Oct. 28, 2010
Manchin's Plane Records a Target of Federal Probe
Campaign 2010 Analysis: The Raese/Manchin U.S. Senate Race
By Huntingtonnews.net Staff
The heat has just been turned up several degrees higher on the Manchin Administration, with new federal subpoenas being issued on Monday. This time, published reports indicate that federal subpoenas were issued to the state Aviation Division Director, Keith Wood, and for records kept by the Aviation Division, including flight records.
Governor Manchin's office has confirmed the new subpoenas.
On the Aviation Division's website, their mission statement includes the following pledge:
"State owned aircraft will not be used for transportation when no State interest is served."
"This is getting very, very close to the Governor now, this federal investigation," said Jack Ellis, Senior Political Analyst.
"Up until now, there was a lot of smoke that made people wonder about Manchin's potential role in this ongoing investigation," said Ellis. "You had a lot of attention directed towards his former chief lieutenant and Chief of Staff, Larry Puccio, for example. But the Governor could still draw the curtain down and just let the focus be on Puccio."
"But now you've got the federal prosecutors looking into the state's aircraft records, and the guy who uses the planes and the helicopters the most is Joe Manchin," said Ellis. "So he certainly is feeling the heat. A few other state officials use the state aircraft now and then, but it's the Governor who uses the aircraft the vast majority of the time."
"So any investigation of the Aviation Division's records would naturally make the press
and public wonder if they're looking into the Governor's use of the aircraft," said Ellis.
What would the federal prosecutors be looking for in those records or in discussions with the Aviation Director, Keith Wood?
"The Aviation Division is there strictly for helping state officials to do state business," said Ellis. "If the feds find one instance of any state official using the aircraft for political or personal reasons, someone is in deep trouble."
"The fact that the Governor's own airplane records are potentially being reviewed by federal prosecutors is going to make voters nervous, no doubt about it," said Ellis. "It's not good."
"I've already heard people ask, "What if Manchin were to be elected to the U.S. Senate, only to have to leave that office in a couple of months as a result of this investigation? Then we'd have not one but two more special elections to go through--the one for the Governor's replacement and then another special election for U.S. Senate! People are getting weary of these special elections."
Share This Story:
Make HNN Your Homepage (IE Users Only)
Manchin's Plane Records a Target of Federal Probe
Campaign 2010 Analysis: The Raese/Manchin U.S. Senate Race
By Huntingtonnews.net Staff
The heat has just been turned up several degrees higher on the Manchin Administration, with new federal subpoenas being issued on Monday. This time, published reports indicate that federal subpoenas were issued to the state Aviation Division Director, Keith Wood, and for records kept by the Aviation Division, including flight records.
Governor Manchin's office has confirmed the new subpoenas.
On the Aviation Division's website, their mission statement includes the following pledge:
"State owned aircraft will not be used for transportation when no State interest is served."
"This is getting very, very close to the Governor now, this federal investigation," said Jack Ellis, Senior Political Analyst.
"Up until now, there was a lot of smoke that made people wonder about Manchin's potential role in this ongoing investigation," said Ellis. "You had a lot of attention directed towards his former chief lieutenant and Chief of Staff, Larry Puccio, for example. But the Governor could still draw the curtain down and just let the focus be on Puccio."
"But now you've got the federal prosecutors looking into the state's aircraft records, and the guy who uses the planes and the helicopters the most is Joe Manchin," said Ellis. "So he certainly is feeling the heat. A few other state officials use the state aircraft now and then, but it's the Governor who uses the aircraft the vast majority of the time."
"So any investigation of the Aviation Division's records would naturally make the press
and public wonder if they're looking into the Governor's use of the aircraft," said Ellis.
What would the federal prosecutors be looking for in those records or in discussions with the Aviation Director, Keith Wood?
"The Aviation Division is there strictly for helping state officials to do state business," said Ellis. "If the feds find one instance of any state official using the aircraft for political or personal reasons, someone is in deep trouble."
"The fact that the Governor's own airplane records are potentially being reviewed by federal prosecutors is going to make voters nervous, no doubt about it," said Ellis. "It's not good."
"I've already heard people ask, "What if Manchin were to be elected to the U.S. Senate, only to have to leave that office in a couple of months as a result of this investigation? Then we'd have not one but two more special elections to go through--the one for the Governor's replacement and then another special election for U.S. Senate! People are getting weary of these special elections."
Share This Story:
Make HNN Your Homepage (IE Users Only)
