Washington ? After promising to deliver the “most honest, most open and most ethical” government in history, Democratic Speaker-to-be Nancy Pelosi is endorsing a pal for majority leader seen by watchdogs as among Washington’s most corrupt politicians.

Pelosi is backing Pennsylvania Rep. John Murtha – who led Democrats in renouncing the Iraq war – over Rep. Steny Hoyer of Maryland.

The move infuriated reform groups, including Citizens for Responsible Ethics in Washington, which slammed Murtha last summer for steering hundreds of millions in taxpayer funds to clients of his lobbyist brother and former staffers.

Those clients donated more than $500,000 to Murtha in the last two elections, according to CREW, which blasted Murtha for his “pay-to-play schemes.”

“This may be the quickest abandonment of a campaign promise ever,” said CREW’s head, Melanie Sloan. “This is a betrayal.”

Murtha was listed in CREW’s report, “Beyond DeLay: The 20 Most Corrupt Members of Congress.”

“If they’re trying to run on reform … he’s an odd choice,” said Steve Ellis, head of Taxpayers for Common Sense.

Murtha is legendary for getting Democratic votes for Republican initiatives in return for pork, Ellis said.

He also was involved 26 years ago in the FBI’s Abscam bribery sting but was not indicted.

Pelosi also may name an impeached federal judge, Rep. Alcee Hastings, D-Fla., to head the Intelligence Committee.

GOP operatives were gleeful.

“This gives people like me some fodder to say, ‘See, what did we tell you they’d do?'” said consultant Rich Galen. “Thank you, Nancy Pelosi.”