Free Republic

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- West Virginia Democratic Party leaders were fuming Monday over an email that urged people to call state Republican headquarters if they witnessed voting irregularities during today's election. The GOP email -- titled "Legal Update" and distributed statewide -- also called out Democrats for an alleged "long and sordid track record of illegal activity on Election Day." State Democratic Party Chairman Larry Puccio said the email unfairly tarnished all West Virginia Democrats, who make up nearly 60 percent of registered voters in the state. "This is craziness," Puccio said. "You don't attack the citizens. But that is exactly...

The American flag at the Follansbee McDonald's is flying at half-staff and upside down today. Someone at the restaurant told one of our reporters this was "the owner's decision." What are your thoughts?

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The federal government has denied Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin's request for individual assistance to help homeowners hit by a June 29 windstorm, Tomblin said Thursday night.

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) announced Tuesday that he will vote on Democratic legislation to extend the Bush-era tax rates. Manchin said he will join Democrats in voting to extend the rates for income up to $250,000 a year. The Democratic legislation would allow Bush-era rates on higher annual income to expire. Republicans want to extend all the rates for another year.  The vote on the Democratic plan is expected to take place on Wednesday.  "When considering these two proposals, I kept two priorities in mind: putting our fiscal house back in order and restoring fairness to the tax code," Manchin said...

Three high-profile Democrats from West Virginia are not planning to attend the Democratic National Convention in September. Sen. Joe Manchin, Rep. Nick Rahall and Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin have opted not to go to the convention in Charlotte, according to a West Virginia Democratic Party press release. President Barack Obama is not popular in the state, and in 2010, Manchin ran a TV ad openly attacking the administration on cap-and-trade. Manchin, who is on the ballot again in November and does not face a difficult race, had already said this spring he wasn’t sure he would vote for Obama’s re-election.

In a WaPo article by Rachel Weiner regarding WV inmate Richard Judd embarrassing Obama in the Dem primary, can anyone guess what she gave as one of the main reasons for this occurrence? Now, this is really difficult, and will surprise you.(sarc)

A Texas felon gave President Obama a run for his money in the West Virginia Democratic primary, beating Obama in several counties and winning enough of the vote to be eligible for at least one delegate at the convention, according to the Associated Press. Perennial candidate Keith Russell Judd, currently serving 210 months in a federal prison, is currently pulling down roughly 40 percent of the vote to Obama's 60 percent. Judd has caused problems in other elections as well. In 2008, Idaho Democrats were peeved Judd qualified for the ballot, with one Democratic official calling him a "yahoo prisoner...

West Virginia’s Democratic Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin said he is not endorsing President Barack Obama for re-election, saying the president “has apparently made it his mission to drive the backbone of West Virginia’s economy, coal and the energy industry, out of business.” Tomblin is running for re-election in the heavily Democratic and major coal-producing state this year. He won a special election for the governorship last year after Gov. Joe Manchin was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2010. “As a loyal member of the Democratic party and as governor for our state, I will continue to do everything I...