W.Va. voters will judge Rep. Mollohan

28 Jan 2010 // After nearly four years of investigating Rep. Alan Mollohan, D-W.Va., the FBI has closed its investigation without filing criminal charges against the 14-term congressman.

Mollohan's office said he was "exonerated."

But the fact remains that over the years, Mollohan steered roughly $250 million to five nonprofit organizations that were run by close friends who also were real estate partners with him, the Washington Post reported.

The New York Times reported in 2006 that over a 10-year period, important figures in those groups contributed at least $397,122 to Mollohan's campaigns.

It sure looks as if donating thousands to him resulted in earmarks worth millions to the organizations run by these donors - or vice versa.

The investigation cost Mollohan his chairmanship of the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct, which is the formal title of the House ethics committee.

Mollohan also had to shell out hundreds of thousands of dollars to a Washington, D.C., law firm to defend his interests in this matter.

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a watchdog group, listed him as the 15th most corrupt member of Congress.

Ultimately, it is up to the voters of Northern West Virginia to decide whether, after 28 years, Mollohan still represents them and serves their best interests.

Republicans gave him a free pass in 2008, when he ran unopposed. This year will be very different, as Republicans have several good candidates running in the Republican primary.

His conduct may not have been criminal, but voters will determine if it meets their standards of official conduct.