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Having Fun
With Mojo
Italy reminded me a lot of West Virginia
Hey Kids! Mojo here! Gayle and I just got back from Italy! What a place! I met a lot of friendly Italians! They had a lot of questions about West Virginia!
I told them almost everything here is named for Robert C. Byrd! They said it reminded them a lot of how Julius Caesar used to put his name on everything! Pretty soon after that, everything started going into decline! I could relate to that, too!
Did you know that in the Italian government, some Senators are appointed for life? Just like with Senator Byrd!
But let me get back to some good news... I had a super secret meeting with government leaders, so don't be surprised if you start hearing some rumors about West Virginia getting some Italian jobs! Ever see "The Italian Job?" Check it out so you'll know what's coming!
Rockefeller $$ connection to Hsu ignored
Unless you saw this and one other website, or listened to MetroNews, Sen. Jay Rockefeller's receipt of $4,000 in donations from Norman Hsu, the fugitive contributor at the center of a storm involving Hillary Clinton, went largely unreported in West Virginia.
The facts were reported here Friday. MetroNews then addressed the isssue, and the AP's Larry Messina mentioned it on his blog.
Can you imagine the outcry from certain media outlets if it involved Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito instead of Rockefeller? In fact, we don't have to imagine -- the media carried several stories in recent months and years about Capito's donors.
MetroNews reported on Friday that Rockefeller had finally decided to return the contribution, following the lead of most other Democrats after the media zeroed in on the story nationwide. Clinton had received $23,000 from Hsu.
Manchin vacations during biz event, but back in time for union gathering
According to news stories, Gov. and Mrs. Manchin vacationed last week in Italy to celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary -- an admirable milestone in this day and age.
But what the governor chose to skip during last week was the annual Business Summit at The Greenbrier, and there was quite a bit of grumbling about it, with some attendees saying the gov didn't even bother to send along regrets or greetings (although that was not confirmed).
But what the governor made sure to be back home for was the big Labor Day rally at Racine yesterday, a union-heavy gathering famous as the site of Warren McGraw's "rant at Racine" in 2004.
On the other hand, it could be that the state Chamber of Commerce is so firmly tucked into the governor's back pocket that skipping its annual business meeting was hardly a political risk. House GOP leader Tim Armstead, by the way, offered some poignant remarks to the gathering.
Unger interview offers telling exchange on issues & family
State Sen. John Unger is pictured with Mother Teresa and some less famous nuns in a photo used in the Shepherdstown Observer story. Unger is probably holding a Bible, although it sure looks like a Blue Book.
A recent edition of the Shepherdstown Observer, a free paper circulated in the Eastern Panhandle, contains a fascinating interview with State Sen. John Unger.
The lengthy Q&A covers everything from Unger's childhood to his employment to his campaign against Shelley Moore Capito -- complete with Unger's umpteenth insistence that he's not running "against" anybody, but "for" change.
Some Eastern Panhandle readers have suggested the story is possibly a "plant," produced and approved by Unger for the purpose of putting out some information he has struggled to address in the past, particularly about his family and his employment.
But if it is a plant, it's not very well done, and the betting here is that some of the questions caught Unger as off guard as they appear to have done.
For example, reporter Thomas Harding has this exchange with Unger:
OBSERVER: [In 2006, the Unger campaign created and distributed a copy of “Promoting Family Values.” The flyer quotes Kevin McCoy, West Virginia Family Foundation PAC chairman, as saying that Unger’s“unwavering support for the rights of the unborn and the protection of traditional marriage has made him the clear choice for this race. On the other hand, Senator Unger’s opponent Jerry Mays says he would introduce and vote for ‘same sex civil union’ legislation to give legal recognition to same-sex couples.”] Senator Unger, do you agree with the content of this flyer?
UNGER: As far as the content, I don’t see anything wrong with clearly stating [Jerry May’s] position. Overall, though, the response from my friends has not been very good. I probably should not have done it.
OBSERVER: The implication is that you are against same sex-marriage….
UNGER: I know that is what people have had a problem with.
OBSERVER: Let me ask you, are you against same-sex marriage?
UNGER: I am not for same-sex marriage.
OBSERVER: What about same-sex civil unions?
UNGER: I would like to learn more about it.
OBSERVER: Is that a ‘yes’ you are against same-sex civil unions?
UNGER: No, that is not a ‘yes.’
A few more answers like "No, that is not a 'yes'" will qualify Unger for a scholarship to the John Kerry School of Decisiveness. It's amazing that he now says he would like to learn more about same-sex civil unions, after he inaccurately blasted his opponent in 2006 on the subject.
Another gem from the interview:
OBSERVER: Do you have a moral problem with gays and lesbians?
UNGER: Personally, I don’t choose that lifestyle, I’m not gay. But other than that, I don’t impose my judgment on others.
"I'm not gay." Who asked if he was?
Earlier in the interview, though, Unger comes across as a truly sympathetic character when trying to answer tough questions about his years growing up in an abusive environment.
OBSERVER: I can imagine it must have been very hard to see your young brother hit.
UNGER: He was around two, three, four years old. I can remember leaving the only house I’d ever known, with a pillow under one arm, holding my mother’s hand, my brother holding her other hand.
OBSERVER: To get away from your dad?
UNGER: Yeah, the family was splitting up. We had nowhere to go. So we moved in with my mother’s mother until we found an apartment. My mother worked every day. I would come home from school with my brother. I would give him a bath, give him something to eat, put him to bed.
OBSERVER: How old were you when they broke up?
UNGER: I think I was seven or eight years old. My grandparents would come over with groceries. I remember that we were so poor that at times all we had to eat was a loaf of bread and some milk, and I would make cereal out of that.
West Virginia Republican Convention CEO Bob Fish is scheduled to announce today the names of all candidates participating in the February 5 state convention. All signs indicate a positive announcement that should be exciting for GOP voters.
Workers: Positive TB tests
7 Pinecrest employees claim positive test for tuberculosis due to hospital recklessness
Seven current employees of Pinecrest Hospital in Beckley filed a lawsuit over the weekend claiming they have tested positive for tuberculosis due to the failure of the hospital to properly install a ventilation system, the Republican Gazette learned Monday.
The allegations are consistent with claims made repeatedly over the past few years by former Senator Russ Weeks -- claims that were laughed off by the former head of the state Department of Health and Human Resources.
According to the lawsuit, the seven employees of different departments claim they
"were all exposed and have tested positive for tuberculosis as a direct and proximate result of Pinecrest's intentionally failing to inform the public, its patients and employees of the danger..."
Pinecrest is a former tuberculosis hospital, and the suit claims that the TB germs were released when the hospital "intentionally installed through-the-wall air conditioning units in the tuberculosis isolation rooms and the dining area in the tuberculosis ward without consulting the engineers..." thereby allowing contaminated air to escape into other areas of the hospital.
The plaintiffs are seeking judgment "for total past and future medical expenses and treatment, past and future medical monitoring" and other relief. They are represented by attorney Barry Bruce, who filed the action in Kanawha County.
