| COMMENT By Bob Weaver
For much of the 20th Century, the old State Road Commission employees were held hostage to those in power in the Mountain State.
They were required to support certain candidates for state offices, including the governor, and when workers failed to comply, they were fired.
They were also shaken-down for campaign money, using an apparition called the "Flower Fund."
The fund was falsely set-up to buy flowers for family members who died.
My father, Giff Weaver, was a long time employee of the old "State Road," and lost his job at least three times over party politics, or when the politics changed.
He and virtually all Democrat employees around WV were all fired by Republican Gov. Arch Moore when he was elected governor.
Moore, years later, went to prison for numerous counts after shaking down contractors.
Perhaps my most painful memory after one of my father's firings, he went into a deep depression and took to his bed, despite being a robust, physically sturdy and hardworking man.
His sister, Gladys Weaver Stump and the local pastor came to the house for several days, encouraging him to fight the depression and praying for his recovery.
In that incident, he was able to get a job as an inspector for new road building, and he recovered.
Later, the highway workers were put under civil service, and could no longer be fired over their politics.
It is sad to read the news report that political shakedowns are still going on in West Virginia.
And now, an indicted alleged participate in 2015, is also a victim, committing suicide.
When will it end?
UPDATE 9/2 -
Just hours after he was indicted on federal racketeering charges Tuesday, a former West Virginia Division of Highways official apparently committed suicide near Bridgeport in Harrison County.
Bob Andrew, who headed the DOH equipment division in Buckhannon for 16 years and last served as special executive assistant to Transportation Secretary Paul Mattox, was found dead.
Andrew was indicted Tuesday after noon on charges that he created a "culture of corruption" within DOH and using state employees to work on Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin's campaign in 2011, according to the indictment.
The 29-count indictment alleges Andrew used state workers and equipment to take part in political activities on state time, rigged bids, among other charges.
READ:
Ex-WVDOH Official Indicted On Racketeering Charges
By Eric Eyre, Statehouse Reporter for the Gazette-Mail
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