WV Supreme Court (In)Justices

Senator Byrd seems to command quite a bit of support in his umpteenth bid for reelection this year. In apparent disregard for Canon 5A(1)(b) of the Code of Judicial Conduct, two West Virginia Supreme Court Justices, Joseph Albright and Larry Starcher provided a visual endorsement by attending Byrd's campaign kickoff in Charleston.

We should point out that the new Code of Judicial Conduct now specifically proscribes the conduct complained of in this case. Canon 5A(1)(b) of the Code of Judicial Conduct, effective January 1, 1993, clearly states that a judge or a candidate for election or appointment to judicial office shall not 'publicly endorse or publicly oppose another candidate for public office.
-WV Supreme Court comment on a 1993 case involving a Wood County Circuit judge

Justices Albright and Starcher have unquestionably committed an ethics violation in Senator Byrd's favor right out of the gate in the 2006 election, but it appears that Byrd isn't only flanked by the Judicial Branch of government in his attempt to seige power from West Virginia. Byrd recently ordered a military aircraft to carry him and his campaign manager into Wheeling to serve as a backdrop for a thousand-dollar-a-plate campaign dinner. West Virginia GOP chairman Robin Capehart has called on Senator Byrd to "acknowledge he is blatantly wrong to spend our hard-earned tax dollars for political campaigning" and to "refund the cost of the travel to the taxpayers of West Virginia." It has been months since the June 24 campaign event, but Senator Byrd's campaign records on file with the FEC do not indicate that any such reimbursement has been made. Senator Byrd, Congresswoman Capito hasn't even announced her plans to run against you yet. You're overcompensating in your old age. Then again, maybe you realize that you no longer see eye to eye with the people of West Virginia. West Virginians are ready to bring you back home. It's clear that you're not in line with this either.