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RepublicanGazette
Abernathy Strategies
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The Republican Gazette welcomes Emails to the Editor and press releases. All submitted items must include the name and contact information for the author of the article, and all articles will only be published with the author's name included. Thank you for reading and participating in The Republican Gazette, another of West Virginia's most biased publications.
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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Thursday, May 29, 2008 "When news breaks, we fix it" Serving West Virginia since 2005
RUSS WEEKS: Not your average Joe
MOJO & MIKE: Standing by his man
Having Fun With Mojo
How is any of this my fault?
Hey kids! Mojo here! Have you heard about the scandal at West Virginia University? Probably not. Well, there are some people trying to blame me for the whole mess! How can that be? Geesh! Did I have anything to do with Mike Garrison getting hired there?Well, uh, actually...OK, but do I have any power or control over the WVU Board of Governors?Well, truth is....Never mind! Try this one -- is there any connection between me and the former student who got a degree she didn't earn?Uh, well....So what? It's all just a bunch of coincidences! I'll tell you one thing -- what's really making me mad is that some people are trying to make this whole thing political! Politics has nothing to do with it! Like I said Monday, the Board of Governors can do anything it wants! And I'll support whatever it does!After all, haven't I been fully supportive of everything it's done so far? 
Peana steps down as chair of GOP Club
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LISA PEANA
(Press Release) West Virginia Republican Club President, Lisa Peana, stepped down from her position on Thursday to focus on her efforts to capture a House seat in the 17th Delegate District.Peana, who has served as WVGOP Club president since its inception, said, “It was a tough decision, but now that we have entered the General Election, I must step aside to focus on my campaign.”The West Virginia Republican Club was formed by volunteers in 2007 to help the West Virginia Republican Party with candidate recruitment and volunteer efforts.“I am very proud of the efforts and progress the Club has made so far,” said Peana, “We recruited great candidates, and I am proud to share the ballot with them this November.”The Republican Club also held a Republican Candidate Training seminar early in the primary election cycle. Trainers included state Legislators and campaign consultants. Another goal the Republican Club had set was to help the GOP retired its debt left over from previous election cycles. “The WV Republican Party, led by the efforts of State Chairman, Dr Doug McKinney, did a terrific job retiring the debt. I feel that the Republican Party is poised to help our candidates and lead them to victory this November,” said Peana.Although Peana won’t be in the leadership position with the Club, she does not plan to walk away completely, “My door will always be open to help candidates and the Club in anyway that I can,” added Peana. Peana is running for the House of Delegates in District 17, which encompasses most of Wayne County. Was Manchin wise to buddy up close with Chesapeake?
There are those who say that if you think Massey Energy operates with a cold-hearted business model, the coal company looks like the Boy Scouts in comparison to the tactics used by Chesapeake Energy.Chesapeake's announcement today that it was pulling the plug on its announced $35 million Charleston headquarters was a shock to the state, and especially to Gov. Joe Manchin, who had hailed the company's involvement in the state as a joyous occasion for all.But Chesapeake's CEO, Aubrey McClendon, seems like a soul brother to another West Virginia player, Massey Energy CEO Don Blankenship.According to online resources, McClendon in recent years has donated more than $670,000 to a variety of Republican candidates and conservative interest groups, including a $250,000 donation to Swift Vets and POWs for Truth, which opposed John Kerry's candidacy for the presidency in 2004. McClendon was the eighth largest contributor to the group.McClendon is also part of an ownership group that purchased the NBA's Seattle Supersonics, fueling rumors that the team would be moved to Oklahoma City -- rumors that the owners repeatedly denied.But now, it's clear that moving the team was the plan all along, and McClendon was recently fined $250,000 by the NBA for telling a newspaper, "We didn't buy the team to keep it in Seattle. We hoped to come here. We know it's a little more difficult financially here in Oklahoma City, but we think it's great for the community and if we could break even we'd be thrilled."Chesapeake's purchase of NiSource might legitimately be questioned from the start -- a purchase made in spite of the pending lawsuit that resulted in a $400 million verdict.Chesapeake is now blaming the state Supreme Court's decision not to consider its appeal of that verdict. Indeed, the Court's verdict can easily be tagged as yet another typical anti-business decision by a liberal judicial system, although even Justice Spike Maynard joined four other judges in ruling not to consider the appeal. (Justices Brent Benjamin and Robin Davis recused themselves from the Chesapeake case -- Benjamin because his former law firm was involved on the defense side, Davis because her husband was part of the plaintiff team.) In fact, the whole case is more reflective of the need for drastic reforms in the tort and tax structure of the state, much of which Manchin opposes in favor of his incremental approach.Manchin's excitement over drawing such a powerful player to his state is understandable, but it's more difficult to comprehend his level of love for Chesapeake and McClendon, compared to his antipathy toward Massey and Blankenship, considering how little difference there is between the natural gas giant, the coal company, and the interests and methods of the CEOs.In fact, both Chesapeake and Massey are simply in the business of doing business, making decisions based on market forces, tax structures, and the potential for growth. When Chesapeake figured out West Virginia does not fit a good business model, it changed its plans. Maybe McClendon will follow Blankenship's lead in trying to bring about changes to the state -- which would make him the Democrat Party's Public Enemy Number 1a -- just behind the Don.Given the similarities between McClendon and Blankenship, why does the gov favor one over other?
McKinney: Why won't Obama travel to Iraq?
(Press Release) West Virginia Republican Party Chairman Doug McKinney issued the following statement today regarding Senator Barack Obama’s reluctance to visit Iraq and meet with General Petraeus:“One has to question Senator Obama’s judgment and experience to lead when he says he is willing to sit down with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, but not willing travel to Iraq and meet with General Petraeus. "As a veteran, my hope is that our next Commander in Chief will continue to make our soldiers his number one priority and make informed decisions based on first hand accounts from soldiers and personally witnessing the conditions in Iraq. "At this critical juncture in our Nation’s foreign policy it is more important than ever to have a leader who has the judgment to look beyond politics and shows a willingness to learn from the experiences of the men and women on ground.”Mercer picnic June 7th
The Mercer County Republican Executive Committee will be having a Lincoln-Reagan Picnic Celebration , Saturday June 7, from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at Shelter #1 in Glenwood Park, on Rt. 20 in Princeton.Guest Speakers will be Secretary of State Betty Ireland, Senate Minority Leader Don Caruth, and House Minority Leader Tim Armstead.Tickets are available from any executive committee member or by emailing Marty Gearheart. Adults $30, students $15.