The Fayette Tribune, Oak Hill, W.Va.

Local News

October 8, 2012

Tribune Readers’ Views — Monday, Oct. 8, 2012

State’s citizens should re-elect Darrell McGraw

I am writing to urge your readers to vote to re-elect Attorney General Darrell McGraw.

I know that I am not from your area, but for most of my legal career, I have been a lawyer for public interest law firms dealing with statewide issues. And I have worked together with Attorney General Darrell McGraw’s Consumer Protection and Anti-Trust Division for the interest of our state’s citizens.

As an insider in public interest law, I can say that Attorney General Darrell McGraw’s Consumer Protection and Anti-Trust Division remains dedicated to the public interest and continues to be extraordinarily successful at advocating for the ordinary citizens of West Virginia. He has assembled a more capable staff in all of his divisions than any former attorney general. I recently observed a member of his staff represent the state in a criminal appeal to the West Virginia Supreme Court and do the best job of anyone appearing before the Court that entire day.

I know that Attorney General Darrell McGraw has run illegal payday lenders out of the state. He sued a drug company for illegal marketing practices and won $6 million back for consumers. He says that since 1992, he has won more than $2 billion for consumers, and I believe every dollar of it.

At the same time, Attorney General Darrell McGraw wisely refused to join some other attorneys general in a lawsuit that would have done away with the new law which stops health insurance companies from denying coverage based on pre-existing conditions, which requires health insurance companies from capping the maximum benefits they will pay, etc. It was best for consumers that he did not join that law suit, and the other attorneys general lost.

Not surprisingly, come election time, those companies that would rip off consumers try to get Attorney General Darrell McGraw un-elected. They say he should not hand out things to advertise his Consumer Protection and Anti-Trust Division, but consumers need to know that his office is there and available to help them, and that he may have already won settlements from which they can benefit.

When he gets money for consumers, Attorney General Darrell McGraw makes sure all of it goes to help the consumers. His critics think that he should give that money to the Legislature to appropriate in the state’s budget. Bad idea. The Legislature got money from a tobacco settlement and for six years appropriated only 10% for tobacco prevention — before selling the rights to all future payments and putting all of the money it got from that sale into a state retirement fund.

The more your readers see paid advertising criticizing Attorney General Darrell McGraw, the more they should know he is working for them. And they should vote to re-elect him as their Attorney General.

David B. McMahon

Attorney at Law

Charleston

 

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