Alan Mollohan's last term in Congress?

As Congressman Alan Mollohan’s problems continue to mount many are speculating that this me be his last term as West Virginia’s Congressman from the 1st Congressional District. Last week the U.S. Justice Department told the US House ethics panel to stop its investigation of Congressman Mollohan. Federal investigators had also asked the House ethics committee to suspend its investigation of former Louisiana Rep. William Jefferson shortly before his arrest. Last month the Congressman’s Bald Head Island property was sold at a foreclosure sale according to the Daily Mail and the Politico reported Mollohan was one of the Democrat incumbents having trouble raising campaign money.

Smelling blood in the water, five Republicans have announced they will be seeking the GOP nomination for the 1st Congressional seat, but Mollohan might just not be facing a General Election opponent. Rumors are they he may have a strong primary challenge from 46 year old State Senator Michael Oliverio II of Monongalia County.

Oliverio would set well as a choice with West Virginia’s conservative Democrat voters. He is a favorite among many in the business community and would likely pull a lot of primary support away from Mollohan. It would also give state Democrats a better chance of holding the seat should Mollohan be forced to resign should allegations prove true. But with voters looking for change as referenced by this weeks strong wins by the GOP in neighboring Virginia and New Jersey, the only way for the WV Democratic Party to hold the 1st Congressional seat maybe to pick a new candidate like Oliverio no matter what happens with Mollohan.

Mollohan Caught Again

More Mollohan earmark muck disclosed by West Virginia Watchdog by the Washington Examiner

Democrat Rules of Civility and Decorum

Mollohan moves up from top 20 most corrupt to top 15

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington which puts out the list of most corrupt politicians and backs it up with facts, named Congressman Alan Mollohan (D, WV-1) to the top 15 this year. (Click Here for the Full Report)

Congressman Mollohan on Death Panels and More

Stimulus goes to buy Beer and Cigarettes for some on Welfare

Barney Frank doesn't like being ask a question

Byway or Bye Economic Opportunity

At the March 26th afternoon meeting of Keyser Rotary Club, the speaker was Karen Allen of West Virginia Department of Highways. She runs the office that takes care of the Scenic Byways in the state. She told the group the benefits of Scenic Byways, the opportunities and the pitfalls. It was a very good presentation with good questions and answers from the public. Mineral County Commissioners Wayne Spiggle (A member of Rotary) and Janice LaRue attended to hear the discussion. The County Commissions from Grant and Hampshire County were invited to attend this Rotary meeting to hear Karen Allen, but did not attend.

At the last US 50 Association meeting held on March 18th, 2009 a surprise addition was added to the meeting agenda at the meeting. The original 3/18/2009 meeting Agenda sent out had no mention of discussing converting US 50 into a Scenic Byway, so the public was unaware it was to be discussed. It was never asked to be put on the agenda for this meeting prior to the start of the meeting. Wayne Spiggle the facilitator was adamant that it was to be discussed at that US 50 meeting, although it is my belief it should have been delayed, so that proper public notice could have been given. Government works best when the public is involved and the public was excluded from this discussion.

In the past the US 50 Association has repeated shown good wisdom when the public was well represented. At the July 21st, 2004, Deb Clatterbuck reported the findings of the Scenic Byway Task Force. It was a sub-committee set to explore the benefits and problems with designating the highway as a Byway. The official minutes show, "There are strict sign regulations such as been brought to light by the George’s Creek Coal Heritage Trail. The Task Force recommends tabling this issue until dual lane and alternate routes can be reviewed which may leave portions of the original roadbeds to be designated as Scenic By-ways." - July 21st, 2004 US 50 Minutes. The problem is businesses are restricted from advertising, which can hurt the local economy. The US 50 Association at that time believed that it was more important to improve the road and improve economic opportunity along the road. Putting the people first it always the best choice.

At the September 20th, 2006 meeting of the US 50 Association Mike Workman from North Central Byways spoke and told the group, "The North Central Byways group has control over signs on both public and private land." - Sept. 20th, 2006 US 50 Minutes. You read that right; a non-elected group can tell you what to do on your private land. Like giving up your 5th Amendment Rights without due process? Dave Price of Preston County, indicted the sign limit was upsetting business owners and asked how the group got the authority. According to the minutes, Karen Allen told the US 50 Association, that the Commissioner of Transportation gave the unelected North Central Byways the power. With the stroke of a pen your rights were gone and chances are you didn't even know.

The problem with the Byway designation is that it can be used as an anti-business tool. Now I have long argued that the Mineral County Commission has been anything, but pro-business. In fact many initiatives put forth by the Mineral County Commission and its agencies over the last 8 to 10 years have been anti-business. Consider this public statement about not letting business in made by then Economic Development Director Casey Lambert 2006, "We have had numerous prospects, but we're not going to let every Tom, Dick and Harry put something in there [Fort Ashby Industrial Park]" - Cumberland Times-News Oct. 5th, 2006

Another thing to look at is the fake water shortage scare created 2 years ago in the county that had people begging to ask for a moratorium on growth. - Potomac Highlands Blog Dec. 3rd, 2007 Had we not broke the story all housing construction in the north end of the county may have been stopped. Fortunately cooler head prevailed when the true got out. Zoning is one of the biggest restrictions to economic growth is coming, "Spiggle said when the county’s comprehensive plan is completed next year, officials could have the power to begin drafting possible zoning ordinances." - Cumberland Times-News Dec. 10th, 2008 After Zoning was enacted in Allegany County, MD in the 1960’s, they lost more than 10,000 people in population. Zoning was one of many factors that devastated the Allegany County economy.

Turning down businesses trying to provide jobs in our area, trying to restrict advertising along US 50 which will adversely effect business growth, creating fake water shortages and implementing zoning are all things designed to stop or reduce business growth in the county. With the population of Mineral County dropping, we cannot afford to restrict business growth in our county. Projections do not show Mineral County exceeding the 2000 population, until at least 2035. - Cumberland Area Long Range Transportation Plan, Sept 28, 2005

Either we have a county commission that is clueless on how an economy works or we have a county commission actively seeking to stop growth and business from coming into the county.

Glenn Beck shows why Government must follow the law

One man, one vote, not in West Virginia

Kanawha County is the most populous county in the state with 200,073 persons as recorded by the 2000 census, but has an unfair advantage in state government. Not because of its population, but because of multi-delegate districts where each citizen gets to vote for two state Senators and in some cases seven house members, whereas most of the state gets to vote for only one senator and one delegate each election cycle. The citizens of Kanawha County, and some other counties to a lesser extent, have more representation in the legislature than most.

Most citizens of the state are only represented by two state Senators and one House member, if you live in Charleston you are represented by four state senators and seven house members. This puts the citizens in most other parts of the state at a disadvantage when requesting help from their state Senators and Representatives, when compared those living in Multi-delegate districts.

Why is this bad? Consider something simple. You live in a single delegate district like most of us and you want a pot hole fixed on the state highway near your home. You can call on two senators and one delegate to push the Department of Highways to make the repair. Now if you live the Kanawha County’s 30^th Delegate district, then you have a distinct advantage to get your pot hole fixed. You can call on four senators and seven delegates to motivate the DOH to make the needed repairs. The odds are 11 to 3 in favor of the Kanawha voter getting preferential treatment in state legislature under the current system, and that is just not fair.

Each voter from Kanawha County is represented by 12% of the West Virginia Senate, yet each voter in the rest of the state is only represented by 6%. That is unfair representation. The House of Delegates is just as bad while in most of the state each voter is represented by 1% of the House, in Kanawha’s 30^th District each voter is represented by 7% of the House, in Raleigh’s 27^th District each voter is represented by 5% of the House, Monongalia’s 44^th, Logan/Lincoln’s 19^th, and Harrison’s 41^st have 4%. There are a few three and two delegate districts, but the majorities are single delegate districts.

Consider that in one of the growth areas of the state Berkeley County each voter is only represented by one delegate, 1% or the House, and two Senators, 6% of the Senate. This gives each voter in Berkeley County a clear disadvantage in representation Charleston when compared to Kanawha County or some of the others with multi-delegate districts. Consider that this arrangement should be unconstitutional under West Virginia’s constitution which states; “Article II, 2-4. Equal representation; Every citizen shall be entitled to equal representation in the government, and, in all apportionments of representation, equality of numbers of those entitled thereto, shall as far as practicable, be preserved.”

West Virginian’s current system also appears to violate the 14^th Amendment to the US Constitution. Section 1 of the amendment states; “No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.”

The US Supreme Court has already interpreted the “Equal Protection Clause” to extend to voting districts. In the 1963 case Grey v. Sanders the court held, 8 to 1, that State elections must adhere to the one person, one vote principle. Justice William Douglas wrote the majority opinion stated, "The concept of political equality...can mean only one thing—one person, one vote".

As it stands right now one person, one vote only applies to some West Virginian’s while others get more than one vote. If you live in Martinsburg you get to vote for one Delegate to represent you and one Senator, if you live in Charleston you get to vote for seven Delegates and two Senators to represent you. It is time that we change West Virginia’s legislative districts. Where each voter is represented by only one delegate and two senators, so that the districts are fair and come in line with both the state and US Constitutions.

Defending the Indefensible: Pork

In this video the Utah Senator is trying to defend why we should be paying to kill crickets in his state. Please watch.