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News
Wednesday March 5, 2008
Darrell McGraw drawing fire from gun permit pamphlets
by Justin D. Anderson
Daily Mail Staff
Critics and political opponents of Darrell McGraw say the attorney general is using his office and taxpayer money to mail
out pamphlets and distribute gunlocks intended to woo a sizeable voting bloc.
In recent weeks, McGraw's office has sent out mailers to West Virginians who have a concealed weapons permit. The
13-page pamphlets are labeled as "a guide" to the state's concealed weapons laws, and they have McGraw's name
and photograph in color on the front cover.
Chief Deputy Attorney General Fran Hughes says McGraw is just performing a consumer protection service in keeping
with the law. She said the pamphlets are meant to protect and inform the permit holders.
"Really, this debate is becoming reduced to the nonsensical level," she said.
McGraw's office obtained lists of concealed weapon permit holders from sheriffs' offices around the state and mailed
copies of the pamphlet along with a letter touting his efforts to negotiate handgun reciprocity agreements with other
states.
The agreements give West Virginia concealed weapon permit holders immunity from criminal prosecution for carrying
the weapons in those states. McGraw's office was authorized to negotiate the agreements last year.
"Prior to June of 2007, West Virginia had agreements with two states," says the Feb. 8 letter from McGraw. "During
2007, my office renegotiated those agreements . . . and signed new agreements with nine other states."
The pamphlet is called "On the Mark: A Guide to Concealed Weapons Laws of West Virginia." It includes a synopsis of
state and federal gun laws, along with instructions on obtaining a concealed handgun license in West Virginia -
information those who received the mailing probably already had.
The pamphlets also list the 11 states with which West Virginia has handgun agreements, information also available on
McGraw's Web site.
"I think the attorney general would be remiss in his responsibilities if he's not communicating with people and the result
is that our citizens are exposed to arrest in other states," Hughes said.
But several people are criticizing the effort as a campaign stunt. McGraw is running for re-election this year.
"This mass mailing smacks of politics paid for at public expense," said Steve Roberts, director of the West Virginia
Chamber of Commerce. "The information mailed is readily available and didn't need to be accompanied by a
photograph and letter touting the attorney general by name. This just seems like old-time politics."
The state chamber, along with the West Virginia Business and Industry Council, have been targeting McGraw, a
Democrat, in radio and television ads over his spending of lawsuit settlement money, a longstanding issue.
One of McGraw's Republican opponents in this year's race, Morgantown lawyer Hiram Lewis, said he picked up one of
the pamphlets at the recent hunting and fishing expo in Charleston.
Lewis said workers from McGraw's office were manning a booth at the expo, handing out the pamphlets and gunlocks
with McGraw's name on them. Lewis said he took one of the gunlocks.
"He's basically running his campaign through the money from his office," Lewis said.
McGraw's office came under fire in 2004 when it increased its advertising budget in advance of that year's election.
An employee was fired for ordering more than $140,000 worth of trinkets that carried McGraw's name. The office said it
would buy the trinkets but wait until after the election to hand them out.
Hughes said the office hasn't bought trinkets since then. The gunlocks were given to the office as part of a national
settlement, she said. She said she couldn't remember who the defendant was in that case.
She also said Tuesday that she didn't how many of the gun law pamphlets were mailed out to concealed weapon
permit holders. She said the pamphlets also have been made available at gun retailers throughout the state and are
handed out at speaking engagements.
In addition to the gun law pamphlet, Hughes said McGraw's office also has designed pamphlets for the public on using
credit cards, entering into home improvement contracts, buying a car and mortgage information for senior citizens.
She said McGraw uses his name when dealing with the public just as other elected state officials.
As far as McGraw using his name on the gunlocks, Hughes said, "Shouldn't you benefit from incumbency if you've held
the office and you have delivered and been responsible?"
The suggestion that McGraw not use his name in these instances is "Alice in Wonderland at the tea party," Hughes
said.
Darrell McGraw drawing fire from gun permit pamphlets
by Justin D. Anderson
Daily Mail Staff
Critics and political opponents of Darrell McGraw say the attorney general is using his office and taxpayer money to mail
out pamphlets and distribute gunlocks intended to woo a sizeable voting bloc.
In recent weeks, McGraw's office has sent out mailers to West Virginians who have a concealed weapons permit. The
13-page pamphlets are labeled as "a guide" to the state's concealed weapons laws, and they have McGraw's name
and photograph in color on the front cover.
Chief Deputy Attorney General Fran Hughes says McGraw is just performing a consumer protection service in keeping
with the law. She said the pamphlets are meant to protect and inform the permit holders.
"Really, this debate is becoming reduced to the nonsensical level," she said.
McGraw's office obtained lists of concealed weapon permit holders from sheriffs' offices around the state and mailed
copies of the pamphlet along with a letter touting his efforts to negotiate handgun reciprocity agreements with other
states.
The agreements give West Virginia concealed weapon permit holders immunity from criminal prosecution for carrying
the weapons in those states. McGraw's office was authorized to negotiate the agreements last year.
"Prior to June of 2007, West Virginia had agreements with two states," says the Feb. 8 letter from McGraw. "During
2007, my office renegotiated those agreements . . . and signed new agreements with nine other states."
The pamphlet is called "On the Mark: A Guide to Concealed Weapons Laws of West Virginia." It includes a synopsis of
state and federal gun laws, along with instructions on obtaining a concealed handgun license in West Virginia -
information those who received the mailing probably already had.
The pamphlets also list the 11 states with which West Virginia has handgun agreements, information also available on
McGraw's Web site.
"I think the attorney general would be remiss in his responsibilities if he's not communicating with people and the result
is that our citizens are exposed to arrest in other states," Hughes said.
But several people are criticizing the effort as a campaign stunt. McGraw is running for re-election this year.
"This mass mailing smacks of politics paid for at public expense," said Steve Roberts, director of the West Virginia
Chamber of Commerce. "The information mailed is readily available and didn't need to be accompanied by a
photograph and letter touting the attorney general by name. This just seems like old-time politics."
The state chamber, along with the West Virginia Business and Industry Council, have been targeting McGraw, a
Democrat, in radio and television ads over his spending of lawsuit settlement money, a longstanding issue.
One of McGraw's Republican opponents in this year's race, Morgantown lawyer Hiram Lewis, said he picked up one of
the pamphlets at the recent hunting and fishing expo in Charleston.
Lewis said workers from McGraw's office were manning a booth at the expo, handing out the pamphlets and gunlocks
with McGraw's name on them. Lewis said he took one of the gunlocks.
"He's basically running his campaign through the money from his office," Lewis said.
McGraw's office came under fire in 2004 when it increased its advertising budget in advance of that year's election.
An employee was fired for ordering more than $140,000 worth of trinkets that carried McGraw's name. The office said it
would buy the trinkets but wait until after the election to hand them out.
Hughes said the office hasn't bought trinkets since then. The gunlocks were given to the office as part of a national
settlement, she said. She said she couldn't remember who the defendant was in that case.
She also said Tuesday that she didn't how many of the gun law pamphlets were mailed out to concealed weapon
permit holders. She said the pamphlets also have been made available at gun retailers throughout the state and are
handed out at speaking engagements.
In addition to the gun law pamphlet, Hughes said McGraw's office also has designed pamphlets for the public on using
credit cards, entering into home improvement contracts, buying a car and mortgage information for senior citizens.
She said McGraw uses his name when dealing with the public just as other elected state officials.
As far as McGraw using his name on the gunlocks, Hughes said, "Shouldn't you benefit from incumbency if you've held
the office and you have delivered and been responsible?"
The suggestion that McGraw not use his name in these instances is "Alice in Wonderland at the tea party," Hughes
said.
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