by Ron Gregory
ronjgregory@gmail.com
CHARLESTON — While many were criticizing Second District Congressman Alex Mooney from skipping out on parts of his district devastated by flooding, others noted that Third District Congressman Evan Jenkins was “all over” the place apparenty helping with flood relief.
That’s not exactly how the state Democrat Party sees it. Mooney and Jenkins are both Republicans up for re-election this year.
In a sharply-worded press release Friday afternoon, State Democrat Chair Belinda Biafore said Jenkins’ top priority after the flood was “to take photos for his Facebook page.”
Biafore continued, “It’s incredibly disheartening and downright sickening that a leader in this state would use this tragic disaster as an opportunity to promote himself rather than helping the people when they need help the most. It is one thing to bring awareness to the work you’re doing, the flooded areas in distress, and to urge others to come out and help; but it’s another thing to show up and ask for a photo instead of giving our fellow West Virginians the help that they desperately need.”
Mooney actually flew out of the country the day after flooding occurred in major parts of his district. The Congressman said he has a pre-scheduled trip to visit troops in the Mideast and followed through on his “commitment” to them. He arrived back in the country in time to drop off a few items to flood relief sites a week later. Once finally on the ground in his district, Mooney was accompanied by two female staff members who appeared to be assigned to taking photos of their Congressman. When asked if they were on the government payroll, one responded that they were “and we work for Congressman Mooney.”
Biafore said constituents are upset and discouraged at the treatment they received from their congressmen. She called Jenkins’ efforts “one-sided for political gain and his office hours weren’t accessible to those in need.”
The Democrat head also referred to a news item by WOAY Newswatch in Oak Hill that interviewed several residents who said they were upset with Jenkins’ “grandstanding.”
In response, one Kanawha County official where major flooding occurred, said, “Well, at least his constituents saw Congressman Jenkins. Mooney was off on a government-paid junket and he left the country knowing a devastating flood had occurred. There’s no excuse for that.”