Justice: Cole Should Do His Job and Cancel Lobbyist Fundraiser

Press Release

While West Virginia is in the middle of a budget crisis and just 37 days away from a state government shutdown, Senate President Bill Cole is holding a lobbyist fundraiser at Edgewood Country Club tomorrow night.

Businessman Jim Justice called on Bill Cole to cancel his fundraiser and do his job.

As the Charleston Gazette-Mail recently reported, the timing of the fundraiser allows Cole to put the squeeze on lobbyists who have issues pending before the Legislature to contribute to his campaign. The special session is costing taxpayers $35,000 a day, and Bill Cole is using the budget crisis to force Charleston special interests to donate to his campaign.

It's lobbyist extortion and West Virginians are picking up the tab-- over $250,000 and counting. State Senators have reported that they worked less than three hours last week on the floor.

"My dad used to tell me that if you can't get something done in 24 hours, you're gunna have to work nights," said businessman Jim Justice. "Bill Cole isn't willing to work nights to do the job he was elected to do. Cole needs to quit playing games, cancel his campaign fundraiser, and pass a budget. It's total hogwash that Cole is only working part-time on fixing the budget mess he helped create."

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