Manchin, others using public money to advance candidacies
Press Release

CHARLESTON – The West Virginia Republican Party today called on officeholders in the Ruling Party to immediately quit using public money to advance themselves and their campaigns through radio and television ads.

 GOP Chairman Kris Warner pointed to current thinly-veiled paid advertisements being aired at taxpayer expense that serve as little more than election ads, including a new one from Secretary of State Joe Manchin.

 Manchin has recently aired ads urging people to register to vote in what amounts to little more than a campaign ad at taxpayer expense. In fact, the ads are paid for by the West Virginia State Elections Commission, an agency on which Manchin is a member and which basically exists as an offshoot of Manchin’s SOS office.

 In the ad, Manchin declares, “This is Joe Manchin, secretary of state, and we’re making it easier for you to vote.” The only words not included are “for me.”

 Warner said the media should report to the people of West Virginia how many thousands of taxpayer dollars are being spent on the ads by Manchin and other Ruling Party officeholders.

 “Joe Manchin encourages people to register to vote. Darrell McGraw narrates an ad  regarding domestic violence. Roger Pritt urges people to ‘click it or ticket.’ But the real purpose of all the ads – all paid for with public money – is to promote the candidacy of the officeholders themselves – Manchin for governor, McGraw for attorney general, and Pritt for secretary of state, for which he will soon announce,” said Warner.

 “If that wasn’t the real purpose, these ads could be done just as effectively with an anonymous narrator giving out the toll-free telephone number or website information,” said Warner.

“Everyone from Bob Kiss to Earl Ray Tomlin to Joe Manchin, Roger Pritt, John Perdue and Darrell McGraw constantly abuse public money to run self-promoting radio or television ads under the guise of public service. It’s a despicable practice that needs to come to a stop.”

Added Warner, “We need a higher standard. We need to put a stop to members of the Ruling Party abusing their positions and their power. We need to hold them accountable. They should explain why they have such little respect for the taxpayers and voters of West Virginia .”