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Abernathy Strategies
RepublicanGazette
Friday, February 22, 2008 "When news breaks, we fix it" Published daily except some days
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All opinions are those of The Republican Gazette and its editor, Gary Abernathy, except letters or commentary signed by others, and do not reflect the views of anyone else, including clients of Abernathy Strategies.
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Having Fun With Mojo
Some new initiatives for my second term in office!
Benjamin refuses Wheeling-Pitt recusal effort, sets record straight on chief justice rotation
Supreme Court Justice Brent Benjamin on Thursday denied a request from Wheeling-Pitt to recuse himself from their case against Massey Energy, and set the record straight on the rotation for chief justice of the high court.Some parties have claimed that Benjamin, with assistance from fellow justices Spike Maynard and Robin Davis, improperly denied justices Larry Starcher and Joe Albright their places in the rotation to serve as chief justice. In fact, as Benjamin explained, the court is simply following longstanding rotation procedures that will make Benjamin chief next year, which will be his fifth year on the Supreme Court.Spike Maynard is chief this year, but because of his recusals from Massey-related cases, Benjamin has been filling that role and appointing judges to replace Maynard and, in one case, Starcher, who recused himself from the Caperton-Harmon case against Massey.
Oddly, Starcher has not recused himself from the Wheeling-Pitt case against Massey, even though his reason for recusal from the Caperton case was because of his prejudicial public statements about Massey and its CEO, Don Blankenship.In declining to recuse himself from the Wheeling-Pitt case, Benjamin wrote that "inaccuracies and innuendo do not serve as a proper basis for seeking the disqualification of a judicial officer in West Virginia."Ohio County Lincoln Day draws good crowd in bad weather
Ohio County's Lincoln Day Dinner drew a good crowd of about 125 on Thursday, and featured a keynote address by Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito, who was introduced by state GOP Chairman Doug McKinney.Also in attendance were statewide candidates Russ Weeks (governor), Dan Greear and Hiram Lewis (attorney general) and Charles Minimah (secretary of state).County Chairman Marty Wright hurried the program along due to the snowy and icy weather. Wright had words of praise for Weeks, commending him for running and referring to Weeks' dedication and integrity in taking on the status quo.Also in attendance were former Gov. Arch Moore and his wife, former First Lady Shelley Moore.NY Times universally slammed for hit job on John McCain article
An impressive mix of commentators and politicians were almost universal in their condemnation of The New York Times and the hit job it produced Wednesday on GOP presidential candidate John McCain.The Times had published a story containing innuendo and suspicions regarding McCain's relationship with a lobbyist eight years ago, questioning whether he had improperly intervened regarding legislation or FCC rulings favorable to the lobbyist's clients -- which evidence shows he clearly did not.Among those commenting on Thursday: “I’ve campaigned now on the same stage and platform as John McCain for 14 months and I only know him to be a man of integrity.” -- Mike Huckabee."In [the] conservative world, if the New York Times does a 'hit job' on you then you wear that as a conservative badge of honor. This story could actually HELP John McCain." -- David Brody, CBN."The story is the Drive By media turning on its favorite maverick and trying to take him out." -- Rush Limbaugh."The story I think is outrageously unfair to him. There's no 'there' there. I'm so far pleased with the reaction from people because they see no case there. There's nothing new in that story." -- Sen. Joe Lieberman."You wait until it’s pretty much beyond a doubt that he’s going to be the Republican nominee, and then you let it drop — drop some acid in the pool, contaminate the whole pool. That’s what The New York Times thinks." -- Laura Ingraham."I have read this New York Times piece now three times. And what I see here is nothing but innuendo, rumor. They want the reader to draw conclusions.” -- Sean Hannity."The Times appears to have done what any conservative media critic would have predicted—sat on the story until the day after John McCain declares himself the nominee. It's hard to imagine the Times advanced the story much since December. If it did, just how weak was it back then?" -- Rich Lowry, National Review.Brown shepherds anti-gun bills thru legislative process
Kanawha County Democrat Delegate Bonnie Brown is quietly shepherding at least two anti-gun bills through the legislative process.According to the West Virginia Citizens Defense League, Brown is the chief sponsor of HB 4257, which gives final legislative approval to Lottery Commission rules for racetrack table games that include a prohibition on anyone other than a law-enforcement officer, armored car guard, or designated Lottery Commission employee from carrying a weapon in the casino area. Brown is also pushing HB 4471, which, as part of a much broader bill relating to State Police pensions, contains a provision to raise concealed handgun license fees from $90 to $120 per license. Brown’s bills have received committee action in large part because their anti-gun provisions are buried inside the other contents of those bills.In regard to raising the concealed handgun license fees, WVCDL points out, "West Virginia already charges the highest fees in the region for concealed handgun licenses. Under current law, every license costs $90 to obtain or renew. Among our surrounding states, fees range from a low of $25 in Pennsylvania to a high of $60 in Kentucky, with Virginia and Ohio in the middle at $50 and $55, respectively (Maryland is not a shall-issue state and is thus excluded from this comparison). Like West Virginia, all of our shall-issue neighbors issue their licenses for terms of 5 years."Hey kids! Mojo here! Seeing as how I have accomplished so much in my first term in office, there's not much left to do in a second term! But I have to think of something, mainly so I can have things to talk about in my State of the State addresses! Here are two of my ideas...* Phase out some more taxes. See, with phase outs, I don't actually have to cut taxes, but I can brag that I did! So I think we can phase out the income tax by 2050, ease out the gas tax by 2115, and get rid of that pesky inventory tax by 2295! * Inject myself more into your personal business. As you have figured out by now, there's nothing I love more than interfering in your personal life, whether it's controlling what you eat, or telling your kids what grades they have to get to have a drivers license! None of my business, you say? Hah! So next year, I'll introduce the Governor's Conference On What's Good For You! And I'll let you know soon what those things are! Check back later!