A new poll indicates the public is mostly unaware of Gov. Justice's financial issues. If that's the case, don't blame us
The West Virginia Weakly Reader for Saturday, September 7, 2024
Alright.
I am now back to my overnight grind after two weekends away.
I wish I could tell you that I am refreshed in a way that will sustain me until the end of the year, but I’d be kidding myself. However, I did squeeze in some R&R — and looked away from news long enough to enjoy myself.
While I was away, Giles held down the fort and, somehow, there was no big news about The Greenbrier Hotel and Gov. Jim Justice. But that’s not to say tangential reports about the governor’s business affairs — which dominated headlines in West Virginia for weeks — didn’t seep through.
According to results of a poll, most West Virginians have heard “a little” or nothing at all about Gov. Jim Justice’s financial conflicts.1
The poll, released this week by WVMetroNews, showed that only 38% of respondents said they have “heard a lot” about the governor and U.S. Senate candidate’s financial issues. Less than half — 47% — said they have “heard a little.” And, somehow, 16% said they have heard nothing.
Maybe it’s because The West Virginia Weakly comes from a couple of journalists who deeply hope the public engages regularly with the news, but the results of the WVMetroNews poll strikes us as disappointing. Not because we feel the story of these financial woes should influence you in any particular way — but because maybe not everyone follows the news as closely as we’d hope.
Still this tracks with what one voter told me when Justice first announced his run for U.S. Senate last year.2 While I was on a story for NPR in May 2023, Kennedy Roberts told me, “I couldn't really even tell you other than in broad generalities what exactly the accusations are against Governor Justice.”
At the time, the threat of The Greenbrier Hotel being auctioned off was non-existent. But the governor’s family businesses were — as they have been for some time — still embroiled in other legal and financial troubles.
It’s not that reports of these issues haven’t been widely publicized for some time. They have indeed.
But for whatever reason, the public seems to not be so well aware.
Which is why we are committed to the purpose of The Weakly. We want West Virginians to feel “in the know” about relevant matters.
So, help us spread the word, would you?
The West Virginia Weakly Reader — For more on the sources we use, have a look at the footnotes to see the original reporting from news outlets across West Virginia.
🤔 Martinsburg resident Tim Pool was among the right-wing social media influencers linked to the federal indictment announced Wednesday that alleges they unwittingly produced content for a company that was secretly funded by Russian state media.3 Pool and the others are not accused of wrongdoing. And in a statement on the social media platform X, Pool held himself out as a victim in the case.4 Following the indictment, videos of Pool’s podcast circulated online in which he called Ukraine “the enemy of this country” and demanded that the U.S. withdraw support from Kyiv and apologize to Russia. Thursday morning, he posted that “he now understands Ukraine is our Greatest ally.”5 Pool is also at the center of a controversy over a Martinsburg skatepark.6 Democrats made political hay out of Pool’s situation— with state party chair Mike Pushkin calling on Republicans to return $2,625 in donations to the GOP.7
💰 Gov. Jim Justice said this week he’ll be calling lawmakers back to Charleston later this month for a special session to make additional cuts to the state’s personal income tax. In a Wednesday virtual briefing, the governor also said he’d like to address issues with West Virginia’s struggling child care system.8 The governor is expected to offer more details about a special session this coming week.
⛏️ Gov. Justice also announced the death of the fourth West Virginia coal miner so far this year. “When we lose a miner, it’s not just a loss for the community, but a loss for the entire State of West Virginia,” Justice wrote on X.9 Gary Chapman — 33, of South Williamson, Kentucky — passed away from injuries suffered in an incident Friday evening at the Mountaineer II Mine near Sharples in Logan County.10
🎨 West Virginia’s Secretary of Arts, Culture & History is calling a lawsuit challenging a Capitol mural project — which includes an image of the governor’s dog — “meritless.”11 The suit, brought by Gregory S. Morris and Tom Acosta as plaintiffs, alleges the mural was installed in violation of state purchasing rules and open government proceedings.12
🏛️ Speaking of the affairs of state government, my hometown of Parkersburg (I grew up in the nearby town of Washington — but I tell everyone I hail from Parkersburg) will play host to the next round of interim legislative meetings. Lawmakers on a number of interim committees will meet September 8 through 10 at local government facilities, schools and businesses.13 An agenda posted to the West Virginia Legislature’s website shows meetings taking place at Parkersburgh High School, Parkersburg South High School (my alma mater), WVU-Parkersburg, as well as city and county buildings downtown.14
🐺 Anyone remember the “Wolf of West Virginia”? The guy that portrayed himself on social media as a real estate mogul with a high-faluting lifestyle? 34-year-old Theodore “Teddy” Miller of South Charleston has been indicted by federal prosecutors and faces a civil suit from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for defrauding investors. If convicted, Miller could be sentenced to more than 200 years in prison on charges brought by the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of West Virginia.15
🔒 A man already serving life in prison has been sentenced to 25 additional years for the October 2018 killing of notorious Boston gangster James “Whitey” Bulger at the USP Hazelton in Preston County. Fotios “Freddy” Geas was sentenced Friday in federal court in Clarksburg after making a deal with prosecutors on charges of voluntary manslaughter and assault resulting in serious bodily injury.16 Prosecutors say Geas repeatedly hit Bulger with a lock attached to a belt. The 89-year-old Bulger had just arrived at the Hazelton facility just hours before being beaten to death.
⛺ The Morgantown City Council has passed a ban on camping in public — an apparent move to address activity from unhoused people in the city. After more than five hours of public comment during a Tuesday evening meeting that stretched into the early hours of Wednesday, council members voted four to three to approve the ordinance, which calls for a fine of $200 on a second offense — and $300 and/or 30 days in jail for a third offense.17 The move comes after a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that upheld an Oregon city’s ban on public camping. Wheeling and Parkersburg passed similar ordinances to Morgantown’s last year.
🏫 The Wetzel County Board of Education has given school superintendent Cassie Porter the green light to develop a plan to consolidate the county’s four high schools into two. The board voted 3-1 at a meeting on Friday to create a plan to be presented to the state Board of Education.18 In the backdrop is Porter’s attempt to close Paden City High School out of health and safety concerns because the school sits on an EPA Superfund site. In July, a judge ruled that PCHS should remain open for the school year.
🗣️ “Everywhere I go, this is where they show up” ~ U.S. Senator Joe Manchin explaining why climate protesters interrupted a forum Thursday night at Shepherd University in Shepherdstown. Hoppy Kercheval of WVMetroNews had just started guiding the conversation with Manchin and Senator Shelley Moore Capito when the protesters took over the stage. They held up banners and shouted at Manchin for a few minutes before order was restored.19
😲 Senator Manchin’s support for the 300-mile Mountain Valley Pipeline drew protesters to an event at Harvard earlier this year.20 The pipeline has long been controversial and a rupture four months ago added to safety concerns. The developer filed an analysis with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission last week citing “ductile overload” for the failure.21
🚔 A sheriff’s deputy in Hancock County has been fired after being charged with possessing child pornography. State Police arrested Patrick Hoder last weekend on an active warrant for one count of distribution or exhibition of material depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. More than 600 images were involved, according to local reports.22 A Hancock County Magistrate is set to hear the case Thursday.
What we’re reading: Opinion and anything else that catches out eye
West Virginia has one of the country’s worst voter turnout records. Will this election be different? ~ Maya Eaglin and Nidhi Sharma, NBC News
How a Pandemic-Era Surge in Tax Collections Drove a Revenue Wave—and What It Means for Future State Budgets ~ Pew Charitable Trusts
Opinion: Slow down on those tax cuts ~ Hoppy Kercheval, WVMetroNews
Poll: Most have heard nothing or ‘a little’ about Justice financial conflicts, and they’re split on interpretations ~ Brad McElhinny, WVMetroNews
W.Va. race could be pivotal to deciding which party controls the U.S. Senate ~ Dave Mistich, NPR
Right-wing influencers were duped to work for covert Russian influence operation, US says ~ Alan Suderman and Ali Swenson, Associated Press
A Martinsburg, W.Va. skatepark was thriving. Then a right-wing YouTuber bought it ~ Will Sommer, Washington Post
Justice says lawmakers will consider income tax cut, child care in special session this month ~ Amelia Ferrell Knisely & Lori Kersey, West Virginia Watch
Miner dies in Logan County mine incident ~ Kimberly Keagy, WSAZ
Secretary Randall Reid-Smith releases statement following lawsuit filing regarding Capitol Murals project ~ News Release, West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture & History
Lawsuit claims Capitol mural project is illegal; seeks removal, restitution ~ Beth Sergent, The Charleston Gazette-Mail
Interim legislative meetings to take place in Parkersburg Sept. 8-10 ~ Chase Campbell, WTAP
Interim Committee Schedule ~ West Virginia Legislature
'Wolf of West Virginia's' 'empire' crumbles; faces 200 years for investment fraud ~ Leslie Rubin, WCHS-TV
A hitman serving life in prison gets more time for killing ‘Whitey’ Bulger ~ John Raby, The Associated Press
Morgantown City Council passes public camping ban targeting homeless people ~ Lori Kersey, West Virginia Watch
Protesters interrupt forum featuring Manchin and Capito at Shepherd University ~ Aaron Parker ~ WVMetroNews
Climate protester thrown to the ground after interrupting Joe Manchin’s Harvard IOP talk ~ William C. Mao and Dhruv T. Patel, Harvard Crimson
Overload faulted in Mountain Valley Pipeline rupture report ~ Mike Tony, Charleston Gazette-Mail
Hancock County deputy terminated, faces child pornography charges ~ Staff Reports, The Weirton Daily Times
2nd suspect poll from WVMetroNews I've read about this week.