Cheney Headlines Wakim Fundraiser; Mollohan Kicked off House Ethics Committee

The momentum is rapidly building behind the congressional campaign of Delegate Chris Wakim, R-Wheeling, in his bid to unseat 12-term Congressman Alan Mollohan, D-Fairmont.

Today, Wakim held a fundraiser in Morgantown with Vice President Dick Cheney. Sources in attendance say the event raised at least $140,000 and maybe as much as $200,000 for Wakim's campaign. This post will be updated to reflect more accurate information as it becomes available.

While the fundraiser was occurring, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco, announced that Congressman Mollohan was stepping down from the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct (aka the House Ethics Committee) just a day after Mollohan insisted he would remain in his post. This was clearly a forced move. Mollohan probably received a nice little phone call from "Bill" from Chappaqua, New York, encouraging him to step aside before they throw him under the bus.

Both Mollohan and Wakim are unopposed in their respective primary elections on May 9.