This article originally provided by
The Daily Mail
February 15, 2008
Beth Walker tries to explain ties to Don Blankenship in
Supreme Court race
by Justin D. Anderson
Daily Mail Capitol Reporter
At least two candidates for the state Supreme Court - Beth Walker and Menis
Ketchum -met with Massey Energy chief Don Blankenship prior to filing for the
election this year.
But Walker is currently denying a report that she's been "in talks" with
Blankenship about his support of her campaign.
And Blankenship, who spent millions of dollars in a successful attempt to unseat
former Justice Warren McGraw, says he may or may not even get involved in
anyone's campaign this year.
"I've talked to Beth, but I have not decided as to any involvement and will not
do so until after the primary," Blankenship told the Daily Mail this week.
The Shepherdstown Observer, a monthly magazine, reported this month about
Walker's association with Blankenship, and said the Charleston lawyer has been
"in talks" with the coal executive about whether he would support her in the
election.
Walker, the only Republican running for the court, said she's asking the
magazine for a correction.
"Anytime that I believe that something's been attributed to me that I have not
said, I'm certainly going to make an effort to have that corrected," Walker
said.
"I think that probably suggesting that my campaign is limited to talking to one
person is not accurate," she said.
Walker said Thursday that she did meet once with Blankenship at his Kentucky
office several weeks before she officially announced her candidacy.
Walker said she doesn't recall who initiated the meeting. She said she spent
most of the meeting talking about her views on the role of the court.
"I don't remember discussing support one way or another," Walker said.
Thomas Harding, publisher of the Shepherdstown Observer and author of the column
in which the blurb appeared, said today his magazine is not running a
correction. He said he instead plans to run a transcript of his interview with
Walker.
"In the context of campaign finance, I asked her if she's spoken to him and she
said yes," Harding said.
Walker said she has met and talked with many different voters and business
representatives in the state about her interest in becoming a justice.
"I welcome support from any voter," Walker said. "Any person who has a stake in
West Virginia's future."
Blankenship sparked controversy in 2004 when he waged an estimated $3 million
campaign to unseat McGraw. Most observers say Blankenship's support helped
Justice Brent Benjamin win victory that year over McGraw.
Justice Larry Starcher later said Blankenship's involvement in the race made him
want to "puke" and he alluded to Benjamin's seat on the court being bought and
paid for by Massey.
The recent surfacing of photos showing Blankenship and Justice Elliott "Spike"
Maynard together while vacationing in the Mediterranean has sparked more
criticism of the court's independence.
Greg Thomas, a political consultant who has worked with Blankenship in past
elections, said Blankenship met with Walker and Ketchum - a Democrat - and
Cabell County Circuit Judge Dan O'Hanlon, another Democrat who was considering a
Supreme Court run but didn't officially file for the election.
Thomas said both Ketchum and O'Hanlon initiated the meetings, but he said he
wasn't sure about Walker.
"I think they were just trying to gauge whether (Blankenship is) going to get
involved again or not," Thomas said.
Democrats Bob Bastress, Margaret Workman and Maynard also are running for
election. Two seats are up for grabs on the court.
Contact writer Justin D. Anderson at jus...@dailymail.com or 348-4843. |