Beckley, Bluefield & Lewisburg News, Weather, SportsWV lawmakers must not confuse special interests, constituents

WV lawmakers must not confuse special interests, constituents

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By Bray Cary, President and CEO - email

  • Local NewsLocal News

  • Tuesday, May 22 2012 9:09 AM EDT2012-05-22 13:09:50 GMT
    West Virginia American Water plans to re-examine providing support for local water projects under a proposed settlement with eight public service districts.    The districts had filed a complaint last
    West Virginia American Water plans to re-examine providing support for local water projects under a proposed settlement with eight public service districts.

  • Tuesday, May 22 2012 8:44 AM EDT2012-05-22 12:44:08 GMT
    The mother of a 3-year-old girl who vanished eight months ago this week is being sentenced for welfare fraud.    Lena Lunsford is scheduled to appear Tuesday afternoon in Elkins before U.S. District Judge
    The mother of a 3-year-old girl who vanished eight months ago this week is being sentenced for welfare fraud.

  • Tuesday, May 22 2012 8:38 AM EDT2012-05-22 12:38:57 GMT
    A federal judge says a former Wood County deputy violated a suspect's due process rights following an arrest in 2009. U.S. District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin on Friday overturned a federal jury's verdict
    Lawsuit claimed deputy choked and punched a man at the Wood County Holding Center after he was arrested.

  • Tuesday, May 22 2012 8:34 AM EDT2012-05-22 12:34:00 GMT
    West Virginia has agreed to pay $1.75 million to be a primary sponsor of the 2012 Greenbrier Classic PGA golf tournament. Commerce Secretary Keith Burdette said Monday that the agreement matches that
    Sponsorship provides the state with a luxury hospitality suite on the 18th hole, numerous tournament, concert and parking passes, guest rooms at the resort and other amenities.

  • Tuesday, May 22 2012 8:33 AM EDT2012-05-22 12:33:24 GMT
    The call came in around 11:15pm last night. 34-year-old Aaron Hamrick of Matheny was driving down Route 10 when he crashed his vehicle. The Wyoming County Sheriffs Department, Oceana Fire Department
    The cause of the accident is unknown and is still under investigation by the sheriff's department.

We live in an era of free, open and instant communication. Whether this is good or bad remains to be seen, but it's most certainly the truth.

Lawmakers in our House of Delegates have some pretty strict rules regarding communication via the Internet or mobile devices - rules meant to shield them from lobbyists during floor sessions.

But it also shields them from public input and when you cut off the voice of the people, you rob democracy of its currency.

Our lawmakers should know better than to confuse the special interests with the men and women they represent.