Speaker Selects Leadership

Publication: THE CHARLESTON GAZETTE
Published: 12/14/2006
Page: 1A
Headline: SPEAKER SELECTS LEADERSHIP KANAWHA DELEGATE GETS KEY POST
Byline: SCOTT FINN
sfinn@wvgazette.com

For the first time in state history, a woman will lead the powerful Judiciary Committee in the House of Delegates, incoming Speaker Rick Thompson, D-Wayne, announced Wednesday.

Delegate Carrie Webster of Charleston will take over the reins from fellow Kanawha County Democrat Jon Amores. Webster, a vocal supporter of progressive causes, said she planned to follow Thompson's oft-stated mantra to lead from the middle.

"People on both sides know that I'm fair, I'm open-minded and I like to hear all sides of an issue," Webster said.

Thompson also announced the rest of the leadership of the House's major committees at the Wednesday evening press conference. The incoming chairmen and chairwomen do not take over until Jan. 10, when Thompson is officially voted in as speaker.

As expected, Mingo County banker Harry Keith White was chosen as Finance chairman. He takes over from Delegate Harold Michael, D-Hardy, who earned enemies by funneling state money to projects in his district and those of other favored delegates.

Delegate Joe DeLong, D-Hancock, will be the new majority leader, the speaker's right-hand man. DeLong works in marketing at Mountaineer Race Track and Gaming Resort in Chester and is a former left offensive tackle for the West Virginia University football team.
DeLong, who turns 34 today, said he plans to listen to all the members of the House, whether or not they are in leadership.

"We are all one percent of the House," DeLong said. "Being majority leader doesn't allow me to vote twice."

DeLong faced criticism for not supporting a fellow Northern Panhandle delegate for speaker, former Majority Whip Scott Varner, D-Marshall.

"I have deep respect for Scott Varner," DeLong said. "But I have supported Rick all along. Since the beginning, I've been impressed with his ability to listen."

Delegate Mike Caputo, D-Marion, will be majority whip. Caputo, an official with the United Mine Workers, will help count votes for Thompson and communicate with delegates in the trenches.

A former high school math teacher from Barbour County, Delegate Mary Poling, was named chairwoman of the Education Committee. Poling is the first woman to hold that post.
Dealing with 25 Education Committee members isn't too different from teaching 25 students, she said.

"I plan to lead with input from all 25 members," she said.

Former bookstore owner Jim Morgan, D-Cabell, was tapped to run the Government Organization committee, which oversees the nuts and bolts of state government. Morgan serves on the board of the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce.

Thompson downplayed the presence of two women on his leadership team.

"What was important was that I picked the best-qualified individual to do the job," Thompson said.

Thompson has chosen a team that is diverse in several ways, said Steve White, executive director of the Affiliated Construction Trades Foundation.

For one, appointing DeLong and Caputo as second- and third-in-command should allay fears that southern Democrats were taking over the House, he said.

"There were concerns this was a north-south contest, particularly if you read the Wheeling paper. But I never thought it was that," he said.

Also, the appointments of Delegates White and Morgan show that Thompson is willing to reach out to the business community, Steve White said. Morgan received endorsements from both business and labor groups in the election.

The business community will welcome Morgan's appointment, said Steve Roberts, president of the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce.

Morgan was chairman of the Huntington Regional Chamber of Commerce when Roberts worked there.

"Jim is consensus-oriented. He is a mild-mannered person with an easy sense of humor. He's a very, very easy person to work with," Roberts said.

Besides the traditional business-labor divide, Thompson will have to deal with contentious social issues such as abortion.

Thompson and DeLong were endorsed by West Virginians for Life, while Webster supports abortion rights.

Most abortion bills must go through the Judiciary Committee. As committee chairwoman, Webster has tremendous influence on which bills are taken up and how they are crafted.
On Wednesday, Webster and the other incoming committee leaders said it was too soon to talk about policy issues.

The state's main abortion-rights group, WV FREE, is hopeful, said director Margaret Chapman.

"I think this may be a new day for politics in West Virginia. The fact is, the leadership team has changed, and it certainly looks favorable for the women of West Virginia," she said.

West Virginians for Life believe that nothing has changed for them, said Melissa Adkins, the group's legislative director.

"There's been a pro-abortion chair of Judiciary for many years and we've dealt with it because there's been a pro-life speaker at the helm. We've still got a pro-life speaker," Adkins said.