WV Farm Bureau Magazine April 2016 | Page 19

Supreme Court Outcome Could Help Dispel “Judicial Hellhole” Reputation of West Virginia; Attract Businesses May 10th primary will determine the race for the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals Court, citing Walker’s desire to uphold the rule of law and not to ‘legislate from the bench.’ “Beth Walker’s commitment to conservative principles and desire for a fair, impartial judiciary are the very reasons why WV Farm PAC voted to support her,” said Charles Wilfong, WVFB President. “We believe she is by far the most qualified candidate for the Supreme Court of Appeals.” Beth Walker visits WVFB office in Buckhannon. Right to left: WVFB President Charles Wilfong; Walker; WVFB Administrator Steve Butler. O’Dell, continued Speaking of Washington, D.C., in late February I traveled with other WVFB members to the AFBF Advocacy Conference. Over 700 Farm Bureau Following a change in state law last year, judicial members from around the country came together to races in the Mountain State are now non-partisan, and thus are decided during primary elections. So the receive information on the 2016 agricultural economic outlook, trade legislation and other Capitol Hill impact of the May 10th election will have a direct bearing on helping West Virginia change the negative issues. With over 96 percent of the world’s population residing outside the United States, trade policy is of legal climate plaguing the state and keeping new utmost importance. Our group was well received by business at bay. Senators Capito and Manchin and Representatives McKinley, Mooney, and Jenkins. Beth Walker, of Morgantown, has been endorsed by the West Virginia Farm PAC for this very reason. Finally, West Virginia Primary Election Day is just around the corner. It is imperative that we have people in Walker is Associate General Counsel for the West elected positions who are supportive of WVFB policies Virginia University Health System, which is the and sympathetic to issues that face our farmers and state’s largest healthcare system and second largest rural communities around the state. Winston Churchill private employer. Prior to her current position, Beth stated, “It has been said that democracy is the worst was a partner in the law firm of Bowles Rice, where form of government except all the others that have been she concentrated her statewide practice on labor and tried.” We live in a great state and country, but we must employment law for more than