StopPATH WV

Gosh, I just love political season!  Okay, I'm being sarcastic.  I HATE it!  So much disgusting schmoozing, it's enough to make your eyes roll back in your head, your head spin 360 and to begin speaking in tongues (hey, don't laugh, it gets me out of political fundraisers and functions)!

The first batch of campaign finance reports have been filed for the Governor's primary.  No real surprises there, but a few familiar friends.  Here in WV it helps to read the campaign finance reports before voting so that you can put your vote behind the corporation, oops, I mean candidate you want to run our state. 

Here's a news story about AP's analysis of the reports.  It pretty much checks out with what I got from skimming the reports, but just doesn't give the personal detail I like.  So, here's what I've dug up that I found interesting:

Tomblin's donors include:

Coal, gas & drilling companies, including Massey
The American Electric Power Committee for Responsible Government (yes, the irony here always makes me laugh)
West Virginians 4 Coal (sounds like a front group, doesn't it?)
Dominion's PAC
Other energy PACs
Charles Town Races and Slots (I thought they were a "casino" now?)
Now, here's where it gets really entertaining for us PATH opponents: 
Jon McKinney, PSC Commissioner
Jackson Kelly's PAC and a personal donation from our favorite drama queen, Phil Melick
Bill Raney & Chris Hamilton from the WV Coal Assoc.
a Charles Ryan Associates employee
and a personal donation from the owner of their little front group facilitator Brown Communications

Kessler's donors include:

Some oil & gas reps.
Consol's PAC
Dominion's PAC
AEP's "responsible government" PAC
Labor union
Health care employees

Tennant's donors include:

A ton of small individual donors
AEP's "responsible government" PAC
Chesapeake Energy's PAC
Insurance company PAC

Perdue's donors include:

A bunch of small individual donors
A whole bunch of State Treasurer's office employees -- either they really love him or they really love the idea of getting rid of him if he's elected Governor.

Thompson's donors include:

Teachers' unions
Labor unions
Jackson Kelly PAC
Quite a few donations from individuals employed by Waco Oil & Gas
Lots of attorneys
and, of course, those "responsible" guys at AEP's PAC

As far as the Republicans go, I only skimmed Ireland's.  The rest aren't raising serious money and probably don't stand a chance anyhow.  The only interesting thing in Ireland's report was.... wait for it.... the American Electric Power Committee for Responsible Government PAC.  They want to be sure they can own our state, no matter who wins!  Well, unless that AEP-bashing John Perdue gets elected...

Remember to vote, folks!