Conservative West Virginia Group Spent $1M Last Year

A conservative group spent $1 million last election year as it helped boost Republicans into the majority in the state Legislature.

Go West Virginia Inc. revealed the totals in a 2014 tax filing, but didn’t disclose donors.

The nonprofit bought advertisements bashing Democrats, which helped Republicans clinch their first legislative majorities in more than eight decades.

Go West Virginia gave $355,000 to another ad-buying conservative group, Grow West Virginia, which does disclose donations. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Legal Reform gave Grow West Virginia $500,000.

Go West Virginia held a $25,000-per-plate January fundraiser. The nonprofit canceled a $100,000-per-plate fundraising breakfast in March after media outlets reported on it.

Honest West Virginians, a union-funded group, spent almost $1.4 million as the top outside spender for state Democrats last cycle.

Tennessee Governor to Headline GOP Event

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam is slated to headline an event next month for the West Virginia Republican Party.The party announced Tuesday that Haslam would…

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam is slated to headline an event next month for the West Virginia Republican Party.

The party announced Tuesday that Haslam would attend the GOP’s Path to Victory lunch in Charleston on July 24. The event will take place at the Capitol Conference Center.

Haslam was elected governor in 2010 and won re-election last year. He serves as the chairman of the Republican Governors Association, a group poised to spend money in West Virginia’s open race for governor in 2016.

West Virginia Senate President Bill Cole will also attend the event. The Mercer County Republican is running for governor.

Cole to Make Announcement Tuesday on Governor's Race

Republican West Virginia Senate President Bill Cole will announce his intentions in the 2016 West Virginia governor's race.GOP consultant Kent Gates says…

Republican West Virginia Senate President Bill Cole will announce his intentions in the 2016 West Virginia governor’s race.

GOP consultant Kent Gates says Cole will make his announcement Tuesday.

The first event will be Tuesday morning at the auto dealer’s Nissan location in Mercer County. Additional events will follow at the Capitol in Charleston.

Cole would be the first Republican front runner to enter the race. Congressman David McKinley and Attorney General Patrick Morrisey are also considering bids.

On the Democratic side, billionaire businessman Jim Justice has kicked off a campaign. State Senate Minority Leader Jeff Kessler has also filed pre-candidacy papers to run for governor.

Democratic Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin cannot run again because he is reaching a limit of two consecutive terms.

Tort Reform, Budget Showdown Among Top Issues for W.Va. GOP

Republicans will lead the West Virginia Legislature's lawmaking session for the first time since the 1930s.The 60-day legislative session starts…

Republicans will lead the West Virginia Legislature’s lawmaking session for the first time since the 1930s.

The 60-day legislative session starts Wednesday.

A national GOP wave this election also ended more than eight decades of Democratic rule in Charleston. Republicans will have a 64-36 edge in the House of Delegates and an 18-16 Senate majority.

Democratic Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin can veto bills, but Republicans only need a simple majority to overturn Tomblin’s vetoes. There’s a tougher threshold to overturn budget vetoes.

Republicans are looking at tort reform, deleting a business tax, repealing state renewable energy standards and potentially scaling back a law dealing with chemical spill protections.

Tomblin and Republicans also don’t agree how to fill a $195 million budget shortfall.

Ex-Florida Congressman to Speak to West Virginia GOP

Former Congressman Allen West will headline a West Virginia Republican event in two weeks.The South Florida Republican will speak at the West Virginia GOP…

Former Congressman Allen West will headline a West Virginia Republican event in two weeks.

The South Florida Republican will speak at the West Virginia GOP Eastern Panhandle Victory Reception in Martinsburg. The Sept. 28 event will showcase candidates in the Eastern Panhandle.

West is a retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel. He rode into office on a wave of conservative tea party support in 2010. He lost his first re-election in 2012 to Democrat Patrick Murphy, the 31-year-old youngest member of Congress.

West remains a fundraising powerhouse. His political action committee, the Allen West Guardian Fund, has $1.4 million cash in the bank. The group aims to elect minority and military veteran Republicans.

West is also a Fox News contributor.

W.Va. GOP Nixes Speaker Facing Federal Sentencing

Updated: August 6, 2014 at 5:58 p.m. The West Virginia GOP has canceled an event where a conservative scholar would have spoken four days before his…

Updated: August 6, 2014 at 5:58 p.m.
 
The West Virginia GOP has canceled an event where a conservative scholar would have spoken four days before his sentencing for federal campaign finance violations.
 
State Republican Party Chairman Conrad Lucas says the September 19 Victory Dinner featuring DineshD’Souza in Charleston is canceled. He says the event will be rebooked.

Original Post Published: August 6, 2014 at 12:47 p.m.

A conservative scholar and author will headline a West Virginia GOP event four days before his sentencing for federal campaign finance violations.

A state Republican Party news release says Dinesh D’Souza will speak at the party’s annual Victory Dinner on September 19 in Charleston.

In May, D’Souza pleaded guilty in Manhattan federal court to getting two associates to make $10,000 contributions to Wendy Long. She lost the 2012 New York Senate race to Democratic incumbent Kristen Gillibrand.

D’Souza could face 10 to 16 months in prison.

In the news release, West Virginia GOP Chairman Conrad Lucas called D’Souza a warrior for conservative values and a brilliant academic.

As The Charleston Gazette reports, big names in West Virginia’s Republican Party expressed opposition to D’Souza’s visit during the Victory Dinner.

A spokeswoman for U.S. Rep. Shelley Moore Capito said that the congresswoman, who is running for U.S. Senate, will not attend the dinner and will not allow her name to be associated with it in any way. “Neither the campaign nor Shelley had any knowledge of the decision to invite D’Souza to speak, nor do we agree with the invitation,” Capito spokeswoman Amy Graham said in an email. State Republican Party field director Matt Dailer said D’Souza’s guilty plea was “a concern,” and referred questions to Lucas, who did not immediately return requests for comment.

A San Diego resident, D’Souza created the high-grossing documentary “2016: Obama’s America” that criticized the president.

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