Tomblin: I Was Unaware of Freedom Donations
Associated Press
23 January 2014
CHARLESTON — Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin said he was unaware he received
campaign checks from top executives at the company at the center
of West Virginia’s chemical spill.
The Democrat said he found about donations from two Freedom
Industries executives from news articles Wednesday morning.
J. Clifford Forrest, who runs Freedom’s parent company, gave
Tomblin’s campaign $500 in 2011 and $500 in 2012. Dennis Farrell,
another Freedom executive, gave $500 total to Tomblin in 2011.
W.Va. Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito received $500 from
Forrest last February for her current U.S. Senate bid. U.S. Sen.
Joe Manchin received $1,000 from Forrest for his 2008 run for
governor. Both are giving the money to West Virginia charities.
The Freedom donations make up a sliver of the millions of dollars
raised for each respective campaign.