U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy is being called out by a conservative political group for what they say are blatant lies on his resume and experience credentials. According to the Tampa Bay Times, the Better Florida Alliance has said Murphy should “resign in disgrace immediately” after reports recently surfaced that he may have been less than truthful about some of his past experience.
The Tampa Bay Times and Miami Herald reported late last month that Murphy had only earned one bachelor’s degree with two majors from the University of Miami. For years, Murphy has touted his academic credentials as having included “dual degrees.”
Of course, this wouldn’t be the first time a recent college grad has stretched the truth on their resume. In fact, a recent survey revealed that approximately 70% of college students said they would lie to get a job. Moreover, it’s estimated that around half (53%) of resumes contain incorrect information.
Officials from Murphy’s campaign for the open Senate seat vacated by Marco Rubio have called this merely an “inadvertent error,” but the conservative firebrands aren’t buying it.
“Most of us earned our high school diplomas, our trade certifications, our college degrees. Some of us work hard and earn a living without any of those things, we don’t have to lie about it, we just work hard,” Brian Burgess, a Better Florida Alliance spokesman, said in a statement.
In addition to his proliferation of phony academic credentials, Murphy is also believed to have been dishonest about his efforts in the B.P. Gulf of Mexico oil spill. The Times reported that although Murphy has claimed to have been personally spearheading cleanup efforts in the region, it actually contradicts a timeline of his whereabouts that was put out by his very own Senate campaign.
Murphy is considered one of the frontrunners for the empty Senate seat, which will be voted on during the upcoming election. Galia Slayen, a spokeswoman for Murphy’s campaign, said the allegations and attacks are nothing more than a smear campaign to undermine his shot at getting into the Senate.
“These attacks are simply false,” Slayen said in a campaign statement. “Until this secretive attack-dog group comes clean with voters and discloses its donors, Florida voters know they can’t trust a word they hear.”