Talk about a bolt out of the blue - the Wall Street Journal had a story out Friday morning saying that the feds are investigating the finances of Rep. Alan Mollohan (D-WV). This surprises me. But since I don't have a subscription to the Journal I can only read about the story, not read the story. If he's been acting illegally, he needs to pay the appropriate penalty. I does strike me though as a heck of a political coincidence that this is coming out when 1) for the first time in years Mollohan has more than a hapless GOP challenger and 2) at a time when the GOP is in need of every possible corrupt Democrat to provide at least a flimsy bit of cover from stories on DeLay, Abramoff, Enron, etc. And what better symbol to convey that the Democrats are corrupt too than finding bad behavior on the part of the top Democrat on the ethics committee (since the Bush White House/Republican Party response to so many charges against them isn't to exonerate themselves - it's merely to note that Democrats are bad people).
I don't know where this is headed, but it could get interesting.
Posted by armand at April 8, 2006 11:02 AM | TrackBack | Posted to West VirginiaAnd apparently in the Friday Cook Political Report Amy Walter explicitly mentions Mollohan as one of the most vulnerable of a particularly vulnerable set of incumbents - those who haven't faced a tough race in a long time (she also mentions J.D. Hayworth and Curt Weldon - yes! - in this set).
Posted by: Armand at April 8, 2006 11:30 AM | PERMALINKI'm not much of a Mollohan fan (he is remote from the constituents, and not pro-choice) but his rebuttal (at the bottom of the page you linked) is pretty spirited. WV has been a R target...look at the stops they pulled out for Capito, and then W was here in our district this summer but showcased Capito, not the locals. WV is definitely in play.
Posted by: binky at April 8, 2006 12:09 PM | PERMALINKHe's pro-life and pro-gun and pretty close to the middle of the House ideologically (stuck between John Murtha D-PA and Jim Leach R-IA in the latest National Journal rankings, which puts him in the midst of such "moderates" as Jim Cooper, Dennis Moore, John Salazar, etc.), but from the groups I'm involved with both Mollohan and his staff seem quite willing to chat. But maybe they aren't very good at letters? :)
As to your point about his response - indeed. The US attorney has so far declined to even confirm there is an investigation going on, and there's LOTS here that makes it look like a political vendetta. And maybe it is. But whether it is or not - the existence of the charges make it seem quite possible that corruption is going to remain the dominant theme in national politics, and maybe we'll see more of it locally too.
Posted by: Armand at April 8, 2006 02:15 PM | PERMALINKI meant remote in that he refuses to get on board with email. .
Not that it helps, as in the instance of all the state reps I contacted by email, and none wrote back. Byrd and Rockefeller send actual letters, even to emails. Of course, they have more staff.
So, you gonna hook us up with some BEF paraphenalia?
Posted by: binky at April 8, 2006 03:43 PM | PERMALINKIf I even get any sure - but I haven't been to her meetings (or those of any individual candidate). Suppose I should add that to my "to do" lists.
And I'll be sure to let you know the next time the group is meeting with Mollohan or his staffers.
Posted by: Armand at April 8, 2006 03:47 PM | PERMALINKAnd, have you seen the cover of the local paper today? The giant headline above the fold (almost as big as "WAR IN IRAQ" or something is: MOLLOHAN ASKED TO STEP DOWN. No politics there. Nuh-uh.. No politics there. Nuh-uh. Posted by: binky at April 8, 2006 04:08 PM | PERMALINK
I eagerly await the "John Raese Loves God and Puppies" banner headline.
It's such a right-wing, Raese-owned rag.
Posted by: Armand at April 8, 2006 04:16 PM | PERMALINK