Potpourri: Nov. 12, 2012
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The U.S. Chamber of Commerce created a legal newspaper, The West Virginia Record, chiefly to attack Attorney General Darrell McGraw. Since McGraw lost last week's election, we wonder if the paper will be terminated. (The fact that its editor, Chris Dickerson, was charged with felony fabrication of auto inspection and registration stickers may be another consideration.)
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During his unsuccessful run for state Supreme Court, maverick lawyer H. John Rogers called rival candidates Robin Davis and Tish Chafin "trophy wives." The State Bar's ethics committee opened an investigation. The irrepressible Rogers said he heard that "Chafin, 48, was a little miffed about the comment, but Davis, 56, found it flattering."
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The late astronomer Carl Sagan sometimes visited Charleston during the years when his sister, Cari Greene, lived here, and he also spoke at the state Capitol. Last week, 15 years after his death, the Center for Inquiry urged science-minded Americans to observe Carl Sagan Day on his birthday, Nov. 9. The center posted all 13 episodes of Sagan's famous "Cosmos" television series for any groups wanting to host viewing parties.
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Jack Fellure of Hurricane, a self-proclaimed presidential candidate, says God wants capital punishment.
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Bearing arms in West Virginia: William "Seth" Denmark of Calhoun County is accused of kidnapping his girlfriend, then shooting and burying a friend to frighten the girlfriend into obeying him.
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The far-right tea party movement damages the GOP. In 2010 primaries, ultraconservative tea party favorites defeated moderate Republicans for Senate nominations in Delaware, Colorado and Nevada. But the three prevailing nominees were so out of step with mainstream America that they lost to Democrats in the fall. Now it has happened again: Extreme conservatives and white evangelicals provided Senate nominations to Todd Akin in Missouri and Richard Mourdock in Indiana, whose bizarre statements about raped women caused sensible voters to dump them last week.
• • •
An atheist says she filed a small Cabell County lawsuit. Before she testified, a magistrate asked her to swear an oath ending "so help me God." She mumbled yes, to avoid prejudicing her case — but she wonders if West Virginians must swear religious oaths. State Code 2-2-7 merely says witnesses must "swear" or "affirm," with no mention of deities. Incidentally, she won in court.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The U.S. Chamber of Commerce created a legal newspaper, The West Virginia Record, chiefly to attack Attorney General Darrell McGraw. Since McGraw lost last week's election, we wonder if the paper will be terminated. (The fact that its editor, Chris Dickerson, was charged with felony fabrication of auto inspection and registration stickers may be another consideration.)
• • •
During his unsuccessful run for state Supreme Court, maverick lawyer H. John Rogers called rival candidates Robin Davis and Tish Chafin "trophy wives." The State Bar's ethics committee opened an investigation. The irrepressible Rogers said he heard that "Chafin, 48, was a little miffed about the comment, but Davis, 56, found it flattering."
• • •
The late astronomer Carl Sagan sometimes visited Charleston during the years when his sister, Cari Greene, lived here, and he also spoke at the state Capitol. Last week, 15 years after his death, the Center for Inquiry urged science-minded Americans to observe Carl Sagan Day on his birthday, Nov. 9. The center posted all 13 episodes of Sagan's famous "Cosmos" television series for any groups wanting to host viewing parties.
• • •
Jack Fellure of Hurricane, a self-proclaimed presidential candidate, says God wants capital punishment.
• • •
Bearing arms in West Virginia: William "Seth" Denmark of Calhoun County is accused of kidnapping his girlfriend, then shooting and burying a friend to frighten the girlfriend into obeying him.
• • •
The far-right tea party movement damages the GOP. In 2010 primaries, ultraconservative tea party favorites defeated moderate Republicans for Senate nominations in Delaware, Colorado and Nevada. But the three prevailing nominees were so out of step with mainstream America that they lost to Democrats in the fall. Now it has happened again: Extreme conservatives and white evangelicals provided Senate nominations to Todd Akin in Missouri and Richard Mourdock in Indiana, whose bizarre statements about raped women caused sensible voters to dump them last week.
• • •
An atheist says she filed a small Cabell County lawsuit. Before she testified, a magistrate asked her to swear an oath ending "so help me God." She mumbled yes, to avoid prejudicing her case — but she wonders if West Virginians must swear religious oaths. State Code 2-2-7 merely says witnesses must "swear" or "affirm," with no mention of deities. Incidentally, she won in court.
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