The Charleston Gazette - Politics

Barrack mugs plowed down under

webmaster@politico.com (Politico Writer) — Tue, 22 May 2012 00:18:35 -0400

Associated Press
Politico ContributorCANBERRA, Australia - Australian officials wanted to get rid of some commemorative mugs that misspelled President Barack Obama’s name. And boy, did they ever. A Parliame...

Karzai blows top over Rohrabacher

webmaster@politico.com (Politico Writer) — Tue, 22 May 2012 06:34:21 -0400

MJ Lee
Politico ContributorAfghan President Hamid Karzai says Rep. Dana Rohrabacher will be banned from entering his country until the congressman “changes his tongue” and stops criticizing Afghanistan...

Prof.: Dont hang up on pollsters

webmaster@politico.com (Politico Writer) — Tue, 22 May 2012 07:21:13 -0400

Patrick Gavin
Politico ContributorCollege professors probably look at students these days and think, Boy, they seem to be on their phones all day long. One professor thinks that’s a good thing: Henry Brady,...

Water company to reconsider project funding cuts

rustymarks@wvgazette.com (Rusty Marks) — Mon, 21 May 2012 23:45:00 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Officials for West Virginia American Water have agreed to take another look at funding local water projects. Last summer, water company officials slashed funding for public-private water partnerships all over the state, saying b...

W.Va. to be major sponsor of Greenbrier Classic

philk@wvgazette.com (Phil Kabler) — Mon, 21 May 2012 18:06:28 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- West Virginia has locked in an agreement to be a primary sponsor of the 2012 Greenbrier Classic PGA golf tournament at the same amount it paid to be a 2011 tournament sponsor: $1.75 million, Commerce Secretary Keith Burdette said...

Crossroads cash 5x Obama counterpart

webmaster@politico.com (Politico Writer) — Mon, 21 May 2012 00:11:15 -0400

Dave Levinthal,Robin Bravender
Politico ContributorBy its lofty standards, Republican super PAC American Crossroads’ April fundraising performance proved mediocre at best, but its frugal spending help it roa...

45 arrests at NATO meet in Chicago

webmaster@politico.com (Politico Writer) — Mon, 21 May 2012 07:16:11 -0400

Tim Mak
Politico ContributorAt least 45 protesters were arrested in Chicago Sunday during the protests marking the NATO summit, according to reports. Those arrested included members of Occupy Chicago and Occupy W...

Ex-Rep. Ford: Booker was right

webmaster@politico.com (Politico Writer) — Mon, 21 May 2012 07:36:39 -0400

Tim Mak
Politico ContributorFormer Tennessee Rep. Harold Ford said Monday that he would not have walked back New Jersey Mayor Cory Booker’s surprising comments criticizing the Obama campaign for attacking pr...

State could add hurdles to primary ballot

webmaster@ap.org ( The Associated Press) — Sun, 20 May 2012 11:48:27 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- West Virginia officials have several options if they wish to avoid repeating an outcome of this months primary election, when imprisoned felon Keith Judd attracted nearly 41 percent of the vote against President Barack Obama. ...

Pa. health-care company seeks gas drilling facts

webmaster@ap.org ( The Associated Press) — Sun, 20 May 2012 15:25:37 -0400

By Kevin Begos PITTSBURGH — Some people are absolutely sure gas drilling threatens public health, while others are absolutely sure it doesnt. By Matt Gouras HELENA, Mont. — Twenty-two states and the District of Columbia are backing Montana in its fight to prevent the U.S. Supreme Courts 2010 Citizens Un...

Statehouse beat: How much will it cost sponsors this time.

philk@wvgazette.com (Phil Kabler) — Sun, 20 May 2012 18:58:37 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Looks like the state Development Office is again poised to be a primary sponsor for the Greenbrier Classic PGA golf tournament in July. The question is, with Tiger Woods in the tournament field, how much will the cost ...

Europe faces difficult search for growth

webmaster@ap.org ( The Associated Press) — Sun, 20 May 2012 19:44:55 -0400

By David McHugh

WASHINGTON -- On paper at least, European leaders agree: They need stronger growth measures to help their economies expand out of their 2-year-old government debt crisis....

Obama: G-8 leaders put focus on eurozone crisis

webmaster@ap.org ( The Associated Press) — Sat, 19 May 2012 11:52:23 -0400

CAMP DAVID, Md. -- The United States and other members of the Group of Eight industrial nations agree that Europes financial crisis must be addressed with a mix of growth and austerity measures, President Barack Obama said Saturday as leaders g...

South Asia a rising force in global meth trade

webmaster@ap.org ( The Associated Press) — Sat, 19 May 2012 17:20:51 -0400

By Sebastian Abbot

ISLAMABAD -- Iran, Pakistan and other South Asian countries are a fast-rising force in the global methamphetamine market, with drug cartels thriving off the weak g...

Biden says he understands W.Va.'s frustration with Obama

(Staff, wire reports) — Fri, 18 May 2012 18:34:41 -0400

MARTINS FERRY, Ohio -- In a campaign stop this week across the Ohio River from West Virginia, Vice President Joseph Biden said he understands why West Virginians are frustrated with President Obama -- a frustration that caused a federal prison inmate...

Putnam Circuit candidate appointed to fill opening

(Kate White) — Fri, 18 May 2012 20:47:49 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin has appointed a Hurricane attorney to replace retired longtime Putnam Circuit Judge O.C. Spaulding until the November election. J. Robert Leslie, 46, is also the Democratic candidate for judge in this falls...

Woman sues Lincoln County officials over 2010 primary

webmaster@ap.org ( The Associated Press) — Fri, 18 May 2012 20:59:45 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Several current and former Lincoln County officials are being sued by a woman who claims she lost a 2010 bid for a County Commission seat because of ballot stuffing. Maria "Phoebe" Harless lawsuit says the defendants deprived...

Homeowners, counties want say in low-income housing projects

ericeyre@wvgazette.com (Eric Eyre) — Fri, 18 May 2012 21:23:45 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A state housing agency isnt giving homeowners and elected officials enough of a say in whether developers can build low-income projects in towns and counties in West Virginia, a Kanawha County official and Knollwood Drive homeowner...

Ricketts aide: Wright plan was DOA

webmaster@politico.com (Politico Writer) — Fri, 18 May 2012 07:09:40 -0400

Tim Mak
Politico ContributorThe head of the Super PAC that considered a proposal to attack the president based on his associations with controversial preacher Reverend Wright said Friday that the pitch was a non-s...

Mary Kennedy family slams media

webmaster@politico.com (Politico Writer) — Fri, 18 May 2012 07:21:44 -0400

MJ Lee
Politico ContributorMary Kennedy’s family is fighting to preserve the reputation of the late estranged wife of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. As details of her personal struggles and troubled marriage have co...

Boehner adds to pressure on Holder

webmaster@politico.com (Politico Writer) — Fri, 18 May 2012 10:41:41 -0400

Jake Sherman
Politico ContributorThere’s about to be a lot more pressure on Eric Holder from Capitol Hill about the Fast and Furious investigation. Speaker John Boehner, Majority Leader Eric Cantor and Whip...

Obama administration official defends $24M state router purchase

ericeyre@wvgazette.com (Eric Eyre) — Thu, 17 May 2012 13:54:27 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The Obama administrations telecommunications chief has praised West Virginia officials for their decision to spend $24 million in federal stimulus money to buy oversized Internet routers. The state is installing the r...

Edgewood Summit gets almost $9M for expansion

(Megan Workman) — Thu, 17 May 2012 17:36:48 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Edgewood Summit is getting a loan of nearly $9 million to help build a $12.8 million skilled-nursing unit and a memory-care unit on the Charleston retirement communitys property. The West Virginia Economic Development Authority au...

Postal Service to begin closing plants this summer

webmaster@ap.org ( The Associated Press) — Thu, 17 May 2012 18:03:05 -0400

By Hope Yen

WASHINGTON -- The nearly bankrupt U.S. Postal Service is moving ahead with plans to close dozens of mail processing centers, saying it can no longer wait for Congress to ...

4 W.Va. postal facilities to close

mackenzie.mays@wvgazette.com (Mackenzie Mays) — Thu, 17 May 2012 18:58:57 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Four U.S. Postal Service mail processing locations in West Virginia are among dozens nationwide that will close by early next year after consolidating with other centers, Postal Service officials announced Thursday. Centers in Blu...

Figures show W.Va. coal jobs up under Obama

kward@wvgazette.com (Ken Ward Jr.) — Thu, 17 May 2012 20:48:06 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- As West Virginia political leaders prepare for another round of attacks on the Obama administrations coal policies, state data show the number of mining jobs is at its highest level in nearly 20 years. Figures from multipl...

Reports: Mary Kennedy hanged herself

webmaster@politico.com (Politico Writer) — Thu, 17 May 2012 06:46:33 -0400

MJ Lee
Politico ContributorRobert F. Kennedy Jr.’s estranged wife, Mary Richardson Kennedy, committed suicide by hanging herself at her Westchester home, multiple media outlets are reporting. The 52-year-ol...

Blogs ponder possible Walker win

webmaster@politico.com (Politico Writer) — Thu, 17 May 2012 11:14:48 -0400

Tim Mak
Politico ContributorWisconsin Gov. Scott Walker’s recall election is heating up, with progressives in the blogosphere scowling at the governor’s early release of employment numbers to aid his c...

Dems look to Calif. to retake House

webmaster@politico.com (Politico Writer) — Thu, 17 May 2012 23:33:58 -0400

Alex Isenstadt
Politico ContributorNo state figures more prominently in Democratic plans to retake the House than bright blue California. With 25 seats separating them from the speaker’s gavel, Democrats ha...

State council asks firms to reveal broadband expansion plans

ericeyre@wvgazette.com (Eric Eyre) — Wed, 16 May 2012 23:45:00 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The state Broadband Deployment Council is asking telecommunication companies to disclose their specific plans for expanding high-speed Internet in West Virginia.

The council hop...

World leaders set for busy U.S. weekend of summitry

webmaster@ap.org ( The Associated Press) — Wed, 16 May 2012 19:35:00 -0400

By Julie Pace

WASHINGTON -- More than two dozen world leaders will join President Obama in an extraordinary weekend of back-to-back summits to tackle Europes mounting economic woes a...

More double-dipping state workers found

philk@wvgazette.com (Phil Kabler) — Wed, 16 May 2012 13:00:00 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A legislative audit released Wednesday has uncovered double dipping by retired state employees in another state agency, the state Development Office. The audit found that the Development Office retained three employees who retired in ...

Seniors needs grow but aid lags

philk@wvgazette.com (Phil Kabler) — Wed, 16 May 2012 13:00:00 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- In 10 years, the budget of the state Bureau for Senior Services has grown from $55.5 million in 2003-04 to $93.1 million for the coming fiscal year -- but hasnt kept pace with the need to provide services for the states growing elderl...

W.H. says clean coal has future

webmaster@politico.com (Politico Writer) — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:25:36 -0400

Darius Dixon
Politico ContributorThe Obama administration still sees a future for coal, White House energy adviser Heather Zichal said Tuesday. Coal has been “a crucial energy source in the past. It’s...

Congress passes the Sedition Act, May 16, 1918

webmaster@politico.com (Politico Writer) — Wed, 16 May 2012 04:22:11 -0400

Andrew Glass
Politico ContributorOn this day in 1918, Congress extended the Espionage Act of 1917 to cover a broad range of spoken or written offenses, including the use of “disloyal, profane, scurrilous or ...

Poll: Romney-Christie a loser in N.J.

webmaster@politico.com (Politico Writer) — Wed, 16 May 2012 07:16:18 -0400

Tim Mak
Politico ContributorGov. Chris Christie (R-N.J.) would not be able to deliver the Garden State if he were chosen as Mitt Romney’s vice-presidential pick, a new survey shows. Without running mates, R...

Setting fiscal facts straight

webmaster@politico.com (Politico Writer) — Wed, 16 May 2012 23:48:32 -0400

Sen. Jon Kyl,Sen. Rob Portman,Sen. Pat Toomey
Politico ContributorAn Opinion piece by Sen. Patty Murray, “In budget debate, ‘past is prologue’” (POLITICO, May 16), correctly noted that R...

IRS rule could make W.Va. employees wait longer to retire

philk@wvgazette.com (Phil Kabler) — Tue, 15 May 2012 23:45:00 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Attorneys for the state Consolidated Public Retirement Board are trying to determine whether a pending Internal Revenue Service regulation will prevent state and public school employees from retiring before age 62, the retireme...

Lawmakers chafe at restrictions on veterans signs

philk@wvgazette.com (Phil Kabler) — Tue, 15 May 2012 23:45:00 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- An executive order from Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin limiting wording on Division of Highways signs memorializing state military veterans drew the ire of legislators Tuesday. The order, designed to bring West Virginia into compliance wit...

Consumer protection office opens in Martinsburg

webmaster@ap.org ( The Associated Press) — Tue, 15 May 2012 13:00:00 -0400

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. -- West Virginias attorney generals office has opened a consumer protection office in Martinsburg to serve the Eastern Panhandle. Opened Tuesday, the office will link residents in that part of the state with consumer protection advocate...

Gas inspector hiring prompts grievance from DEP veterans

webmaster@ap.org ( The Associated Press) — Tue, 15 May 2012 19:37:42 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The push to hire new inspectors for West Virginias Marcellus Shale natural gas reserve has prompted an outcry among veteran regulators, with 20 Department of Environmental Protection inspectors filing grievances this month. More...

$8M sought to renovate W.Va. agriculture lab

webmaster@ap.org ( The Associated Press) — Mon, 14 May 2012 17:19:38 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The West Virginia agency that tests food and farming products says it needs $8 million to renovate its laboratory.

A House-Senate interim committee agre...

Lawmakers quiz juvenile justice chief

webmaster@ap.org ( The Associated Press) — Mon, 14 May 2012 17:22:19 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- West Virginia lawmakers are pressing a state agency for answers in the wake of a lawsuit alleging illegal policies at a juvenile detention center.

Divis...

Greek, European woe could cause problems for U.S.

webmaster@ap.org ( The Associated Press) — Mon, 14 May 2012 18:17:46 -0400

By Bradley Klapper and David McHugh

WASHINGTON -- Your 401(k) could sink again. A plummeting euro may make it harder for American companies to sell goods overseas. Credit could be ti...

Lawmakers list redistricting in topics for study

philk@wvgazette.com (Phil Kabler) — Mon, 14 May 2012 19:00:24 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Creating an independent commission for legislative and congressional redistricting and revising eligibility requirements for candidates on state election ballots are two of the 131 topics to be studied by legislative interim comm...

Many state inmates face parole catch-22

philk@wvgazette.com (Phil Kabler) — Mon, 14 May 2012 13:00:00 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- For some 1,800 Division of Corrections inmates housed in the states 10 regional jails, parole is not an option -- because they have no way to complete the required counseling, treatment and rehabilitation courses needed to qualify...

Broadband consultant invoice rejected

ericeyre@wvgazette.com (Eric Eyre) — Mon, 14 May 2012 23:45:00 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The State Auditors Office has rejected a $62,500 bill from a Fairfax, Va.-based consulting firm hired to advise state Commerce Secretary Keith Burdette and Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin on the states use of $126.3 million in federal stimulus f...

Judge strikes down union election rules

webmaster@ap.org ( The Associated Press) — Mon, 14 May 2012 20:11:41 -0400

By Sam Hananel

WASHINGTON -- A federal judge on Monday struck down new regulations governing union elections, saying the National Labor Relations Board did not follow proper voti...

Obama trying to undermine Romneys record on jobs

webmaster@ap.org ( The Associated Press) — Mon, 14 May 2012 20:31:23 -0400

By Ken Thomas

WASHINGTON -- President Obama tried Monday to tarnish Mitt Romney as a corporate titan who got rich by cutting rather than creating jobs, opening a new effort to undercut...