Nov. 22, 2010
Manchin Gets Yet Another Subpoena from Federal Investigators
By Huntingtonnews.net Staff
Over the weekend, the Charleston Gazette-Mail announced that they had obtained a subpoena that federal investigators used to procure records regarding Joe Manchin's 1996 run for Governor. Manchin ended that campaign in debt, despite spending over $2 million.
According to Gazette-Mail reporter Alison Knezevich, the subpoena was issued with the U.S. Department of Justice's Public Integrity Section, which leads federal efforts to combat corruption among public officials. That section sought in the subpoena "Campaign Finance Reports filed by the 1996 gubernatorial campaign fo Joseph Manchin III," directing the information to be turned over by Secretary of State Natalie Tennant to a grand jury by Oct. 6.
This subpoena is part and parcel of the same federal investigation into the Manchin Administration that has seen subpoenas dropped on the state's Department of Administration and the Aviation Division. According to the Gazette-Mail report, Manchin's spokesperson, Sara Payne Scarboro, claims that Manchin had "no knowledge" of this latest subpoena.
Manchin's willingness to push the envelope in his campaigns has been noted before.
For example, in the 2004 Democratic gubernatorial primary, Manchin, then Secretary of State,
was competing with Senator Lloyd Jackson (D-Lincoln). Jackson looked to be competitive,
at least in the voter-rich southern coalfields. That might explain why Manchin was seen
accompanying controversial Logan County Sheriff "Big John" Mendez, campaigning in a helicopter
in that race. Mendez later was found found guilty on corruption charges involving vote buying.
The nature of a federal investigation can still remain a mystery, but professional prosecutors for the U.S. Attorney's office are notoriously thorough.
"Sometimes you hear that the feds already have the information they need to nail someone but just want to add some support to their case with added information," said Jack Ellis, HNN's Senior Political Analyst. "Also, they can be busy racking up other charges on you so that when you're negotiating with them when they lower the boom, they have some smaller charges to give away. That way, they still get you on the main offenses."
"We don't know just where all these subpoenas will lead, but let's face it: this is the most wide-ranging investigation of a high-ranking government official since the days of Larry Tucker, Dan Tonkovich, and Arch Moore," said Ellis. "The feds have devoted a lot of time and money to this investigation."
"Campaigns come and go, but federal investigations continue onward," said Ellis. "The U.S. Justice Department isn't supposed to pay any mind to the fact that Joe Manchin has been elected to the U.S. Senate. They just keep following their leads, doing their job regardless, and that's what we pay them to do."
"If Manchin goes down after being elected to the U.S. Senate, it will be national news, and we'll have yet another special election," said Ellis. "Imagine that: one man costing the state of West Virginia not one, not two, but three special elections. Joe Manchin would go down as the state's most expensive Governor, that's for sure."
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Manchin Gets Yet Another Subpoena from Federal Investigators
By Huntingtonnews.net Staff
Over the weekend, the Charleston Gazette-Mail announced that they had obtained a subpoena that federal investigators used to procure records regarding Joe Manchin's 1996 run for Governor. Manchin ended that campaign in debt, despite spending over $2 million.
According to Gazette-Mail reporter Alison Knezevich, the subpoena was issued with the U.S. Department of Justice's Public Integrity Section, which leads federal efforts to combat corruption among public officials. That section sought in the subpoena "Campaign Finance Reports filed by the 1996 gubernatorial campaign fo Joseph Manchin III," directing the information to be turned over by Secretary of State Natalie Tennant to a grand jury by Oct. 6.
This subpoena is part and parcel of the same federal investigation into the Manchin Administration that has seen subpoenas dropped on the state's Department of Administration and the Aviation Division. According to the Gazette-Mail report, Manchin's spokesperson, Sara Payne Scarboro, claims that Manchin had "no knowledge" of this latest subpoena.
Manchin's willingness to push the envelope in his campaigns has been noted before.
For example, in the 2004 Democratic gubernatorial primary, Manchin, then Secretary of State,
was competing with Senator Lloyd Jackson (D-Lincoln). Jackson looked to be competitive,
at least in the voter-rich southern coalfields. That might explain why Manchin was seen
accompanying controversial Logan County Sheriff "Big John" Mendez, campaigning in a helicopter
in that race. Mendez later was found found guilty on corruption charges involving vote buying.
The nature of a federal investigation can still remain a mystery, but professional prosecutors for the U.S. Attorney's office are notoriously thorough.
"Sometimes you hear that the feds already have the information they need to nail someone but just want to add some support to their case with added information," said Jack Ellis, HNN's Senior Political Analyst. "Also, they can be busy racking up other charges on you so that when you're negotiating with them when they lower the boom, they have some smaller charges to give away. That way, they still get you on the main offenses."
"We don't know just where all these subpoenas will lead, but let's face it: this is the most wide-ranging investigation of a high-ranking government official since the days of Larry Tucker, Dan Tonkovich, and Arch Moore," said Ellis. "The feds have devoted a lot of time and money to this investigation."
"Campaigns come and go, but federal investigations continue onward," said Ellis. "The U.S. Justice Department isn't supposed to pay any mind to the fact that Joe Manchin has been elected to the U.S. Senate. They just keep following their leads, doing their job regardless, and that's what we pay them to do."
"If Manchin goes down after being elected to the U.S. Senate, it will be national news, and we'll have yet another special election," said Ellis. "Imagine that: one man costing the state of West Virginia not one, not two, but three special elections. Joe Manchin would go down as the state's most expensive Governor, that's for sure."
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Make HNN Your Homepage (IE Users Only)
