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West Virginia congressional candidates buoyed by last-minute donations

CHARLESTON — As the 2022 election enters the final days, Republican candidates for U.S. House of Representatives continue to bring in donations to buoy their campaigns while their Democratic opponents have not kept pace.

Candidates filed campaign finance reports with the Federal Election Commission at the end of last week covering the pre-general election period, from Oct. 1 through Oct. 19.

In the race for the 2nd Congressional District covering the northern half of West Virginia, U.S. Rep. Alex Mooney, R-W.Va., raised $75,202 during the 19-day reporting period, spent $39,057, and has $758,418 in cash-on-hand to get his message out to voters who have until Saturday to early vote and Election Day on Tuesday, Nov. 8.

During the election cycle, Mooney raised $1,810,682 and spent $3,512,371. Much of Mooney’s spending came during the Republican primary race when he defeated 1st District Rep. David McKinley in May for the new district that combined their two districts after the state lost a congressional district due to population loss.

During the reporting period, Mooney spent $121.86 with HSP Direct, one of several direct mail firms the campaign has done business with during the election. The Mooney campaign has spent $28,740 with HSP Direct since the beginning of the year. Matthew Schenk, a partner in HSP Direct, donated $500 to Mooney on Sept. 30 during the October quarterly filing period. Nicole Hall, CEO for HSP Direct, donated $2,000 to Mooney on May 2.

Mooney remains under investigation by the House Ethics Committee after the Office of Congressional Ethics submitted two reports to the committee since 2021 alleging multiple violations of House ethics rules and campaign finance laws by Mooney.

According to one report, investigators alleged Mooney may have accepted a trip to Aruba from HSP Direct at reduced prices, including lodging at the Ritz-Carlton. According to the report, the trip had an estimated cost of more than $10,000 for the week-long vacation for Mooney and his family. Mooney has since claimed he reimbursed HSP for the full cost of the trip.

Mooney also was allowed to use a house owned by HSP near Capitol Hill for congressional and campaign business, according to the OCE report. Investigators alleged a connection between Mooney’s use of HSP as a vendor and HSP paying for his Aruba vacation and use of their Capitol Hill house.

According to testimony from HSP’s legal counsel, Mooney and HSP partner and chairman Jamie Hogan have been friends for 20 years. Since 2015, Mooney’s campaign has accepted more than $17,000 in political donations from HSP’s political action committee, with Hogan and his wife donating more than $28,000 to Mooney since 2016.

Mooney’s Democratic opponent, former Morgantown city council member Barry Wendell, raised $2,496 during the pre-general filing period and spent $9,478, leaving him with just $2,483 in cash-on-hand. Wendell’s election cycle year-to-date donations were $23,917. Wendell also loaned his campaign $1,000 back in August.

In the 1st Congressional district covering the southern half of West Virginia, 3rd District Congresswoman Carol Miller, R-W.Va., raised $69,836 during the 19-day reporting period and spent $4,296, leaving her with $333,682 in cash-on-hand. Miller’s election cycle year-to-date donations were $1,120,938. Her Democratic opponent, Bluefield-native Lacy Watson, has yet to file any reports with the FCC since launching his campaign.

Steven Allen Adams can be reached at sadams@newsandsentinel.com.

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