| Joseph Oliverio, Republican candidate for governor, outlined his plan
to consolidate counties, dissolve Marion County and legalize
gambling.
By Michael Browning , Managing Editor THE LOGAN BANNER
(EDITOR'S NOTE: The following story is an exclusive interview with a
Republican candidate seeking his party's nomination to run for
governor of West Virginia. The candidate uses harsh language
throughout. The Logan Banner only prints the words due to their
pertinence to the story.)
CHARLESTON - Gubernatorial candidate Joseph Oliverio doesn't think too highly of
Logan and Mingo countians.
A Republican, Oliverio spoke yesterday at the annual Legislative
Lookahead sponsored by the Associated Press at the Ramada Inn in
South Charleston. Oliverio was one of seven Republican candidates who
spoke during the forum.
Oliverio offered the most sweeping plan, saying he would phase out
coal mining altogether, except for mountaintop removal projects in
which coal operators installed all infrastructure and recruited new
businesses to build on the newly paved land.
Oliverio also wants to consolidate about 13 southern counties and
eliminate Marion County (which he said was filled with
''corruption''); turn Logan and Mingo counties (which he said were
filled with ''dumb'' residents) into a hunting preserve; and turn
other southern regions into a huge, drive-through zoo.
Oliverio, from Bridgeport, said he would dissolve Marion County,
because it's filled with "corruption," and would consolidate 12
counties, including Logan and Mingo, whose residents he called "dumb
a--."
"It's not just Logan and Mingo. It's about 12 all together, Logan,
Mingo, Boone, and then even parts of Kanawha," Oliverio said.
"They're very rural and desolate areas. They would make excellent
places to hunt. And that's probably the one thing I'm going to be
sorry for. I like animals.
"The people down there, like I said, they don't want to use their
brains, I'll use it for them and if I have to kill some of my
animals, I think I'll pray to God every time I wake up and say I'm
sorry for that. They don't want to use their heads, so we have to do
something down there. It's mostly the male population who are
ignorant b-------. They women are pretty good."
Oliverio said consolidating 12 counties would cut government jobs
such as county commissioners and would save taxpayers' money.
"If we consolidate 12 of those counties or more and we make one
county, we have 12 times the savings," Oliverio said.
Marion County, Oliverio said, would be dissolved because of the
corruption. He doesn't think much more of Logan and Mingo counties.
He also said he plans, as governor, to get rid of coal as West
Virginia's No. 1 industry.
"The dumb a---- are in Logan and Mingo County," Oliverio said. "When
I go down there and explain to people about how we can get away
without coal, and how I go down and say 'Look, I don't want to kill
these animals.' Use your head. I'm out there calling you a dummy, now
show me that you're not. Show me that you're not a dumb a--. I would
love to come over and apologize to every single person in Logan
County if somebody comes up with a way - and it could be a group of
people - for a 1,000 jobs, I'll go down there and kiss everybody's
a--."
Oliverio said he doesn't want to eliminate coal altogether, but plans
to stop issuing mining permits. Once coal runs out from the current
mines, that's it, he said.
"I'm not going to eliminate it, I'm just not going to issue anymore
permits," Oliverio said. "In another words, yeah, 'You've got five or
10 years, do your permits right' - and I'm going to make sure they're
done properly - 'Yes, you can keep on mining.' You already have a
permit, I would not take that away from somebody, because I'm in
business. They've already geared up and got all their equipment and
men ready. No, I wouldn't stop somebody in the middle of work."
Oliverio said he thinks tourism is the next big industry for Logan
and Mingo counties. The candidate is also proposing to make one area
of the state a zoo and the consolidated 12 counties one large hunting
ground.
"Tourism is going to be the big thing, mainly with the hunting and
the fishing," Oliverio said. "Then, as you can see down in the other
parts, a zoo connects up to it. So, I'm thinking maybe daddy and his
buddies want to go fishing while mom and the kids want to go to the
zoo ... because West Virginia is family-oriented."
Oliverio said plans to tackle the southern coalfield's biggest
problem.
"One thing I'm going to stop and it's probably down in your part of
the state is incest," Oliverio said.
"That's killing our kids and killing our future in West Virginia.
It's prevalent all over West Virginia. It's a shame they're not
educated enough. We need to educate them."
Oliverio said he wants to make sure first time child molesters get
the death penalty.
"That should be a deterrent, don't you think," Oliverio said.
"Whether they mess with their brain or their bodies.
Story created Tuesday, December 09, 2003.
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