EDITORIAL: West Virginia at 144
What do you get the woman who has everything on
her 144th birthday? West Virginia has some of the
world's most beautiful mountains, rivers, and people.
So what could she want on her big day?
How about a state government that is worthy of her citizenry? Now there's something she can really use.
Instead of so-called leaders and their cronies picking the last bits of meat from the bones of a shrinking economy in so many parts of the state, how about leaders who are less selfish and more motivated for the good of all?
Case in point: When a state employee whistle blower named Mia Moran-Cooper made some common sense observations about the conflicts of interest easily seen by having the Problem Gamblers' Network placed under the WV Lottery Commission, was she thanked for her service and helpful observations?
No. She was fired, even though she had already announced her resignation. How dare she stand up for the problem gamblers and the West Virginia taxpayer! How dare she utter what appear to be some uncomfortable truths.
What was most unseemly in this whole sorry business is that the Charleston Gazette reporter covering the story bent over backwards to believe the worst about Moran-Cooper while giving the WV Lottery's leadership every break imaginable.
What is wrong with this picture? Sure, the press should hear every side out before coming to any conclusions, but in other states, whistle blowers are given a more fair hearing. We might expect Moran-Cooper's bosses at the Lottery to clobber her, and they have certainly tried.
But the press? Are some of them becoming a bit too chummy with the bureaucrats they cover?
President John F. Kennedy memorably noted back at our state's Centennial in 1963 that 'the sun does not always shine in West Virginia, but the people always do.'
Maybe the sun should shine a little brighter on the press in Charleston, too. In fact, after this display of propaganda surrounding the WV Lottery, we're sure of it.