CORRIDOR CHRONICLE
Gregory’s Web for March 29, 2020
by Ron Gregory
Emergency situations often call for extreme measures.
The election procedures being suggested by West Virginia Secretary of State Mac Warner with the endorsement of Attorney General Patrick Morrisey are troublesome in and of themselves, however.
The coronavirus threat is obviously real. It can be devastating. But does sacrificing the sanctity of an election help the fight against a virus? I doubt It.
I was intimately involved in coverage of the 2010 Lincoln County Democrat Primary. I was even more absorbed in subsequent investigations, hearings and criminal settlements that put three Lincoln officials in prison for voter fraud.
I don’t intend to name the three but, for the curious, the record is clear and readily available. I won’t name them because I think they were as much victims as criminals. I certainly believe that about one of the officials and think it could be true for all three.
If the system worked out by Warner and Morrisey is legal and right, then I believe all three Lincoln officials should be pardoned, have their records expunged and any lost retirement benefits restored.
Is it possible the three committed crimes that were never proven? Maybe. Did they actually pay voters for absentee ballots when Warner and Morrisey aren’t? Perhaps. But it was never proven before a jury of their peers.
Why is that, you ask. Didn’t they enter plea agreements of their own freewill?
Absolutely they did. And they did it with the advice of some of the best attorneys in the state and Southeast.
But everyone and his brother was convinced by the government that their absentee ballot distribution methods were illegal on their face. Gathering handfuls of applications and taking them door to door unsolicited was felony law violations, the experts all said.
Now, Warner proposes not to distribute unrequested absentee ballots in selected neighborhoods as the Lincoln Countians did. He’s going to mail one to EVERY registered voter.
One of the Lincoln officials often made the argument that the distribution of absentee ballots was “voter outreach.” The government called it enticing folks to vote that otherwise would not have. They said that was wrong.
Yet we hear public officials constantly moaning about low voter turnout. The Lincoln County absentee scheme brought out voters that hadn’t cast a ballot in years.
Now Warner proposes to send an absentee ballot application to every registered voter for the May primary. Morrisey interprets the law to say a voter can just list health concerns as the reason for absenteeism because of the coronavirus threat.
Poppycock!
Under that reasoning, I could list concern that folks my age show early symptoms of dementia (no smart remarks). Does that make ALL senior citizens eligible for absentee ballots? I don’t think so.
My determination is that I will vote my ballot in person in May or I won’t vote it.
I certainly think there’s no evil intent by either Warner or Morrisey. Nobody should question the honesty of either. They’re simply trying to show compassion and help reluctant voters to cast ballots.
I do wonder if the absentee mailings will somehow manage to include Warner’s name somewhere. Would that be like violating the 300-foot rule on election day? Will the Secretary of State remain anonymous through the whole process?
After all, the incumbent is thought to be locked in a tight contest with his predecessor, Democrat Natalie Tennant.
Anyone with much involvement in politics knows Lincoln County is not the only example of absentee voter fraud. While working in stories about it, I found literally dozens of other jurisdictions around the country where absentee ballots led to corruption. Literally dozens have gone to jail in absentee ballot-related crimes.
By having an absentee ballot election, the usual checks and balances are mostly gone. An unbiased poll worker doesn’t get to look me over in person if I vote absentee.
I can swear nobody “helped” me fill out my ballot even if Hillary Clinton’s handwriting appears all over the form.
I urge extreme caution. Moving forward with a plan that costs taxpayers a million dollars in taxpayer funds is economically troubling as well.
Moving the primary to July might make a lot more sense.
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Warner also points out that it will take quite a while to receive and tabulate absentee ballots. If results aren’t known for weeks, even more suspicion will arise and conspiracy theories will abound.
We all remember the “old days” when politicos withheld results from controlled precincts until they knew exactly how many votes they needed to win.
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Hearing the soothing sounds of Vince Gill and Amy Grant Saturday night from the stage of the Grand Ole Opry was a comforting reassurance that life DOES go on.
The new Circle TV Channel that reminds one of the old Nashville Network brought them and their daughters into our living room live and in color. We could behold their performance before an empty Opry House in Nashville.
The virus will not beat us, thanks be to God and President Trump. Not necessarily in that order. We WILL be okay, folks.
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I mentioned in a brief this week that AFL/CIO and UMWA PAC endorsements are out. So, too, are West Virginians for Life and the Automobile Dealers Association, among others.
As usual, endorsements add enthusiasm for those who get them and often puzzlement for those who do not.
I mentioned that the level-headed Amy Nichole Grady won the AFL nod over the two opponents who are vying for the title of Mr. Conservative 2020. Grady is a Republican running for the seat of Senate President Mitch Carmichael. Delegate Jim Butler is the third candidate.
My theory has been from the beginning that Carmichael and Butler are so busy trying to prove their right wing credentials that the more moderate could slip to victory.
Carmichael should understand that Butler is going to get the far right vote because liberty Republicans don’t trust the Senate President. If for no other reason, he lost them when he played footsie with the Fairness Act proponents early in the 2020 legislative session.
Carmichael quickly backed up to stifle the bill but he had already caused disdain among the right fringe by even talking with proponents of the legislation.
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Winning the endorsement of both the AFL and UMWA is quite an achievement for Democrat Dakota Nelson in the 16th House District.
While the incumbents– Republicans Daniel Linville and John Mandt Jr. and Democrat Sean Hornbuckle — are still the favorites, the hard-working Nelson now has a shot at unseating somebody.
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West Virginians for Life, who many accuse of endorsing winning candidates more than devoted anti-abortionists, undoubtedly sparked controversy with one nod in House District 13.
The district has two seats, with incumbent Republican Scott Cadle being an outspoken pro-lifer who always has the group’s support.
For the second seat, the PAC endorsed the re-election of the other Republican incumbent, Joshua Higginbotham.
Although Higginbotham’s 100% pro-life voting record would seem to merit the RTL support, his conservative credentials are also being questioned in a year where “who’s the most ridiculously right wing?” is being tested.
Some in the ultra conservative groupings claim Higginbotham is too supportive of pro-LGBTQ+ legislation to be a true conservative.
That led Rev. Jonathan Pinson to announce his candidacy in opposition to Higginbotham. Many on the far right will argue that Pinson should have the Right to Life endorsement rather than Higginbotham.
Pinson was one of the pastors who grew frustrated with Carmichael’s seeming flip flops on the Fairness Act. So there’s some cross philosophies running in these south central West Virginia districts.
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Endorsements are being made in statewide races, which likely calls for us to update them.
Democrat Kanawha County Commissioner Ben Salango is getting union endorsements, as expected. It’s still my view that the race for that nomination boils down to Stephen Smith, Senator Ron Walters and Salango.
Smith may well still hold a slight advantage because of his hard work across nearly two years. The faltering of the Bernie Sanders presidential campaign may well have taken a little wind from Smith’s sails. That’s because Sanders and Smith supporters are largely idealists. They counted on Sanders being the presidential nominee.
The coronavirus outbreak actually helps Stollings most. His supporters were already touting his credentials as a 35-year practicing physician as unique qualifications for fighting the opioid crisis. Now, he is clearly the expert in the field of fighting this virus.
Stollings, also a 14-year state Senate veteran, did a podcast answering questions about the virus. More and planned, he told me. His knowledge shows through in a very positive way.
On the Republican side, I believe the race is still for second place. In my humble, but correct, opinion, Governor Justice was unbeatable BEFORE the coronavirus. Despite his babbling press conferences and long-winded prayers, he gains support by being the man in charge. He does somewhat manage to be reassuring in his folksy way.
Former legislator Michael Folk, a passionate conservative, and former Commerce Secretary Woody Thrasher are battling for number two.
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We’ll look at the other board of public works spots next week.
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In House District 65 there’s no confusion as to who’s conservative and who’s liberal.
Incumbent Democrat Sammi Brown spent considerable time on social media defending comments she made that were thought to target her Republican opponent’s business.
Brown, the liberal, made comments urging social distancing during the coronavirus crisis. She favored banning all non-essential services.
Brown’s challenger, Wayne Clark, owns the Locust Hill Golf Course in Charles Town. He and his supporters insisted Brown specifically cited golf courses as being non-essential, hoping to hurt Clark.
A few words from supporters spilled into many paragraphs of arguing on social media. Brown insisted she’d have the same view if Clark didn’t own the course.
This is the district formerly represented by conservative Republican Jill Upson. It will be a race to watch in November.
It’s safe to say Brown is far to the left and Clark is on the conservative edge.
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Kanawha’s 36th Delegate District presents intriguing possibilities as well.
There, incumbent Democrats Larry Rowe and Amanda Estep-Burton seek to return to the Eastern Kanawha seats. The other incumbent Democrat, Andrew Robinson, is running for state Senate.
Kanawha has largely escaped the Republican trends of the past decade. Even President Trump’s presence on the 2016 ballot did not produce the GOP bounce that occurred elsewhere, particularly in 36.
One of those seeking to fill a spot this time is former WCHS and WVAH weatherman Jim Barach. He has a lawsuit pending against Sinclair Media, owners of the stations, alleging age discrimination led to his discharge.
The race has to be called a toss up with seven Dems vying for the nomination. That includes Edgar Allen Poe’s little boy, Edgar Allen Poe Jr.
I’d make Republican Chris Walters, a former state senator, the favorite to lead the GOP primary and claim the third seat in November.
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All of these predictions are subject to change up to the Sunday before election day. They may also change if we begin taking votes from every man, woman and child who can sign his or her name or someone else’s with expertise. If that happens, Republican Brooke Lunsford becomes the gubernatorial favorite.
Contact Ron Gregory at 304-533-5185 or ronjgregory@gmail.com. Hear his political commentary each Monday at 7 a.m. on the Tom Roten Morning Show on NewsRadio 800, WVHU, Huntington.