In the 62nd District, Delegate John Overington, R-Martinsburg, will be challenged by Kristin Loken, D-Falling Waters, and Jeffrey Werner, Constitution-Falling Waters. Overington, who has been a member of the House of Delegates since 1984, is the longest-serving member of the House.
The following are links to News regarding the upcoming legislative session in Charleston. The last one, regarding Scripts for Cold Medicine must really be put to an end, we can not allow Perdue and his cronies to interefere with our lives and how we treat our colds. Going to the doctor to get a script can cost families hundreds of dollars in Co Pays and Deductibles. By the way, Delegate John Overington stands with Democrats on Scripts for Cold Medication. This is a typical RINO move by a man who has become more and more liberal in his stances. He supports Speed Scamera’s and The Blood Bill by allowing Police to draw your blood without probable cause to test you for illicit drugs.
Word comes to me yesterday via Email, that, Delegate John Overington, #62, Supports measure forcing Families to get Scripts for Cold Medicine with Sudafed in it. This does not surprise me as John also support’s 2 other measures that trample on your personal freedoms and liberties. It appears that John has no regard for the Majority in his district when it comes to protecting your Liberties and Freedoms.
Delegate Overington supports what is called “The Blood Bill”, the measure that allows law enforcemenet via traffic stop, without probable cause to draw your blood to check you for Substances and Alcohol without protection from the 4th Amendment. There has been much discussion about this over the last few months and I vehemently oppose this measure.
Also, Delegate Overington supports Speed Scamera’s, as you can read here: http://www.journal-news.net/page/content.detail/id/602327/Delegate-champions-speed-cameras.html?nav=5002
In the comments section on the above Article, Delegate Overington has taken it to a personal level by attacking me under the name, WVPRO2A. He gave himself away when he mentioned about the picture he sent around to the whole statehouse about me and media, fearing I am sure, that his seat is in jeopardy. So he resorts to tactics of poor taste.
It is time for John to take a seat on the sideline and watch after this upcoming election cycle. He has become completely out of touch and embarrassment to the Conservative Party. His support for such measure’s completely go against your Liberties and Freedoms.
Here is the email I received yesterday about Sudafed Up from Delegate Larry Kump and then a response I got from one Legislator about John Overington’s support for forcing you to get a prescription for Sudafed. I was asked to keep the name off the email.
Dear Delegate Kump;
Thank you for the email outlining current legislative thoughts toward more restrictions on pharmaceutical purchases. Please vote against any pharmaceutical restrictions on Sudafed or anything else.
Previously, when we got sick with common wintertime ailments (cold, flu, bronchitis, coughing, etc.) we could call the family doctor and he would do a phone interview and promptly call in an antibiotic prescription, to be coupled with over the counter recommended pharmaceuticals (i.e. Sudafed). Then the government thought they knew better what was good for us, so they prohibited prescriptions without an office visit and made the Sudafed and other OTC drugs hard to get and limited. This destroyed a system that allowed us to quickly eliminate the disease, stay healthy and productive
Now the procedure is that we call the doctor for an appointment, but he can’t see us because there are a limited number of doctors and everybody gets sick at the same time (cold and flu season). The doctor says go to the emergency room but that is an $ 800 out of pocket expense, so that is not going to happen unless we are dying, or you are on welfare where you never really have to pay the hospital. Since we can’t get antibiotics, the cold goes down into the chest and sets up an infection, so we develop a terrible cough, fever, and feel lousy. This goes on for two to three weeks, instead of the previous few days. We also get to stand in line for 20 minutes down at the rite aid because the druggist is very busy and filling out forms to buy Sudafed is not his first priority. Those that have poor resistance continue to decline until they have to go to the emergency room for hospitalization or they die.
Legislatures are doing a magnificent job of taking a wonderful private health care system and pushing it backwards 100+ years. Now we all sit around and shove warm salt water up our nose to kill infection like the ancient Romans used to do and try to figure out what homeopathic medicine we can take that will work best. Those that work have to take off or make everybody else in the office sick (which doesn’t work well when you are self employed, like my wife is), because you can’t eliminate the fever quickly and you’re infectious as long as you have one.
The elitist legislators that come up with such moron type ideas as restricting pharmaceutical treatment have no common sense and are nothing but a burden to the working class of people. Unfortunately, they will never come to appreciate our problems because they have enough connections to get themselves and their family medically treated promptly.
Anyway, please vote against these Legislative “good idea fairies” and their stupid proposals.
Thanks.
Jim Slough
Berkeley Springs, West Virginia
I than sent around the following response to this email:
Subject: Re: Sudafed & Prescription Drugs
This perfectly exemplifies what I have been saying all along and writing about. Please share that with the whole statehouse when u get chance.
I than got the following reply back from one legislator about John Overington:
Done.
Of course, Delegate Overington wants to make Sudafed available only with a Doctor’s prescription. He simply doesn’t get it.
On Sunday, December 15, 2013, Matthew H. wrote:
John, I need you to stop these antics your are promoting. I have not really said much but set back and watch the scenery. Instead of jumping to conclusions and pointing fingers, I like to review all inputs regardless of political party. These inputs are vital to our success when we are voted to our public seats in legislation.
I did not say much when you asked someone to keep my from running for office because you wanted to endorse a someone else. I accepted your statement as positive criticism and moved forward.
I did not like your view on violating my constitutional right to take my blood. I do not drink nor smoke nor do drugs. However, drinking and drugs are not the point here. After all the inputs you have received from your theories, you would think you might have gotten the point by now. Your violating our constitutional rights.
Now you want to install cameras on 81 with my tax dollars to reduce speeding.
I am sure you believe your theories are valid, however, John does not know all. Take the time to listen to your people, learn from your opposition and finally, listen to the inputs of others in your same positions.
On a personal level. If you intend to go further with this kind of nonesense your are trying to promote, not only will you have issues with Werner, but I will step on and apply your emergency brake.
Enough is enough. You have 5 days to take time to respond to this email. If I don’t hear back, all local newspapers will. —
M. Harris
I do not normally respond to such….
But John in this case, I will.
Let me start by saying that your heart is in the right place I believe, I just wish you would research and think before acting.
The road to Hell is paved with good intentions, and this is a great example thereof.
Many politicians, in fact most, have good intentions while crafting bad legislation. For they do not understand ‘blowback’, or unintended consequences of their actions and bad legislation.
And I believe this is the case here.
But the fact remains, you are pushing for speed cameras, though you say it is only for ‘limited usage’, Have you ever seen a limited government program that does not grow and mutate?
The fact is, once the speed camera camel has it’s nose under the tent, before long there will be one on my cul-de-sac.
First of all, legally, they are un- Constitutional, as you have the right to face your accuser in court, and in this case, it is a machine, so just how is that possible?
Secondly, they only take a picture of the car, not the driver, and while we still live under the rule of law, You are innocent until proven guilty, and the state would be required to prove that the fined individual was actually operating the car, or you are fining people for owning a car.
In fact in Maryland, one of the biggest users of Speed Cameras, the State is losing case after case in court due to being unable to prove who is actually driving the car.
But even worse, Maryland officials have actually acknowledged that speed cameras do not stop speeding, nor increase public safety, instead it is just another form of revenue for the state.
And not only the state, but the companies that operate speed cameras, who make a commission on every single conviction.
They in turn lobby the state to place speed cameras in every single possible location, for their own financial gain.
This is the worst case of cronyism and corporatism.
When our state is heavily in the red, all we need is a tax and spend politician to grasp this as an additional revenue stream.
Most tickets are around $50 or so when issued, and most citizens will not take the time off work to go to court. However to those of less means, this fine may prevent them from buying groceries for the week.
And to top it off, distracted drivers, searching for speed cameras, and staring at their speedometers, create a greater safety hazard with their abrupt braking and lane changing to avoid tickets.
I agree that I-81 was a mess during the construction, I drove it every day to my office in Hagerstown.
However, in the end, the best solution to that issue is better engineering, and smart construction techniques that will prevent creating hazardous areas, not creating another fine or tax that will only grow in scope and scale.
Like I said before, I believe your heart is in the right place, but just like your support of the unconstitutional “Blood Bill”, you need to spend more time thinking and researching before you act.
Knee jerk legislation always causes unintended consequences. And the answer to every single problem cannot be more government. As a self declared conservative I would think you would realize that.
As the legislative session looms, there are many issues we need to tackle in West Virginia, whether it is to protect the God given, Constitutionally protect rights of every citizen, ending the travesty called “Obamacare” (like SC is fast tracking), or ending “Common Core” which is dumbing down future generations, there are many issues that your time would be better spent on.
Growing the State Government is not one of them.
As the State Coordinator for the Campaign for Liberty, it my duty to inform the public of bad legislation, and educate them on the issues, not educate politicians.
We have grown from a few hard working patriots to several thousand throughout the state, and our communications reach 40-50K citizens every single week.
We will work tirelessly to promote the great American, and West Virginian, principles of individual liberty, limited government, sound money and defend the Constitution each and every day.
Any elected official, who takes an oath of office to defend the Constitution is duty bound to do so as well.
And we will hold them accountable if they do not.
I took the time to respond to you John, because I do believe your heart is in the right place.
But in the end, it is you and other elected officials who actually punch a button that may take away more of my daughter’s property or liberty away, And to me, that is a fight that I will not back down from; that is the “line in the sand”.
And whether it is cloaked in “public safety” or “good intentions” any action that is counter to defending the life, liberty or property as enshrined in our founding documents, will meet with strong opposition.
For that is the duty of every citizen in a Republic.
—
In Liberty,
S. Chris Anders
West Virginia
Here is Delegate Overington’s response to our email campaign to him regarding Speed Camera’s. As you can see, even if they are monitored in a specific set of guidelines, this means no matter what you say, you are in support of them. This email also outlines his attack on me and Mr. Anders. This is the email that John Overington sent out to the whole West Virginia Statehouse and Press and Print Media with my picture attached from a vacation I took over a year ago in Florida, where I had my middle finger behind my head as if I was joking with my friends, which is exactly what I was doing. This was pulled from my personal Facebook page by Delegate Overington in the hopes of crippling my credibility and making me look like some kind of whatever. There in lies the problem, John has serious issues in regards to our Freedoms and Liberties. I firmly believe in the right to assemble and the right to expression, regardless as to what it appears. So when Overington sent this picture around, he failed to attach the story to it. Slime ball politics is not something I take very lightly. I deal with issues, not pettiness John. Grow up.
Here is Delegate Overington trying to squeeze his way out of the Speed Camera issue and his attack on Chris Anders.
Subject: Re: OUTRAGEOUS, Delegate John Overington, #62 Is In Favor of Speed Cameras on Interstate, IE, Speed SCAMERAS – Delegate champions speed cameras
Dear fellow legislators and others,
Sorry you are getting all these emails from someone from my area. I have never met Jeff Werner but attached is his Facebook photo – maybe you have seen him. Chris Anders is head of WV Campaign for Liberty. Maybe Chris has mischaracterized you as well.
Speed Camera Response by Delegate John Overington
It is always disappointing when someone such as Chris Anders mischaracterizes one’s position either through ignorance or intentionally.
Over the last year many of us remember the carnage on I-81 with weekly, even daily accidents and frequent deaths. Between Martinsburg and Marlowe during the construction to add a third lane, there were Jersey barriers on both sides of the north and southbound lanes blocking access on both sides of the interstate, thus the problems. When a group of us concerned legislators met with Department of Highway (DOH) officials, we suggested looking at speed cameras as a tool to deal with this problem. During our discussion we were careful to specifically convey limited use of cameras to:
1… construction zones
2… only where there was limited access for normal enforcement
3… only where there was a high number of accidents
4…where advance warning of the camera use was spelled out similar to I-70 between Clear Spring and Williamsport where there are advance warnings a mile before the camera use and also a radar device before the construction zone to show the current speed of the drivers.
When all these factors were in place, camera use was a possible solution to this problem as I also conveyed at the meeting with County Commissioner/Council members.
I have explicitly expressed my opposition to in any way authorizing city or counties to use them, or for the state to use them outside the scenario described above. I am all too familiar with cases of abuse of cameras and radar speed traps.
Again, I don’t know where Chris Anders is getting his information, but his article is a total mischaracterization of my positions and not from anything I have said or written.
I suspect the public, after all the I-81 deaths and accidents, would be supportive of safety measures in similar interstate highway construction scenarios in the future. I received many calls from people concerned about their safety, about nothing being done. Many persons told me of how the traffic was moving too fast on I-81 when there was no way to enforce the speed limit during most of this 8-mile segment.
When trucks and some cars were barreling down the road at 70 mph plus in the construction zone, this created a hazard to all drivers. That is why very limited use of speed cameras should be considered as an option.
John
Delegate John Overington
WV House of Delegates, 62nd District
491 Hoffman Rd., Martinsburg, WV 25404
My response:
On Mon, Dec 16, 2013 at 7:18 AM, Jeffrey Werner <jeff.werner@gmail.com> wrote:
Your desperate John, attack me on the Issues, going low and dirty is not the way to play hardball, but you can’t attack me on the issues because I stand on my principles and I stand for liberty and the constitution, 2 of the very things you are intruding on with your support to violate our 4th amendment rights and speed scamera’s. I have blogged about this and explained the picture, I have nothing to be ashamed of. Is freedom of expression to you, taking up a seat for over 20 years only supporting 2nd amendment laws while forgetting about everything else? Are you actually going to sponsor any bills on your own this session? If you want to play dirty politics, I can do that to, but I am above that, and by you exploiting my Freedoms, it will only make you look bad, not me and if you want to debate the issues, I am more than up to the task. I go after you on the issues, with no personal attacks because I am above that. You just sunk to a new level that many here in our district are already aware of. It’s called accountability, and we are holding you to it. Is it our fault that you have decided to go to the dark side? Supporting laws that would violate our Freedoms and Liberties? Why is it that you only got just over 5100 votes last election in a district with over 15 thousand people? Is says that you have very little support in the district. Right now I am running as an undeclared candidate in our District, but I think I may change that to Republican now, since more than 90 percent of the people I have talked to would be willing to vote for someone else.
In closing, I will not sink to low ball and slime ball politics to get my points across, I will stick to the issues. I always respond to those who email me on the issues, I don’t duck them. I face them head-on.
S. Chris Anders hit his piece out of the ballpark, and was very factual, if he was lying the least bit, you know how the court systems work. If he was wrong, wouldn’t that be called Slander?
We are not Maryland, so stop trying to change things to mimic Maryland’s laws with Speed Scamera’s……..Your explanation does not show that you are not in support, you just said yourself, that it would have to be under specific circumstances, which means, YOU ARE IN SUPPORT OF THEM. No matter how you spin it. Next time, if you post a picture of me from my Facebook page, make sure you post the whole story instead of trying to make it look vile. But, I guess, as a legislator, you are use to not providing the whole story, only the part that would benefit you only.
Thank You,
Jeff Werner
Falling Waters, WVA
Delegate John Overington Goes Low and Dirty In Responding to Attack on his support for Speed Scamera’s On I-81
So in response to the email I sent out about how Overington wants to add speed Scamera’s on I81 here in the Panhandle and how it violates our Rights and Liberties, he went on to my Facebook page, grabbed a picture of me with the middle finger behind my head that was sent to my friends. Let me explain what that picture was, it was in reference to my friends teasing me about being down in Florida over a year ago and in warm weather.
My response, which is a response of Freedom of Expression was to my friends in jest. Delegate Overington is so desperate to retain his seat that he is going low and dirty. He must really be feeling the heat, because as I go around our District, I have not had anyone tell me that they want him retaining his seat, it’s the other way around, people want him out. They are tired of his do nothing attitude in Charleston and his out of touch behavior in District 62. He only responds to you in Email if it benefits him only. His support to violate your 4th amendment rights by having your Blood Drawn via traffic stops, and now he supports having Speed Scamera’s on our Interstate to catch drivers speeding.
Delegate Overington has been called out on many occasions because he has been a do nothing career politician taking up a seat for over 20 years. He is against Term Limits. To his credit, he is a strong supporter of the 2nd Amendment, but so am I.
So if this is the only thing that Overington can attack me on, which is not issues, than he has a real problem. He can’t attack me on the issues because my stances are strong and supportive. So what he decided to do, was to go to my Facebook page and pull a picture of me flipping the bird to my friends because I was in warm and sunny Florida while my friends were stuck back in Maryland and West Virginia in the Cold.
John, are you so desperate that you can’t come after me on the Issues? By doing what you did, you sunk to a new low level and really makes you look like a little baby. Maybe we should debate the issues, because one thing I am not afraid of? Is standing behind my very principles, something you have nothing of.
At this past Tuesday’s legislative meeting with county and state officials, Delegate John Overington (R-62) proposed using speed cameras on Interstate 81 to fine drivers for speeding, and promote safety.
Sounds good ,right? Well, a look at the facts proves that to be wrong.
Speed cameras are promoted by “tax and spend” politicians, who fail to see the problems speed cameras are creating worldwide, and instead focus on the revenue generated by speed cameras, right out your pocket into state coffers.
Not only that, but there are a myriad of problems with speed cameras and speed camera companies, which include:
The right to face your accuser in court and cross-examine witnesses is guaranteed by the U.S. Bill of Rights. Speed cameras deny you this right because the accuser is a machine.
Speed cameras are not operated by sworn police officers. Instead, this is outsourced to a private company. For example, under Montgomery County Md.’s camera program, their contractor receives a $16.25 per ticket commission from these cameras, despite the fact that this violates a provision of state law intended to forbid paying contractors based on the number of citations issued or paid. Essentially the contractor which generates the evidence used in court cases gets paid only if the defendant is found guilty, a clear conflict of interest.
Delegate Mike Folk stands up for 2nd Amendment Rights in West Virginia
PRESS RELEASE
December 9, 2013
For immediate Release
Contact: Delegate Mike Folk
Phone: 304-279-6797
Martinsburg, WV– Michael “Mike” Folk, Delegate from the 63rd District, is introducing “Constitutional Carry” in the upcoming West Virginia Legislative Session.
Constitutional Carry, also knows as the “Alaskan Model” does not require legal gun owners to pay for training and government permits to exercise your right to keep and bear arms, while still allowing permits to be issued for those seeking reciprocity with other states.
“Does exercising your right to keep and bear arms mean you should have to pay government fees? Do you have to get a government permit or training to ‘open carry’ in West Virginia? No,” said Delegate Folk,” A pure Constitutional Carry bill would not require you to beg for permission from the government to carry a firearm, nor require you to spend hundreds on government-mandated, training classes”
West Virginia currently has “open carry” which means you can carry without a permit, as long as the weapon is visible. “Permits and their associated fees are a coat tax. Open carry is legal without a permit”, continued Folk, “so by simply wearing a coat and concealing your firearm, you must pay the ‘coat tax’ to carry concealed.”
“The second amendment says that we have the right to bear arms; it does not say only if it’s visible or only if you are hunting.”
This is the very issue, that, Republican Delegate John Overington is not in support of, he believes that your blood should be drawn. Why do I share this out, because we need your support to get behind Delegate Kump on the amended bill to protect our Rights as Legal Citizens of West Virginia and under the Constitution. Anyone of you who support the violation and intrusiveness of our rights under the 4th amendment will be scrutinized as well in the upcoming elections. I urge all of you to get behind Delegate Kump’s amendment and protect our rights under the Constitution. I urge all of you to please contact your constituents and ask for support on this measure. Any Republican not in support of this measure and Liberals, who believe that your 4th amendment rights should be violated, you yourselves should be embarrassed at the notion. Plain and simple. Many do not agree with my outspokenness, however, for me to not be outspoken on this issue would not be who I really am. I am strongly in support of this measure and will continue to email our Legislative body until they fix a wrong, the intrusion into our rights under the 4th amendment must not be overlooked. Again, I urge all of you to think carefully here as you are treading on thin ice in regards to our Privacy and rights. For me, I will not change who I am for the Politically In-correct, that would be to easy.
Thank you,
Jeff Werner
Falling Waters, WV
Subject: More on Our 4th Amendment Rights
From a letter to the editor of a local newspaper:
“Our 4th Amendment protects us from unlawful and unreasonable search and seizure of our persons, houses, papers and effects.
Larry D. Kump, West Virginia delegate, District No. 59, has introduced an amendment to WV House Bill 2513, requiring that law enforcement officers obtain a court warrant, through due process, before they can remove a citizen from their car, drive them to a hospital and force them to undergo a blood test or immediately lose their driving privileges.
House Bill 2513, which was passed in the 2013 session of the West Virginia House of Delegates and signed into law by Gov. Tomblin does just that. Those who wrote and voted for this law, including our governor, are bypassing and ignoring their Constitutional oath of protecting West Virginians against the tyranny of our own government.
Del. Kump voted against HB2513. His amendment would protect us.
“We are a nation of laws, and the Constitution is the highest law of the land. Until a warrant is obtained, the citizens of West Virginia have Constitutional protection of their person, property and possessions, and if your blood is not your possession, I don’t know what is.” said Delegate Kump.
“No one wants people to drive drunk or drugged,” continued Kump, “However the Constitution is clear. A very similar law in Missouri was judged unconstitutional by the Supreme Court earlier this year, as it is a clear violation of the 4th Amendment.”
Elections matter in West Virginia. Who is really supporting your freedom? We know it isn’t Manchin. We know it isn’t Tomblin. It’s time for each of us to decide who we vote for in 2014 – but remember – a vote for liberals is a vote for Obama and his agenda.
Vote for men and women who support your freedom. Larry D. Kump is doing just that. He fights for us every step of the way. Email him – ask him anything that concerns you. He’ll answer your questions honestly and promptly.
Stephanie Robinson
Martinsburg, West Virginia”
BILL: HB2513 as defined; http://alturl.com/jbdv7
Why is he trying to attacks us, the working class families over our Cold and Allergy medications, when he should make better use of our tax dollars by attacking the Abusers and Meth addicts.
Picture of my lovely wife and I after my brother's wedding.
Jeff Werner, Constitutional Candidate for House of Delegates, District 62, West Virginia 