Opinion

Special interests target WV attorney general

An editorial from the Parkersburg News and Sentinel

PARKERSBURG, W.Va. — Special interests are determined to regain control of the West Virginia attorney general’s office. They have spent millions of dollars in a campaign of character assassination against incumbent Attorney General Patrick Morrisey.

As might be guessed, those assaulting Morrisey include some of the same people who supported his discredited predecessor, Darrell McGraw.

Unable to attack Morrisey on the issues, the attorney general’s foes have resorted to a big lie campaign.

Let’s look at some of the claims being made:

* You may remember one allegation that Morrisey does not live in West Virginia. He does. Period.

* After being forced to stop using that claim, the attorney general’s foes jumped to Morrisey’s wife, Denise. She owns a home in Virginia, it was pointed out.

Indeed she does. She has maintained it so she can spend time there caring for her elderly father. He suffers from dementia and is in a care facility in Virginia.

* Perhaps the most incredible falsehood perpetrated by Morrisey’s foes is that he has not defended miners against President Barack Obama’s war on coal and affordable electricity.

That would come as a surprise to the Environmental Protection Agency, which has been forced by a Morrisey-led lawsuit to delay implementation of its plan to shut down even more mines and power plants.

None of the attack ads mention that the Democrat candidate for attorney general has donated $2,300 to Hillary Clinton.

* Morrisey’s foes claim he somehow is in league with the big pharmaceuticals companies that helped fuel the drug abuse crisis. Morrisey’s consumer protection actions have cost the drug companies millions of dollars. An initiative he launched against one could cost it hundreds of millions of dollars.

* Another item not mentioned in the attack ads is that Morrisey has been battling the substance abuse crisis, probably more effectively than any other state official.

Among his initiatives has been a best practices program against abuse of prescription painkillers. It has garnered endorsements from 29 major health care organizations, including the American Medical Association.

What about the attorney general’s office do the big-spending special interests want to change? Morrisey’s effective defense of coal miners? His meaningful fight against drug abuse? His active consumer protection department, which has netted more than $160 million in settlements in favor of West Virginia consumers?

Clearly, Morrisey wins on the issues. That, of course, explains why the special interests have resorted to lying about his character.

***

Today is the day we make our choice on this and many other races of immense importance to the Mid-Ohio Valley, our states and our nation. No matter which side of the aisle, no matter which side of the Ohio River, it is essential that registered voters get out to the polling places (if they have not already cast their ballots) and VOTE today.

The stakes are simply too high to stay home.

See more from the Parkersburg News and Sentinel. 

Comments are closed.

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

And get our latest content in your inbox

Invalid email address