And this is my other brother, Darrell...

Attorney General Darrell McGraw, the other brother of defeated Supreme Court Justice, Warren McGraw, continues to file lawsuits against out-of-state businesses, negotiate settlements, accept cash, set up trust funds and allocate the cash at his own discretion in direct conflict with the state’s constitution.

As a result, millions of dollars have been squandered on schemes that are blatantly apparent PR stunts meant to facilitate McGraw’s own re-election. This attention-grabbing farce stands to cost the state at least $4.5 million in OxyContin settlement money from an exasperated federal government fed up with McGraw’s malfeasance.

I suppose when the challenge to McGraw’s re-election arises due to his malfeasance we will all be accused of having it in for the “little guy”. You wonder why West Virginia and West Virginians get little or no national respect? Maybe its because we insist on re-electing clowns and crooks…

http://www.dailymail.com/News/200801170701

ohio county wrote:You wonder why West Virginia and West Virginians get little or no national respect? Maybe its because we insist on re-electing clowns and crooks…

You got that right.

And the reason is, ...... most West Virginians consider politics and/or elections ...... a "spectator sport", .......... just like the TV show ....... "American Idol".

Elections in West Virginia are no different than that TV show and thus should be called "Political Idol Preliminary" and "Political Idol Final", rather than Primary and General.


.

And the reason is, ...... most West Virginians consider politics and/or elections ...... a "spectator sport", .......... just like the TV show ....... "American Idol".

This isn't limited to WV.

I have frequently bemoned the fact that too many Americans treat elections as if they were football games.

From the partisan trashing of opponents and their supporters to the fact that they won't go to the game if they think their team can't win, it makes me want to fast forward to Feb. 2009.

This may also say something about our (as a country) sense of sportsmanship, also.

I read in the paper yesterday where the Feds are going to withhold 2.5 million Medicare money to the state over the oxycotton settlement. When ask he would be responsible for filling that gap on the money, McCraw told the legislature it would be there job to come up with the funding because he's brought in billions into the state in settlement money.

Aaron wrote:I read in the paper yesterday where the Feds are going to withhold 2.5 million Medicare money to the state over the oxycotton settlement. When ask he would be responsible for filling that gap on the money, McCraw told the legislature it would be there job to come up with the funding because he's brought in billions into the state in settlement money.

Well, he has, hasn't he?

ziggy wrote:

Aaron wrote:I read in the paper yesterday where the Feds are going to withhold 2.5 million Medicare money to the state over the oxycotton settlement. When ask he would be responsible for filling that gap on the money, McCraw told the legislature it would be there job to come up with the funding because he's brought in billions into the state in settlement money.

Well, he has, hasn't he?

I have no how much money he has brought in as an elected representative of the State of West Virginia or how much of that money he has spent in direct violation of the West Virginia constitution. Do you know how much money's he's spent illegally? A ball park figure will do.

ohio county wrote:Attorney General Darrell McGraw, the other brother of defeated Supreme Court Justice, Warren McGraw, continues to file lawsuits against out-of-state businesses, ...................................

[url=http://www.dailymail.com/News/200801170701

http://www.dailymail.com/News/200801170701[/quote[/url]]

And therein is the reason for the Daily Mail's angst.

Why is it that the current round of anti-McGraw ads is paid for, not by citizen and consumer groups who usually most bemoan so-called "crooked" politicians, but by the "WV Chamber of Commerce" and the "WV Business and Industry Council"? These Chamber and Council folks are not really concerned about a few million that McGraw distributed as per the terms of a Cpurt consent decree. Their real concern is that WV has an Attorney General who, using the state's consumer laws, dares to challenge the corporate crooks who otherwise operate with almsot total impunity.

Aaron wrote:I have no how much money he has brought in as an elected representative of the State of West Virginia or how much of that money he has spent in direct violation of the West Virginia constitution. Do you know how much money's he's spent illegally? A ball park figure will do.

What evidence do you have that he has spent any money "illegally"? As you asked me several months ago about someone else, has he been convicted- or even criminally charged- with doing anything illegal? If the WV Constitution was violated, it was by the Courts that ordered and/or approved of the various settlements and consent decrees. You can bet your butt that if he were violating the Court's orders, that the other parties to the various cases would be dragging his ass back in front of the judge and demanding that he be held in contempt of the Court's order.

This is not about any legal wrongdoing by the attorney General. It is about a corporate attempt to achieve a political lynching. And the Democratic legislature is more than willing to furnish the rope and a tree. But ain't a one of 'em even hinted at charging McGraw with an illegal violation of anything- 'cause they know that they are just blowing smoke up the public's ass.

ziggy wrote:

Aaron wrote:I have no how much money he has brought in as an elected representative of the State of West Virginia or how much of that money he has spent in direct violation of the West Virginia constitution. Do you know how much money's he's spent illegally? A ball park figure will do.

What evidence do you have that he has spent any money "illegally"? As you asked me several months ago about someone else, has he been convicted- or even criminally charged- with doing anything illegal? If the WV Constitution was violated, it was by the Courts that ordered and/or approved of the various settlements and consent decrees. You can bet your butt that if he were violating the Court's orders, that the other parties to the various cases would be dragging his ass back in front of the judge and demanding that he be held in contempt of the Court's order.

This is not about any legal wrongdoing by the attorney General. It is about a corporate attempt to achieve a political lynching. And the Democratic legislature is more than willing to furnish the rope and a tree. But ain't a one of 'em even hinted at charging McGraw with an illegal violation of anything- 'cause they know that they are just blowing smoke up the public's ass.

So you don't know how much money he's spent in violation of the WV Constitution.

Aaron wrote:So you don't know how much money he's spent in violation of the WV Constitution.

We don't know that he's spent any in violation of anything.

All we have are these politically based accusations before an election.

Again, if there are violations, why doesn't someone at least CHARGE him with illegality? All it would take is for someone to file a criminal complaint.

Aaron,

If you are claiming McGraw spent taxpayer money illegally, the burden is on you to prove it. It is nearly impossible to prove a negative.

If he violated the law then they show us where. Why is it this man gets no credit for all the settlement money he has brought to the state? Is he being accused of using these funds for his own personal use? Or is it that he has been using the money for the benefit of West Virginians and some pet projects feel slighted in some way?

ziggy wrote:We don't know that he's spent any in violation of anything.

Seems the federal government has some questions, enogh so to possibly withhold medicare funding from the state to offset his violations. At least that's how I took thier withholding 2.5 million dollars.

ziggy wrote:All we have are these politically based accusations before an election.

According to McGraw, yep. That's what he says when he drives around in his state van with his name splashed all over the side doling out all his trinkets and what not's paid for with settlement money every election year. He says that are politically based accusations every year, not just election years.

ziggy wrote:Again, if there are violations, why doesn't someone at least CHARGE him with illegality? All it would take is for someone to file a criminal complaint.

I don't know where you live but I know how things work in the West Virginia I live.

My last question would be, do you ever have to pave the yellow brick road?

Aaron wrote:

ziggy wrote:We don't know that he's spent any in violation of anything.

Seems the federal government has some questions, enogh so to possibly withhold medicare funding from the state to offset his violations.

What violations? The feds are not alledging any violations of anything- only that the flow of part of the $$$$ from the oxycontin settlement went somewhere other than where they think it should have gone, as relates to the formula for Medicaid funds distribution from the feds. They are not charging any illegality or violations of anything- only possibly adjusting the federal disbursement to WV to reflect their opinion that funds were received by the state of WV that would affect the distributions formula accordingly.

ziggy wrote:All we have are these politically based accusations before an election.

(Aaron)According to McGraw, yep. That's what he says when he drives around in his state van with his name splashed all over the side doling out all his trinkets and what not's paid for with settlement money every election year. He says that are politically based accusations every year, not just election years.

And where does Gov. Joe Manchin get the $$$ to pay for the photographer that follows him everywhere- and to mail every photograph taken of him with the people in it, and to the hometown newspapers of those people? Are you as outraged about that as you seem to be about cheap trickets? And look at the Gov.'s car the next time you see him. Big ole' fancy thing- sometimes a limozine, sometimes a big Chevrolet Suburban. And guess what's splashed on the side of it? At least McGraw uses a mini-van. But I agree, it's tacky for both of them- both McGraw and Manchin.

ziggy wrote:Again, if there are violations, why doesn't someone at least CHARGE him with illegality? All it would take is for someone to file a criminal complaint.

I don't know where you live but I know how things work in the West Virginia I live.

You mean to tell me that a criminal charge wouldn't do more to hurt McGraw politically than all the propaganda that the Chamber and Bidco generate?

Let ole' Steve Roberts down at the Chamber of Commerce sign a criminal complaint and put his crdbibility where his mouth is. I betcha he won't do it. 'Cause he knows that all he's got is hot air.

So would this be the thread to discuss your obvious bias or what that be me changing the subject again?

Aaron wrote:So would this be the thread to discuss your obvious bias or what that be me changing the subject again?

I have never denied being biased.

Do you deny that you are biased?

I like Darrell McGraw.

I don't care much for either Jay Rockefeller nor Robert Byrd.

How much more discussion do we want? Bring it on.

ziggy wrote:

Aaron wrote:So would this be the thread to discuss your obvious bias or what that be me changing the subject again?

I have never denied being biased.

Do you deny that you are biased?

I like Darrell McGraw.

I don't care much for either Jay Rockefeller nor Robert Byrd.

How much more discussion do we want? Bring it on.

Your bias clouds your judgement.

And your bias doesn't cloud your judgement?

Some but not as much as your does.

Or maybe I am just in less denial about how my biases cloud my judgement than you are.

Nah, that's not it...

What evidence do you have that he has spent any money "illegally"?

My informed opinion that only the Legislature is empowered to spend money.

If he violated the law then they show us where. Why is it this man gets no credit for all the settlement money he has brought to the state? Is he being accused of using these funds for his own personal use? Or is it that he has been using the money for the benefit of West Virginians and some pet projects feel slighted in some way?

He has no authority to spend the money regardless to whom the benefit redounds. Oh, he’s gotten credit alright. The weak-willed and those who do not respect the rule of law love the fact that this loose cannon is filing lawsuits, banking the settlements, and spending the money on knicknacks. Do you know where he spent the money? I think I know you well enough to know that you would disapprove. I don’t have any ambition to speak for you. You do fine on your own. I do wish you would look into the particulars before you choose sides.

That the law enforcement powers-that-be have surrendered to the cult of the McGraw’s demagoguery doesn’t make it right. And why would you throw in the “before the election.”? It’s always before some election. If Warren McGraw abuses his power before an election I cannot make note of it? Sorry. I don’t care when he usurps the power of the duly-elected Legislature. I’m going to sing like a methane-addled canary. This son-of-a-bitch has no spending authority and he has overstepped his bounds for the sole purpose of insuring his own re-election.

Thanks for the wake-up call. You can find my alarms in every newspaper that will print them.

ohio county wrote:

What evidence do you have that he has spent any money "illegally"?

My informed opinion that only the Legislature is empowered to spend money.

If he violated the law then they show us where. Why is it this man gets no credit for all the settlement money he has brought to the state? Is he being accused of using these funds for his own personal use? Or is it that he has been using the money for the benefit of West Virginians and some pet projects feel slighted in some way?

He has no authority to spend the money regardless to whom the benefit redounds. Oh, he’s gotten credit alright. The weak-willed and those who do not respect the rule of law love the fact that this loose cannon is filing lawsuits, banking the settlements, and spending the money on knicknacks. Do you know where he spent the money? I think I know you well enough to know that you would disapprove. I don’t have any ambition to speak for you. You do fine on your own. I do wish you would look into the particulars before you choose sides.

That the law enforcement powers-that-be have surrendered to the cult of the McGraw’s demagoguery doesn’t make it right. And why would you throw in the “before the election.”? It’s always before some election. If Warren McGraw abuses his power before an election I cannot make note of it? Sorry. I don’t care when he usurps the power of the duly-elected Legislature. I’m going to sing like a methane-addled canary. This son-of-a-bitch has no spending authority and he has overstepped his bounds for the sole purpose of insuring his own re-election.

Thanks for the wake-up call. You can find my alarms in every newspaper that will print them.

First of all, I'd like to point out that I did not make any statement regarding the election. You're quoting my text, but later attributing statements of another to me.

I haven't got a whole lot of information about how all these settlement funds were distributed. My understanding is that a good portion of the funds from one of the settlements in question went to treatment centers for addicts. I'm more than fine with that. It's high time some elected official somewhere began treating drug addiction for what it is, a medical condition, rather than for what it is not, some sort of crime against the state or society.

Now we have the feds threatening to, or actually withholding money over this. What a bunch of bull. The feds threaten to withhold money everytime an elected official or body or state or local government makes any strides towards implementing policies and programs that actually work. They do it with education and transportation funds, why should we be surprised with they do it with medical care.

Would you prefer McGraw bring in less money to the state by not stipulating in some settlements how the money will be used? He certainly could. I'm just not sure that would be the best thing for WV or the people.

I haven't been in WV very long but I will say from what I have witnessed and read about our illustrious elected officials, McGraw is one of the best in the bunch. That doesn't say much, mind you.

I'm much more offended by the Legislator and the Governor of this state spending millions and millions of dollars on the renovation of a mansion with taxpayer dollars than I am the AG elevating his approval ratings with a couple of sales tax holidays. I don't understand why you feel so differently.

You know something I am oblivious of. Perhaps you'll share.

So you don't know how much money he's spent in violation of the WV Constitution.

I don't like McGraw. I think he is likely crooked.

That being said, your above words are like me asking you how many times a week you beat your wife.

TerryRC wrote:So you don't know how much money he's spent in violation of the WV Constitution.

I don't like McGraw. I think he is likely crooked.

That being said, your above words are like me asking you how many times a week you beat your wife.

I don't see the comparison.

I'm much more offended by the Legislator and the Governor of this state spending millions and millions of dollars on the renovation of a mansion with taxpayer dollars than I am the AG elevating his approval ratings with a couple of sales tax holidays. I don't understand why you feel so differently.

At least the Legislature has the power to make those allocations and the Governor has the responsibility to make them in accordance with the Legislature's stated desires. Would you also support expenditures by the State Tax Department with which you agreed? They, too, bring large in amounts of money for the state. The DNR sells hunting and fishing licenses. Would you be okay with their buying little umbrellas with those fees to put in drinks sold at state parks? For all the good those settlement funds are doing the state of West Virginia, we might as well not have them. Denying them to the State Treasury is a dangerous usurpation of consitutional power. The means of handling revenue and spending are delineated in the state constitution. I thought you a strict constitutional adherent.


You made no allusion to the timing of the criticism - another poster did. I am sorry for any confusion I may have created in putting all my thoughts in one place.