Comments

William:
Facts other than McKinney’s pre-2003 donation patterns are also indisputable.
For example, you are a pay to play consultant who works for the state Senate and got your McKinney information from Senator Clark Barnes. It is also indisputable that Barnes is Scott’s biggest supporter.
That’s cool, but enough with the whole imaprtial observer routine. You need to be disclosing much, much more to be credible.
Moreover, if the GOPers weren’t always canibalizing themselves, there might have been some more decent candidates for McKinney to have given to back then.
I’m not sure how I’d vote, if I had one to cast, but saying both guys are good and then smearing McKinney is a cheap shot.
Also: Mike Oliverio a “liberal Democrat?” Not that I’ve ever seen.
Please reconsider what you’re doing on this site and how you present yourself. You’re doing the organization you purport to be helping a great disservice.

As a physician, I can’t be sure, but I think that Doug’s money probably went to candidates that he thought could help his colleagues in their quest to promote tort reform and solve other healthcare problems. I totally support Doug.

Carl

I find it hard to believe that Senator Barnes was somehow connected with the production of this information that was circulated. Even if he is a Mark Scott supporter, it does not warrant the correlation that he had something to do with producing this report.

I have read William’s perspective and Gary Abernathy’s perspective on the campaign financing of Dr. Doug McKinney. I do not believe that the information was a smear tactic. The information in question is easily accessible to anyone who has a computer since it is public record. The only result of the report is that it raised questions that everyone needs to consider going into this coming Chairman’s race. If we as Republicans are to make a decisive decision then we need to be informed and not ignorant of what qualities and what background the candidates personify.

That is why William took the time to send each candidate a questionnaire, so that we may better understand what the candidates stand for and what qualities they each poses. Otherwise we would take all of our information from rumors, hearsay, or who (insert politician’s name) favors. We all need to make our own decisions based upon knowledge and information rather than ignorance.

Oshel Craigo got money from me once because he supported WV State Medical Association legislation. However, Lisa Smith got $500 when she ran against and beat him. My favorite quote from Mike Oliverio, who must be a DINO, was “I haven’t left the Democrat party, they have left me”. We should be recruiting guys such as Mike rather than affording the D’s a good laugh.

Carl:

I wish to high heaven I was a “pay to play consultant.” Unfortunately I’m not paid to maintain this site and do not do it on Senate time.

Who cares where the info came from? Is it true? Yes. If you want to blame a Republican, blame the Secretary of State. All this data is available on her website.

How exactly am I smearing McKinney? Give me a quote from my article.

To say there were no good candidates in 2002 is laughable. Don’t forget McKinney supported Nancy Houston instead of Cindy Fritch and Tom O’Neil — both model Republicans.

The voters out there need to make a decision based on the truth. The truth is that McKinney supported Democrats running against Republicans.

Antonio:

Frich was the only delegate from her district who voted for the Innocent Prescriber Act. Delegate Houston, Beach and Marshall joined Hrutkay to vote “no” as this bill left the House of Delegates.

Adrian:

Thanks for supporting the truth!

Since my name is being used in the latest round of criticism of Doug McKinney, I thought maybe I should comment for the record.

As far as I’m concerned, that Doug McKinney game money to Democrat Nancy Houston when I was running at the same time in a multi-member House district in 2002 is not relevant to whether he should become Republican state chairman.

At the time, Doug was in the leadership of the state medical assocaition. His actions should be considered in that context, not in light of a present party election, four years later. In fact, I would consider his contributions as positives–he was acting in the best interests of the organization he was leading, fighting the fights he was tasked with on behalf of doctors across West Virginia. This is no reason to doubt that he would do any less as leader of the state Republican Party.

Since he has become a member of the state Republican committee Doug has not contributed to Democrats, to my knowledge.

The question is this: who is the better candidate for the job? Doug McKinney has a wealth of political experience, important relationships forged as head of the state medical association, a history of successful involvement in pushing solid legislation, and fundraising experience. I’m not aware that Mark Scott has any of those things.

This isn’t an election for student council–let’s get past the “Randolph County has a full ballot and Harrison County doesn’t” level of analysis. This is an election that will decide who the statewide (and national) spokesman of our West Virginia Republican Party will be. We should be thinking about who is going to be quoted in the newspapers–who is going to be appearing on Metronews Talkline–who is going to be speaking with the Associated Press, etc…. I would respectfully submit that Mark Scott is not up to that task, at least given his track record and his performance last May in Morgantown.

Mark should hang around the committee for a few more years, build some relationships, build some experience, and then try to take something like state chairman on. For him, at this time, jumping from Randolph County to statewide leadership of the party is just a leap too far, in my opinion.

Sorry…one last comment and then I’ll stop posting.

Mike Oliverio, Oshel Craigo, Even Jenkins, and Nancy Houston are hardly “liberal Democrats”

Cindy Frich (YES, F-r-i-c-h) a model Republican? WV Republican’s have sunk to new lows if they actually consider the ranting, raving and tirading Cindy Frich to be a model Republican. She is a joke in the House of Delegates to both parties.

Tom is right, and as for Mike Oliverio, he is no liberal democrat, in fact fmr. WVGOP Chair Kris Warner had asked him to switch parties on numerous occations…

BTW - Tom I hope you, your wife, and your new baby are doing well… Take care!

Jess your comments are both misguided and off topic. Your comments should “magically” be removed. I have witnessed Delegate Cindy Frich’s uncanny ability to read and understand legislation both quickly and accurately. I will not allow an armchair quarterback like yourself slander one of my colleagues. Since 2002, House Republicans have effectively piloted the way to a better West Virginia. During the last four years, Republicans including Delegate Frich have driven all major reforms or repeals including Medical Malpractice (2003), Workers’ Compensation (2003 & 2005), Tort Reforms (2005), Eminent Domain (2006), West Virginia Turnpike Rollback (2006) and Protecting Children from Sexual Predators (Spring 2006). The fact is, her personality may be agressive, however she can swim with the sharks and not only survive, as I’ve demonstrated….she prevails! In my book, Delegate Cindy Frich and the entire Republican House Caucus are true West Virginia heroes.

Craig…….you’re all heroes, except for Azinger & Evans. Those two voted to keep the food tax.

William:
The problem is that political consultants like you or Gary Abernathy can’t be impartial political observers — ever.
It’s not whether you’re paid to maintain the site. It’s that the clients you do have or hope to have affect what you’re doing. Even if you conciously try to avoid conflicts, they will occur.
It just won’t work. You should tend to your knitting. I hope your business succeeds, but your career path precludes you from impartial commentary.

I don’t know how things are in Randolplh County, but Harrison County Republicans are outnumbered 2.5 - 1. Just a few years ago we were 3 - 1. I have been part of the upsurge of the GOP in HC and Doug has been a big part of it. While we haven’t elected any local candidates(oh we did we had the surveyor run unopposed), Pres. Bush, Betty Ireland, Brent Benjamin and even Hiram Lewis(in a losing effort)all carried HC. Between 2000 - 2004 we had a net gain of 6,000 registred voters(GOP gained 2,000, DEMS lost 4,000). I feel Doug had a lot to do with it, especially when he ran for Gov. I realize a lot of other people had a big effect two among others Jay Wolfe & Elaine Daugherty. But Doug was not chairman, as Mr. Scott was. Also based on my work with the GOP here in HC, I’m not sure how much when someone wins it is because of the Chairman.
I think Mr. Scott is a good guy, but I think Doug will do the most for the Party at this time.
GOD BLESS
BUDDY

Have any of you “wizards” ever entertained the idea that this tussle for WVGOP Chair might be a set-up?

Think about it! Who is lurking on the sidelines, in the shadows, just waiting for a tie or unreconcilable draw? Who will then propose himself (or have someone else do it for him) as interim chair while he makes deals with his buddies to gather in the reins (and the purse-strings, especially, the purse-strings) of the WVGOP?

What an excellent way for a guy like Lawrence Beckerle to take over the state party.

Who said Mike Oliverieo was a liberal Dem?
He wanted to take choice out of the state platform.

Okay, sorry I see. It was you William. Craigo and Oliverieo. You are kidding, right?

Dan Foster, Virginia Mahan, Marshall Long, Sen. Robert Byrd and Jon Amores all recieved contributions from McKinney. They are all liberal. They are all pro-choice. They are all Democrats.

Carl: You are obviously confused so I will try to make this as clear as I can:

I am not a political consultant. I do not have any clients nor am I trying to get one.

I do not pretend to be an impartial news reporter. This is my opinion laced with news you will never hear about or that is overlooked by mainstream media. If you want to read the news without commentary, go somewhere else.

You forgot to mention where and how I was smearing Doug McKinney. I assume you now agree I wasn’t?

Debra: I admit it: Oliverio is not a liberal. I meant to take him off the list but forgot.

I don’t think JD Beane is liberal (in fact, he claims to be 100% Pro-Life) although I do question some of his most recent votes…

How are republicans to gain a majority in the House of Delegates when GOP ground forces spend their time defending democrats? Most particpants in the recent blogs have ripped apart republicans and/or glorified democrats. Keep promoting democrats and continue to reap the rewards of being last in everything.

Republicans,

You need to support more than your chairman. Try supporting your republican incumbents and candidates for the state legislature. Do you have any idea what the “conservative” democrat officials have done to this state? Quit defending them. You must not know what your good democrat senators and delegates have been doing in Charleston while you are patting them on the back. Your GOP House incumbents are fighting your battles while you stab them in the back. Keep it up and have nothing.

Tom is mistaken. The doctors abandoned the repubican legislators when they attempted real medical malpractice reform 5-6 years ago. Why? Because we donkeys are in power. Everyone kisses our ” “, just like you do, Tom.

We had to pass tort reform because all those silly republicans were elected 4 years ago. I don’t know how they managed to garner the votes; you republicans were supporting us democrats.

Tom, your guy was on the republican committee when he gave money to a democrat opposing a republican on the committee. That republican was also a family member of the medical community. We love that. Keep it up!

Bad ” ” Donkey

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