters with his attention to pocketbook issues, but he gained unwanted attention for a series of ethical lapses. In 1987, Murphy was reprimanded by his fellow House members for having someone else cast votes for him on two occasions in 1978, for having a no-show employee on the payroll of a House subcommittee. It was also alleged that Murphy diverted government resources to the law firm where he once worked.

He did not lose any seniority or committee seats and was not fined as a result of the rebuke. Murphy said, “Never once was there any evidence that I permitted anyone to vote for me, that I permitted diversion of government resources.”

Then, two years later, Murphy faced an aggressive challenge from fellow Democrat William Nicolella, who said Murphy, who was a married father of six children, had fathered a child out of wedlock with a woman in Vienna, Va., and that he lived with the boy’s mother. In the campaign, Nicolella offered videotaped evidence of Murphy emerging from the woman’s house in a bathrobe, and then coming out later wearing a suit. Murphy acknowledged his son but denied living with the woman.

Nevertheless, voters didn’t abandon Murphy – he handily took more than 70% of the vote in the 1990 general election.

Dennis Casey, a Pittsburgh political consultant, told Allentown’s Morning Call newspaper that year, “Austin Murphy could practically run naked down the street with a teen-aged girl and be re-elected. He is a definite power in that region.”

Casey added, “One of the things about Western Pennsylvania is that there is a very strong work ethic there. I think people view it as, well, the guy’s doing his job, everybody makes mistakes.”

Vince Vicites, a Fayette County commissioner, recalled seeing Murphy at events in the community over the years, and described him as “a very good congressman.”

“He was grassroots-oriented,” Vicites said. “He was visible in the district. We’d see him a lot. He helped Fayette County as much as he could. … I judge him by his results.”

Murphy retired from the U.S. House the year Democrats lost 54 seats and became the minority party in the House for the first time in 40 years. He was succeeded by fellow Democrat Frank Mascara.

When he was out of elected office, allegations of wrongdoing swirled around Murphy for a final time in 1999, when he was indicted by a Fayette County grand jury for allegedly forging absentee ballots for residents of a nursing home. He was charged with forgery, conspiracy and tampering with public records. In a deal with prosecutors, all but one of the voter fraud charges were dropped and Murphy was admitted to a pretrial diversionary program.

In addition to his time in politics, Murphy practiced law and was a Boy Scout leader. He was active in the Mon Valley Leathernecks, Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion.

Murphy was born in North Charleroi on June 17, 1927, and graduated from Charleroi High School in 1945. He graduated from Duquesne University and received a law degree from the University of Pittsburgh.

His wife, Eileen McNamara Murphy, preceded him in death, as did a daughter, three grandsons and three siblings. Murphy is survived by six of his children, 16 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren and a sister.

Visitation is set for Thursday from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. at Frye Funeral Home in Monongahela. Funeral services will be Friday at 11 a.m. at the First Christian Church in Charleroi. Burial will follow in Howe Cemetery in Coal Center.