A lawsuit claims a Kentucky woman who worked for an automall owned by a West Virginia gubernatorial candidate experienced sexual advances and was paid less than comparable male co-workers.
The lawsuit filed by the woman last month in Cabell County Circuit Court targets Bill Cole Automall and Gregory H. Rorrer, general manager of the Ashland, Kentucky dealership.
Owner Bill Cole, West Virginia Senate president, is the Republican nominee for governor.
The lawsuit says the woman was “physically assaulted in a sexual way” by another employee.
It claims Rorrer didn’t act or acted too late when she lodged complaints. It contends Rorrer lied to other auto companies to keep her from getting a job.
Cole campaign spokesman Kent Gates says the company’s management and attorney investigated the claims and are confident the case is without merit.
Donald Trump's West Virginia campaign chairman says the GOP presidential front-runner will be visiting the state sometime before the May 10 primary.But…
Donald Trump’s West Virginia campaign chairman says the GOP presidential front-runner will be visiting the state sometime before the May 10 primary.
But Mike Stuart, who is also a former state Republican Party chairman, declined to say when or where Trump would visit. Stuart told The Charleston Gazette-Mail that the Trump campaign is committed to winning West Virginia’s popular vote as well as the delegate vote.
The popular presidential vote in West Virginia doesn’t determine how delegates are allocated. The determination is made by voting for individual delegates. There are 220 people running for 22 at-large spots to the Republican National Convention.
Trump can win up to 31 of the state’s 34 delegates, Ted Cruz can win as many as 30 and John Kasich can win a maximum of 14.
Every year the Governor’s State of the State address signifies the start of a new legislative session. It’s a time for him to introduce both his proposed budget and legislative priorities for the year. From education to jobs to infrastructure, a number of topics will be mentioned in the hopes of keeping West Virginia moving forward.
With the majority switch in both the House and the Senate, something the state hasn’t seen for some 80 years, the change in leadership may prove to be very interesting.
Incoming Senate President, Bill Cole and incoming House Speaker, Tim Armstead both agree that two of the topics they hope the Governor will speak about is the need for jobs and a better education system.
“The thing that I believe we continue to go back to is the need for jobs, bringing jobs to our state, and creating an environment that is conducive to bring businesses that bring those jobs,” said incoming Senate President, Bill Cole, “So I’d like to hear him talk about, you know, clearing the decks a little bit, working, you know, with us on the agenda we plan to bring, to bring those jobs.”
Credit Ashton Marra / West Virginia Public Broadcasting
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West Virginia Public Broadcasting
Incoming House Speaker, Tim Armstead.
Incoming House Speaker, Tim Armstead, says to attract better jobs, the state needs a better education system.
“Even if we create the jobs, and we don’t have an educated workforce that can fill those jobs, then we’re still not solving the core issue that we need to solve,” noted Armstead, “so I really believe that those two work hand-in-hand, a strong vibrant economy, and a solid educational system in our state are the two keys to really moving our state forward and keeping our kids here in West Virginia.”
Armstead says he also thinks there’s too much control on the state level of West Virginia’s educational systems.
“I would like to see much more of the resources, the effort, the control of our education system be back at the classroom level, back at the school level, be back at the county level,” Armstead said, “And so, I don’t know that there is a tense relationship, I wouldn’t say between our Legislature and our Board, but I do think there may be a difference of opinion as to where that control and those resources should be centered.”
Both say they are hoping to work with the Governor and across the aisle with Democrats to better the education system and the business climate.
Senator Cole hopes the Governor avoids using the Rainy Day Fund as much as possible.
“It’s there for a rainy day, but I don’t want to think that you know, one and two and three and four years of budget shortfalls qualifies a rainy day,” explained Cole, “At some point in time, we have to look in the mirror and say, wait a minute, you know, why are we continuing to have these budget shortfalls, we need to fix something else.”
Both Senator Cole and Delegate Armstead agree that change will need to happen this session for West Virginia’s situation to improve.
The Governor’s State of the State address will begin tonight at 7:00pm on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
The West Virginia Republican Party says former U.S. Rep. Mick Staton has died. He was 74.
W.Va. GOP chairman Conrad Lucas says Staton died Monday.
Lucas says Staton’s health had been declining and he entered the intensive care unit at a hospital in Winchester, Va., last Thursday.
Staton served one term in Congress from 1981 to 1983. The Parkersburg native lost a re-election bid to Democrat Bob Wise, who later became governor.
Congressional records show Staton had been living in Inwood.
He attended Concord College, now Concord University, and served eight years in the Army National Guard. Staton attended multiple state GOP conventions and one Republican National Convention as a delegate.
Staton served as vice president of Kanawha Valley Bank and as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s chief political adviser.
