2018 WV Senate race: on Crime

Don Blankenship: Past criminal conviction not a barrier to running for office

In 2010 an explosion at a coal mine operated by Massey Energy killed 29 men. In 2015 Don Blankenship, the former C.E.O., was sent to prison for conspiring to violate mine safety standards. Blankenship is one of 4 Republicans with criminal convictions running for office this year, several of whom may well win their party's nominations. There is a much broader list of Republican politicians facing credible accusations of huge ethical lapses who nonetheless emerged victorious in G.O.P. primaries. Source: N.Y. Times on 2018 West Virginia Senatorial race Mar 26, 2018

Patrick Morrisey: More funding, more equipment, more hiring for state police

@MorriseyWV on Feb 15: WV badly erred when it failed to fund state police trooper classes. While that is now being remedied in the short term (thank you) the broader crisis regarding lack of enforcement personnel needs to be addressed. I call on the Speaker to focus on this and help save lives.
@MorriseyWV on Feb 15: WV isn't doing enough to stop drug abuse. It's time @wvlegislature agrees to an enforcement surge and equips State Police, prosecutors, and AG with more investigators, prosecutors, and troopers. No midnight highway patrols to go after drug dealers? It's literally criminal. #wvag
@MorriseyWV on Feb 17: It may be a very busy week for the AG's office enforcing the laws of our state. I urge everyone to follow the law--no one is above the law. Do the right thing!

Source: Twitter posting on 2018 West Virginia Senate race Feb 18, 2018

Patrick Morrisey: Tougher sentences for drug kingpins

Morrisey created the state's first ever substance abuse fighting unit, and his office reached the largest settlement with pharmaceutical distributors in the state's history. He also ramped up the state's educational efforts to fight substance abuse. He w Source: 2018 West Virginia Senatorial website PatrickMorrisey.com Oct 1, 2017

Paula Jean Swearengin: End mandatory minimum sentencing

Judicial discretion has eroded due to the politicization of law enforcement. Loss of discretion means that judges are compelled to deliver sentences that are often harsher than the crime committed. If discretion is given back to the courts, judges may have greater latitude in delivering a sentence that gives an individual in the system a chance to get his or her life back on track, rather than waste away in prison for years. Source: 2018 West Virginia Senate campaign website PaulaJean2018.com Jul 17, 2017

Evan Jenkins: Tough on crime, but open to reforms

I'm tough on crime. I think people have responsibilities and they should be held accountable, but I served on the Governor's Justice Reinvestment Plan in West Virginia to try to use the money that is already in the system to get treatment in our prisons. We have felony prisoners come up for parole, but they have not had the classes needed to be eligible. I do believe in reforms in that area, but I also feel responsible about holding people accountable. Source: The Register-Herald on 2018 West Virginia Senatorial race Oct 27, 2016

The above quotations are from 2018 West Virginia Senate race: debates and news coverage. Click here for definitions & background information on Crime. Click here for other issues (main summary page). Click here for more quotes by Joe Manchin on Crime.
*Candidates and political leaders on Crime:*
*Democrats running for President:* Sen.Michael Bennet (D-CO) V.P.Joe Biden (D-DE) Mayor Mike Bloomberg (I-NYC) Gov.Steve Bullock (D-MT) Mayor Pete Buttigieg (D-IN) Sen.Cory Booker (D-NJ) Secy.Julian Castro (D-TX) Rep.John Delaney (D-MD) Rep.Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) Sen.Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) Mayor Wayne Messam (D-FL) Gov.Deval Patrick (D-MA) Sen.Bernie Sanders (I-VT) CEO Tom Steyer (D-CA) Sen.Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) Marianne Williamson (D-CA) CEO Andrew Yang (D-NY) *2020 Third Party Candidates:* Rep.Justin Amash (L-MI) CEO Don Blankenship (C-WV) Howie Hawkins (G-NY) ~~Gov.Gary Johnson~~(L-NM) ~~Howard Schultz~~(I-WA) Gov.Jesse Ventura (I-MN)	*Republicans running for President:* ~~Sen.Ted Cruz~~(R-TX) ~~Gov.Larry Hogan~~ (R-MD) ~~Gov.John Kasich~~(R-OH) V.P.Mike Pence(R-IN) ~~Gov.Mark Sanford~~ (R-SC) Pres.Donald Trump(R-NY) Rep.Joe Walsh (R-IL) Gov.Bill Weld(R-MA & L-NY) *2020 Withdrawn Democratic Candidates:* Sen.Stacey Abrams (D-GA) Mayor Bill de Blasio (D-NYC) Sen.Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) Sen.Mike Gravel (D-AK) Sen.Kamala Harris (D-CA) Gov.John Hickenlooper (D-CO) Gov.Jay Inslee (D-WA) Rep.Seth Moulton (D-MA) Rep.Beto O`Rourke (D-TX) Rep.Tim Ryan (D-CA) Adm.Joe Sestak (D-PA) Rep.Eric Swalwell (D-CA)	*Retired House as of Jan. 2015:* AL-6:Spencer Bachus(R) AR-2:Tim Griffin(R) CA-11:George Miller(D) CA-25:Howard McKeon(R) CA-33:Henry Waxman(D) CA-45:John Campbell(R) IA-3:Tom Latham(R) MN-6:Michele Bachmann(R) NC-6:Howard Coble(R) NC-7:Mike McIntyre(D) NJ-3:Jon Runyan(R) NY-4:Carolyn McCarthy(D) NY-21:Bill Owens(D) PA-6:Jim Gerlach(R) UT-4:Jim Matheson(D) VA-8:Jim Moran(D) VA-10:Frank Wolf(R)
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Page last updated: Jan 03, 2020