McGraw Libel Suit Dismissed, Democratic Judge Says Ads Were True

DEFEATED Justice Warren McGraw having his infamous Labor Day Meltdown (audio of speech & resulting political ads still available--makes the Dean Scream seem sedate)

Former West Virginia Supreme Court Justice Warren McGraw's libel suit against Massey Energy CEO Don Blankenship and former state Democratic chairman George Carenbauer was dismissed today by Taylor County Circuit Judge Alan Moats, who like McGraw is a Democrat, because the TV ads in question were true.

McGraw, who was defeated last November by little-known Charleston attorney and first-time candidate Brent Benjamin, was the subject of an intense TV ad campaign highlighting his decision to cast the deciding vote in March 2004 to let convicted child molester Tony Arbaugh off with probation after Arbaugh had already violated almost every condition of the original probation order that was part of his plea deal with Pendleton County prosecutors. This led to McGraw delivering what can only be described as the mother of all tirades last fall at the annual UMWA Labor Day Picnic at Racine, in which McGraw leveled false accusations against the Republican Party & the US Supreme Court and, frankly, sounded like a raving lunatic.

Fortunately, the state Republican party had its microphone & tape recorder present at that speech, and you can hear or download it by clicking here (4 MB file). Also, you can hear one of two radio ads resulting from this speech by clicking here. I will try to find the ad from the Benjamin campaign and will link to it here if I find it.