Republican attorney general candidate Patrick Morrisey became the first candidate in this general election cycle to make a pilgrimage to the Capitol press room.
A seemingly earnest guy, Morrisey is convinced that, unlike a long line of GOP predecessors, he can beat Darrell McGraw in November.
Morrisey, who resigned as a partner in the Washington law firm of Sidley Austin, where he represented health-care industry clients, to campaign full time, outlined a three-pronged platform: Legislative appropriation of all settlement awards; no self-promotion through taxpayer-funded trinkets and public-service advertisements; and competitive bidding to hire outside counsel.
I told Morrisey his biggest obstacle will be trying to convince southern West Virginians that he's not a carpetbagger, because he's lived in the state (Harper's Ferry) for only six years, had a license to practice law here for only a matter of months, and is getting most of his campaign funds from out-of-state contributors.
That seemed to raise Morrisey's ire, and he talked about how his values are more in line with southern West Virginians. (He also suggested he's prepared to play the Obama card, referring to McGraw as Obama's best legal ally in the state ...)
He also reiterated his call for debates with McGraw. (If that ever happens, I told Morrisey, you'll know you've closed the gap in the race ...)
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The National Governors' Association annual meeting runs Friday through Sunday at the luxurious Kingsmill Resort in Williamsburg, Va., but Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin will not be attending, to continue to oversee recovery efforts from the June 29 derecho, spokeswoman Kimberley Osborne advises.
Which probably is just as well, given AP writer Bob Lewis' scathing take on the event, with it's corporately funded junkets and closed-door governors-only meetings ...
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House Health and Human Resources counsel Nancy Tyler is retiring from that position.
She's been dealing with some health issues and, frankly, can probably make more money working shorter hours with less stress as a health-care consultant.
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Speaking of retirement, Melody Simpson of Bowles, Rice, McDavid, Graff and Love, recently updated legislators on the pending IRS regulation to define "normal retirement age" for public employees as age 62.
She noted the definition went into effect for private-sector workers in 2007, with no significant uproar. (Not surprising, since other than professional sports, there are few if any private-sector plans where employees can retire before age 62 ...)
Republican attorney general candidate
Patrick Morrisey became the first candidate in this general election cycle to make a pilgrimage to the Capitol press room.
A seemingly earnest guy, Morrisey is convinced that, unlike a long line of GOP predecessors, he can beat Darrell McGraw in November.
Morrisey, who resigned as a partner in the Washington law firm of Sidley Austin, where he represented health-care industry clients, to campaign full time, outlined a three-pronged platform: Legislative appropriation of all settlement awards; no self-promotion through taxpayer-funded trinkets and public-service advertisements; and competitive bidding to hire outside counsel.
I told Morrisey his biggest obstacle will be trying to convince southern West Virginians that he's not a carpetbagger, because he's lived in the state (Harper's Ferry) for only six years, had a license to practice law here for only a matter of months, and is getting most of his campaign funds from out-of-state contributors.
That seemed to raise Morrisey's ire, and he talked about how his values are more in line with southern West Virginians. (He also suggested he's prepared to play the Obama card, referring to McGraw as Obama's best legal ally in the state ...)
He also reiterated his call for debates with McGraw. (If that ever happens, I told Morrisey, you'll know you've closed the gap in the race ...)
***
The National Governors' Association annual meeting runs Friday through Sunday at the luxurious Kingsmill Resort in Williamsburg, Va., but Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin will not be attending, to continue to oversee recovery efforts from the June 29 derecho, spokeswoman Kimberley Osborne advises.
Which probably is just as well, given AP writer Bob Lewis' scathing take on the event, with it's corporately funded junkets and closed-door governors-only meetings ...
***
House Health and Human Resources counsel Nancy Tyler is retiring from that position.
She's been dealing with some health issues and, frankly, can probably make more money working shorter hours with less stress as a health-care consultant.
***
Speaking of retirement, Melody Simpson of Bowles, Rice, McDavid, Graff and Love, recently updated legislators on the pending IRS regulation to define "normal retirement age" for public employees as age 62.
She noted the definition went into effect for private-sector workers in 2007, with no significant uproar. (Not surprising, since other than professional sports, there are few if any private-sector plans where employees can retire before age 62 ...)
Simpson advised public employees not to sweat it, noting that the effective date for the IRS regulation for the public sector has been postponed three times, and currently is pushed back to Jan. 1, 2015.
"Anybody who is planning to retire prior to Jan. 1 of 2015, they don't have to worry about this at all," she said.
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Former Delegate Eric Blass' brief tenure in the House (1995-96) was notable primarily for his bill to ban strip clubs and adult bookstores, and for his attempt to cut funding to West Virginia University for providing office space in the Mountainlair to a gay rights organization.
Subsequently, he served time in California for a third-offense drunk driving conviction, and was arrested last week by Morgantown Police on shoplifting, public intoxication and open container charges.
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Finally, add me to the list of supporters for the continued publication of the West Virginia Blue Book in hardbound book form -- and after a three-year hiatus, I'm now holding a copy of the just-released latest edition in my never-nicotine stained fingers ...
The new, 1,090-page book is dedicated to the late Sen. Robert C. Byrd and features a full-page color photo of Byrd's statue in the Capitol rotunda.
In addition to biographies and staff listings for members of the executive, legislative and judicial branches; summaries for all state and federal institutions operating in the state; election returns; and registers for all counties and municipalities, the Blue Book is chock full of useful data.
Smallest town in West Virginia? Thurmond, population 5, although Bowden is not far behind at 9.
In 2010, West Virginia produced 142.9 million tons of coal, using 34,962 employees. In 1952, production was 142.1 million tons, with 100,862 employees.
In 2010, there were 35 mine fatalities (including 29 at the UBB mine) and 1,159 injuries. In 1952, there were 163 fatalities and 9,629 injuries. But the darkest stretch was from 1924-1927, when there were more than 500 mine fatalities each year, peaking at 686 in 1925.
Besides the ease of use, unlike the Internet, there's no question about the accuracy of the information in the Blue Book -- since it was edited by retired assistant clerk Karl Lilly.
According to current assistant clerk Lee Cassis, the Senate ordered 14,000 copies of the 2011 Blue Book, at a cost of $90,300, or $6.45 per copy.
Reach Phil Kabler at ph...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-1220.
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