This article originally provided by WV Metro News

September 6, 2006

Blankenship's Money at Center of Political Debate

The debate over the upcoming election continues to focus on a man who isn't even on the ticket. Don Blankenship is again the center of discussion on MetroNews Talkline between two members of the legislature.

Bob Tabb of Jefferson County is one of those targeted in Blankenship's campaign to oust several members in the House of Delegates.

"A multi-millionaire with Millions of dollars has taken notice of Bob Tabb, just a dirt farmer from the eastern panhandle." Said Tabb on Talkline Wednesday. "I feel honored that he's going to spend tens of thousands or possibly a hundred thousand dollars in my race to buy votes in the 56th district."

Tabb welcomed the challenge, saying he has nothing to hide and would be willing to even debate Blankenship. He castigates the President of Massey Energy, saying he knows little about the eastern panhandle.

Blankenship’s efforts are focusing on voting records of Delegates that include "procedural" votes. These are votes that aren't actually up or down on an issue, but up or down on changing the House rules to discharge a bill that may be stalled in a committee so that it can be debated by the full body on the floor.

Most notable of these votes was one last session in which Delegates voted down a measure to discharge an abortion bill from the House Judiciary Committee.

Republican Mitch Carmichael says Blankenship is well within the truth when he points out those kinds of stands in the legislature to voters in a candidate's district.

"The people of West Virginia need to know that if an issue that is important to them gets assigned to a committee and doesn't ever see the light of day, the only way that bill or piece of legislation can come out of that committee is with a discharge motion." Carmichael explained on Talkline. "That is the same thing as voting 'Yes' or 'No' on that bill."

Carmichael sticks to his guns that Blankenship is only the messenger and those who fear him created their own problems.

"He's telling the truth and they're scared to death of the truth."

Blankenship, the CEO of Massey Energy, had pledged to spend more than three Million dollars of his own personal wealth on a number of selected races in the fall election.