During a meeting with Gazette editors earlier this week, Senate 8th District candidate Chris Walters was asked whether he supported adding sexual orientation to West Virginia’s hate crime law.
Walters, a Republican, answered, “Yes.”
His opponent, Democrat Joshua Martin, answered the same.
The question was one of several posed by Gazette editors in rapid-fire fashion.
After the meeting, Martin accused Walters of lying, and Martin’s campaign manager emailed the Gazette a survey from the West Virginia Family Foundation. The group asked candidates whether they supported “making the homosexual lifestyle as a civil rights status to be included in the West Virginia Human Rights Act.” Walters responded that he opposed such legislation.
So two questions — virtually identical — two different answers.
I talked to Chris Walters on the telephone today. He’s down in Austin for tomorrow night’s WVU/Texas game. He said he filled out the Family Foundation survey in May, and didn’t recall Gazette editors asking the question at issue — the editors asked a flurry of questions.
Walters said he does not support legislation that would single out gays.
“A hate crime can be performed against anybody,” Walters told me. “I’d like to reopen the law, and look at it in totality instead of a peg board type approach.
“I wouldn’t just add one group, one group, one group. I would just rework the law in total.”
Walters said he was not trying to mislead the Gazette’s editors, who endorse candidates.
“I wasn’t trying to lie to anybody,” he said. “I apologize.”
The Senate 8th race made headlines last week, after Martin accused Walters’ campaign of distributing a copies of sexually explicit comments made on a pro wrestling website message board a decade ago. The comments, which degraded teen girls and the mentally handicapped, were posted under the Martin’s former wrestling alias, “Silver Bullet Chris Sterling.” Martin said six writers who worked for the wrestling show had penned the offensive posts.

I wrote an article today about the West Virginia State Police purchasing 550 protective screens for trooper cruisers. Former state police Superintendent Dave Lemmon directed that the security screens be installed in the trooper fleet in 2006. Former Gov. Joe Manchin, however, put a stop to that. Manchin argued that the protective screens should be optional, not mandatory. Manchin said he received an “overwhelming” number of complaints about the screens, which troopers said obstructed their view while backing up. At one point, as the story goes, a trooper picked up Manchin in a cruiser equipped with one of the screens in the Morgantown-Fairmont area, drove the governor to his destination, and Manchin decided then and there that troopers should have the final say on the barriers.

The issue over the merits of protective screens was recently brought up again after two troopers were shot in the back of the head by a suspect in custody in the back seat of a cruiser. Both officers died. The vehicle did not have a protective screen. The screens purchased in 2006 were wire “cages” that came with polycarbonate “spit shields” that covered more than half of the protective screens. The safety equipment was not bulletproof.

Manchin, now a U.S. senator, called me this morning. He requested that his comments be “off the record,” so I’m honoring that. Suffice it to say he thought the article was insensitive. I also put in a request for Sen. Manchin’s comment yesterday, and his staff sent over a statement. I notified Sen. Manchin today that I would write a follow-up story, if he would like to make his comments public.

Here’s Sen. Manchin’s statement, in its entirety, from yesterday:

“As Governor, my priority was to make sure that our troopers had the best equipment, the best training, the best of everything – and we made significant investments in weapons like the M4, personal communications and vehicles so troopers could protect themselves and the public. When it came to the barriers, I heard far more complaints than positive comments. Troopers told me that they obstructed their vision and ability to operate in the car, and that they didn’t provide sufficient additional safety benefits. Working with the State Police, my Administration made the barriers optional for troopers, based on personal preference and experience – just like bulletproof vests.”

Meanwhile, I hope to know by later this week what happened to the 550 protective screens. Nearly all, I understand, that were installed were eventually removed within a two-week period back in 2006. Others were never put in. So where are they now?

West Virginia’s new office of minority affairs has a leader. Here’s the press release from the governor’s office:

Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin appointed Carolyn L. Stuart, Ph.D., to
be the Executive Director of the new Herbert Henderson Office of Minority Affairs.
The Office will deal with issues affecting minorities and will fund programs that
work to serve our minority groups’ needs. Dr. Stuart’s appointment became effective
Friday, August 31, 2012 and today Gov. Tomblin introduced Dr. Stuart to West Virginians
at a reception held in the Governor’s Office.

“I’m very pleased to announce Dr. Carolyn Stuart has joined my staff as the Executive
Director of the new Herbert Henderson Office of Minority Affairs,” said Gov. Tomblin.
“Dr. Stuart has devoted her life to helping others through counseling and mentoring
West Virginians in a variety of capacities. She will help address the concerns and
needs of minorities in our state, and I look forward to working with her.”

Dr. Stuart, a West Virginia native, was born in McDowell County. She received a
Bachelor of Arts in Social Sciences from Bluefield State College, a Master of Arts
in Counseling from Marshall University, and a Ph.D. in Counselor Education from
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Her diverse background includes
experience in higher education, counseling, project development, mediation and consulting
in the area of cultural diversity.

The state regional jails authority has appointed a new COO…Here’s the press release:

Carl Aldridge has been named the new Chief of Operations for the West Virginia Regional Jail and Correctional Facility Authority. Mr. Aldridge has been an employee with the Authority since June of 1993 when he began his career as a Correctional Officer I at the South Central Regional Jail. There he was promoted to Corporal in October of 1995 and then Sergeant in February 2001. Mr. Aldridge’s career continued its upward path at the Western Regional Jail where he became First Sergeant in 2003 and Lieutenant in 2007. As Mr. Aldridge takes this next step forward into his role as Chief of Operations, the first hand experience and knowledge he gained in his almost twenty years of working his way up the ranks within the jail system will be invaluable to the entire division. He is scheduled to begin his duties in mid- September and complete his transition from the Western Regional Jail to the Central Office by early October.

Earlier this week, the Gazette published stories about the son of state Homeland Security Director Jimmy Gianato being paid through a $126.3 million federal stimulus grant that Gianato oversees.

Alexander Utility Engineering of San Antonio hired Gianato’s son, Adam, then billed the state $60 an hour for Adam Gianato’s work. The state Ethics Commission OK’d the arrangement.

Adam Gianato worked for AUE from late June 2011 through February, then became a full-time state employee paid through the federal grant. His entire salary is paid through the stimulus grant. Jimmy Gianato is administering the federal funds.

While combing through Alexander Utility Engineering invoices today, I stumbled upon an interesting invoice that I previously overlooked.

On June 6, 2011, AUE charged the state $240 to hire Adam Gianato. The invoice reads: “Work on set up hiring for Adam Gianato for WV BB [broadband] project.” Dan Banks, vice president at AUE, spent two hours on Adam Gianato’s hiring.

So not only did the state have to pay Adam Gianato’s wages at AUE, the state had to pick up the cost of setting up his employment.

Nancy L. Lilly, an administrative assistant who serves on the state “grant implementation team” signed off on the $240 payment to Banks.

Seventeen employees from the West Virginia Office of Technology will travel to Louisiana to help in the state’s recovery from Hurricane Isaac. The information technology employees will report to the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services. “As West Virginians, it is part of our DNA to help others in need,” said Gale Given, West Virginia’s chief technology officer. “They are committed to using their skills to help Louisiana’s children and families recover from this devastation.”  The West Virginia technology office employees will help Louisiana families and state agencies fix personal computers, local computer networks and card swipe systems, Given said. The 17 employees plan to leave West Virginia this week and stay in Louisiana for about two weeks. Louisiana has promised to reimburse the Office of Technology’s costs. More than 50 technology office workers volunteered to travel to Louisiana. “When we were asked to assist, our employees eagerly stepped up to volunteer,” Given said.

No surprise here, but Gov. Tomblin picks up NRA endorsement in gubernatorial race against GOP challenger Bill Maloney.

Here’s the press release:

The National Rifle Association has endorsed Governor Earl Ray Tomblin in the 2012 General Election for West Virginia governor. Tomblin also received an A+ rating.

In a letter to Tomblin, the NRA stated, “Your A+ rating is a reflection of your record on Second Amendment issues during your 38-year career in elective office. During your tenure in office, you have consistently proven your commitment to protecting the rights of law-abiding firearm owners and sportsmen in West Virginia.”

“Sportsmen and women play an important role in West Virginia, and I’m pleased that the NRA has recognized my support of them with this endorsement,” Tomblin said. “I am a strong believer in the Second Amendment and will continue to defend the rights of gun owners as governor of our great state.”

In particular, the NRA cited three bills Tomblin signed after the 2012 legislative session:

· Senate Bill 149 mandates police authorities return all seized firearms not being held as evidence in a criminal investigation to the lawful owner if able, and prevents the wasteful and expensive practice of destroying firearms that could be re-circulated through licensed dealers to the retail market.
· Senate Bill 353 expedites the process of purchasing a firearm for valid concealed carry permit holders by making West Virginia eligible for an exemption from the FBI National Instant Criminal Background Check System. It also further conforms state law to federal law and will lead to greater reciprocity for permit holders throughout the United States.
· Senate Bill 478 creates an apprentice hunting license that is available to West Virginia residents and non-residents alike.

Clay D. Chandler, the state official responsible for keeping track of West Virginia’s fleet of state cars and trucks, has resigned.  Chandler proposed a host of changes designed to keep better track of the state fleet. Chandler headed the fleet office for about two years. No word yet about a replacement.

My colleague, Phil Kabler reports today, that three top DHHR administrators have been placed on paid leave, pending reassignment. They’re apparently working out of their homes for now. The most recognizable name of the list is John Law, assistant secretary at DHHR. John has been a fixture at the state Capitol. I can’t recall ever attending a legislative meeting, during which a health issue was being discussed, where I didn’t see John. It will be strange not to see him at future meetings, but I certainly understand that the new acting secretary, Rocco Fucillo, has every right to move staff around and put his own management team in place.

A lot of people have gone the extra mile to help the state recover from Friday night’s storm, but perhaps no one has worked harder under pressure than state homeland security chief Jimmy Gianato.

The reason: Gianato is helping lead the recovery effort, even though his McDowell County house was destroyed by fire Friday night.

In a press release this week, Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin announced that Gianato’s house was “struck by lightning and burned to the ground.” Luckily, nobody was in the house at the time.

“Jimmy hasn’t skipped a beat,” Tomblin said. “He has been working around the clock to oversee the state’s recovery efforts.”

Gianato, longtime chief of the Kimball fire department, also previously worked for the state fire marshal’s office before taking over as West Virginia’s homeland security chief.

It’s remarkable that Gianato was able to continue help West Virginians recover from storm damage, while also dealing with the loss of his house.