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West Virginia Senate President Craig Blair has a message for drug dealers: stay out of West Virginia or there could be severe consequences.
Speaking to a large crowd Saturday at the Lincoln-Reagan Dinner at the Moundsville Country Club, sponsored by the Marshall and Wetzel County Republican Party Executive Committees, Blair, R-Berkeley, said he is considering legislation that would possibly introduce a capital punishment charge for illegal drug dealers or illegal drug manufacturers -- particularly those that push deadly fentanyl.
"So if you’re manufacturing or smuggling fentanyl, as far as I’m concerned, you should get capital punishment and use the poison that you’re" placing in the community. "I know that sounds radical, but guess what -- that makes national news if you do something like that, and the dealers and the drug pushers hear that, they'll stay out of West Virginia and leave our kids alone."
Blair also addressed the initiatives passed by the Senate during his tenure including a number passed in the 2023 legislative session. He noted the restructuring of DDHR, the work of state Sen. Mike Maroney, R-Marshall, in passing a fix for the state's Public Employees Insurance Agency, years of a flat-line budget that have helped bring about record revenue surpluses, and a massive tax cut that will see $760 million returned to West Virginians through a 21.25% income tax reduction and also a 100% tax credit for personal property tax paid on vehicles.
He said Senate members work together to benefit West Virginia, giving particular note to the work done to land new developments such as Nucor and Form Energy, among others.
"When I was first elected, we went from feast to famine ... in the middle of a budget year. That's not how you provide stability to the state. ... That’s why I proposed a flatline budget, I knew it would work, and the governor went along with it. The Senate, the House and the governor worked together and did it, and it set the stage for the largest tax reduction in state history," Blair said.
He also noted the work done on education over the past few years -- particularly the move by lawmakers to introduce additional teaching resources in grades one through three to help children "learn how to learn." Blair said over the past several years, the state "invested in education like never before."
As to the future, Blaire said lawmakers need to address corrections, emergency services, the Board of Risk Insurance Management, and further changes within DHHR.
Gov. Jim Justice and Babydog, his English Bulldog, were the honored guests for the evening. Babydog made her presence felt as soon as she entered, standing on her Cabela's camping chair and leaning over to take a bite of the leftovers from Blair's plate.
During his remarks, Justice focused briefly on the current state of West Virginia, his role in helping the state to grow and the work he and the Legislature have done to land several high-profile developments. He then pivoted to focus on national issues, noting how much the country seems to have gotten off-track since his childhood.
"There’s some level of craziness, corruption, whatever it may be in our federal government today, that none of us were brought up as kids to believe was even a possibility. Who would have thought we'd be here today?" the governor said. "... Like many of you, I believe this country ... is going in a direction that is ludicrous and dangerous."
That's why Justice said he puts his faith in God to direct his path.
"I am a believer wholeheartedly that God always shows up. He may not show up on your timetable, or my timetable, but he always shows up," Justice said.
He noted that despite trying times, America is "an incredible country. There’s no question we’re incredible. And there’s no question that we are resilient beyond belief."
His closing message to those in attendance was to "keep sawing wood." He relayed how a former basketball player that he coached wrote him a letter several years ago that reminded Justice of the saying he taught his players on how to perservere.
"I would tell all of you to always remember that God always shows up and absolutely I would tell all of you to continue to work your absolute hardest to do all you can possibly do to preserve this nation. Our nation absolutely is imperiled. ... It's up to us to help fix it."