CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Lobbyists reported spending $30,316 on legislators and state officials from May through August, raising their total spending since Jan. 1 to $318,203, according to disclosures to the Ethics Commission.

Coca-Cola lobbyist Allison Patient had the highest expenses during the reporting period, at $3,413, most of which went for House Speaker Rick Thompson, D-Wayne, along his wife and son, to attend the Coca-Cola 600 race in Charlotte May 26, with three nights' lodging at the Charlotte Hilton accounting for most of that expense, at $2,938.

Thompson was an honorary starter for the race.

Lobbyists also kicked in for a couple of dinners for legislators attending the Southern Legislative Conference in Oklahoma City in July.

Joe Gollehon reported that Chesapeake Energy Corp. hosted a July 11 dinner for the delegation at a total cost of $8,493, or $117.93 per person, including 11 legislators and their spouses: Senate President Earl Ray Tomblin, Sen. Jon Blair Hunter and wife, Sen. Shirley Love and wife, Sen. Joe Minard and wife, Speaker Thompson and wife, and Senate Finance Chairman Harry Keith White and wife.

Meanwhile, four lobbyists, Don Bender, David Langford, Mark Davison and John Ruddick, hosted a July 12 dinner at an Oklahoma City restaurant, at a total cost of $2,195 or $95.47 per person. They listed 18 government officials as guests, at a cost of $1,718.

Gollehon, Langford, Larry Swann, Nancy McKee, Cathy McGeehan and Paul Hardesty also hosted a West Virginia Night dinner at the Council of State Governments conference in Lexington on May 29 at a total cost of $3,566 or $104.89 per guest. That included 25 government officials at $2,622.

Nelson Robinson reported the Mountaineer Racetrack and Casino hosted a West Virginia Derby lunch Aug. 2 at a cost of $5,933, with 35 government officials, at $858.

That evening, Robinson hosted a dinner at Mountaineer with Tomblin and wife, Delegate White and wife, Manchin chief of staff Larry Puccio and wife, and Senate Sergeant at Arms Howard Wellman and wife, at a cost of $84 per person.

Also, Angela Vance reported that AARP spent $5,482 for a May 19 reception at the Governor's Mansion festival tent to kick off the West Virginia campaign for a Healthy Future, with 112 in attendance, including 43 legislators and state officials at a cost of $2,104.

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Justice Joseph Albright has been released from the University of Pittsburgh Medical

Center and is recovering from treatment for esophageal cancer at a rehabilitation facility in Parkersburg.

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When Republican gubernatorial candidate Russ Weeks said his offer to provide personalized "University of Mojo" diplomas to contributors of $20 or more had drawn an initial response of only about seven contributions, it turns out he wasn't exaggerating.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Lobbyists reported spending $30,316 on legislators and state officials from May through August, raising their total spending since Jan. 1 to $318,203, according to disclosures to the Ethics Commission.

Coca-Cola lobbyist Allison Patient had the highest expenses during the reporting period, at $3,413, most of which went for House Speaker Rick Thompson, D-Wayne, along his wife and son, to attend the Coca-Cola 600 race in Charlotte May 26, with three nights' lodging at the Charlotte Hilton accounting for most of that expense, at $2,938.

Thompson was an honorary starter for the race.

Lobbyists also kicked in for a couple of dinners for legislators attending the Southern Legislative Conference in Oklahoma City in July.

Joe Gollehon reported that Chesapeake Energy Corp. hosted a July 11 dinner for the delegation at a total cost of $8,493, or $117.93 per person, including 11 legislators and their spouses: Senate President Earl Ray Tomblin, Sen. Jon Blair Hunter and wife, Sen. Shirley Love and wife, Sen. Joe Minard and wife, Speaker Thompson and wife, and Senate Finance Chairman Harry Keith White and wife.

Meanwhile, four lobbyists, Don Bender, David Langford, Mark Davison and John Ruddick, hosted a July 12 dinner at an Oklahoma City restaurant, at a total cost of $2,195 or $95.47 per person. They listed 18 government officials as guests, at a cost of $1,718.

Gollehon, Langford, Larry Swann, Nancy McKee, Cathy McGeehan and Paul Hardesty also hosted a West Virginia Night dinner at the Council of State Governments conference in Lexington on May 29 at a total cost of $3,566 or $104.89 per guest. That included 25 government officials at $2,622.

Nelson Robinson reported the Mountaineer Racetrack and Casino hosted a West Virginia Derby lunch Aug. 2 at a cost of $5,933, with 35 government officials, at $858.

That evening, Robinson hosted a dinner at Mountaineer with Tomblin and wife, Delegate White and wife, Manchin chief of staff Larry Puccio and wife, and Senate Sergeant at Arms Howard Wellman and wife, at a cost of $84 per person.

Also, Angela Vance reported that AARP spent $5,482 for a May 19 reception at the Governor's Mansion festival tent to kick off the West Virginia campaign for a Healthy Future, with 112 in attendance, including 43 legislators and state officials at a cost of $2,104.

nn

Justice Joseph Albright has been released from the University of Pittsburgh Medical

Center and is recovering from treatment for esophageal cancer at a rehabilitation facility in Parkersburg.

nn

When Republican gubernatorial candidate Russ Weeks said his offer to provide personalized "University of Mojo" diplomas to contributors of $20 or more had drawn an initial response of only about seven contributions, it turns out he wasn't exaggerating.

According to his campaign spending disclosure, from Sept. 18 (the day after his press conference) through Sept. 21, the campaign received a total of 12 contributions of $250 or less, including five $20 contributions, and one of $25.

Another interesting aspect of Weeks' financial report is that, as he has crisscrossed the state campaigning, he's been extremely frugal when it comes to lodging, staying at budget motels, including:

Fairmont Red Roof Inn ($45), Morgantown Econolodge ($69), Huntington Red Roof Inn ($30), Ripley Super 8 ($58) and the Charleston Motel 6 ($40).

(That also could be out of necessity for Weeks, since many higher-class hotel chains no longer offer smoking rooms.)

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Speaking of motel business, each year during the State Fair, various state officials and agencies set up booths at the fair to promote themselves, and according to expense reports filed with the auditor's office, keep blocs of motel rooms filled with employees who man those booths for the 10 days.

Billings from Lewisburg area motels for the duration of the State Fair include:

Hampton Inn, $7,560 for the treasurer's office, $1,000 for the governor's office.

General Lewis Inn, $8,305 for the attorney general's office (plus an additional $208 billed for a "planning meeting at State Fair"), $5,255 for the auditor's office.

Super 8, $1,760 for the Department of Environmental Protection, $800 for the Division of Health, and $627 for the Division of Forestry.

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Finally, state ethics law allows public officials to accept admission to sporting or other events in excess of $25 value if they are performing a ceremonial role, i.e., throwing out the first pitch, crowning the homecoming queen, etc., at the event.

Two lobbyists reported picking up the tab this summer for Gov. Joe Manchin to play a "ceremonial" round of golf: Paul Hardesty, and Arch Coal's John Snider, at the Nationwide Tour Players Cup in Bridgeport. (Both listed $58 fees.)

Snider also listed a $1,269 expense to fly Manchin from Bridgeport to Charleston on the Arch Coal airplane.

Reach Phil Kabler at ph...@wvgazette.com or 348-1220.