Latest news with #Maynor
Yahoo
14-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
WV House Republicans join Dems 54-41 to reject bill allowing direct corporate political donations
Del. Jordan Maynor, R-Raleigh, pushes his colleagues in the West Virginia House to vote for House Bill 2719, legislation that would have allowed for corporations in the state to directly donate to political campaigns and politicians on Thursday, March 13, 2025 in Charleston, With more than half the body's voting Republicans joining Democrats, the bill was rejected by lawmakers 54-41. (Perry Bennett | West Virginia Legislative Photography) The West Virginia House of Delegates on Thursday rejected a bill that would have allowed businesses and corporations in the state to directly donate up to $2,800 — and potentially more, according to statements — to political candidates. With five members absent and not voting, the body voted 54-41 against House Bill 2719. It was the first time this session that a majority of Republicans in the House sided with Democrats against legislation and the first bill in either chamber this year to be denied through a floor vote. HB 2719 would have removed language in state code that barred corporations, 'membership organizations' and businesses from donating directly to political candidates. The proposed code would have allowed any business incorporated by the West Virginia Secretary of State's Office to give up to $2,800 to a candidate per an election cycle. There were no limits included in the proposed code on how many businesses owned by one person would have been able to donate politically. Through the legislation, business owners could have given the maximum amount of money to candidates multiple times by donating through their businesses, individual giving and political action committees. Those who supported the legislation said it would increase transparency for corporate political giving in the state as, for the first time, money given by businesses would be listed and made public through financial disclosures instead of being siphoned through a Political Action Committee or Super PAC (often referred to as 'dark money' since there is no way to see where the money comes from). Any funds given by corporations would have also still needed to meet limits set in state code. Del. Jordan Maynor, R-Raleigh, serves as vice chair of the House Judiciary committee and was a sponsor of the legislation. While eight legislators in total spoke on HB 2719 Thursday, Maynor was one of only two lawmakers to urge passage of the bill before it died. 'All the bluster we're hearing about how this opens us up to more money in politics — [corporations] can do that right now, except there is no transparency with what they give now because they give to big money political action committees that are in the dark,' Maynor said. 'This is a transparency bill … When you're going through campaign finance reports, it shows — because it's transparent — the businesses that gave to your campaign and that support you.' But the majority who voted down the legislation held deep concerns about how the bill would inject more money into politics, giving wider influence to those who could afford to buy favor and interest versus those who couldn't but would be forced to live with the consequences. 'This is precisely the direction that we should not be going. No one at home wants more money in politics,' said House Minority Leader Sean Hornbuckle, D-Cabell. 'We have this fascination with money and greed. What happens is, we don't get elected officials based upon merit or what they can do — because it's a rich man's game. That's all it is. So effectively, we're not representing the people at home because [elections are] going to the highest bidder.' Del. Henry Dillon, R-Wayne, said the proposed bill wasn't the kind that his constituents sent him to Charleston to pass. Even more, he said, it would be insulting to approve legislation that gives corporations and wealthy people more of a say in who is elected to represent them than the majority of residents who are often struggling to stay afloat. 'We were sent here to help the average voter, constituents in our districts for who $2,800 toward politics — they can't even begin to afford to part with that type of money,' Dillon said. 'And yet we're going to open up new avenues for people who have ample resources, virtually unlimited resources, to influence our elections? … Is this going to make life better for our constituents?' Del. Mike Hornby, R-Berkeley, said during questioning on the floor from Del. Mike Pushkin, D-Kanawha, that originally, there was a $250 limit on corporate giving in the bill. But that cap had to be removed from the proposed bill, Hornby said, as 'we must treat everybody the same' in campaign finance code. Hornby — who is the lead sponsor of the bill — is listed by the Secretary of State as the incorporator of numerous media and communications companies in West Virginia, though several are currently out of compliance or have had their registrations revoked by the SOS due to a failure to file annual reports. He said while he 'generally tries to stay out of elections' through his businesses, he believed a political candidate should be able to 'have a business support them.' When asked by Pushkin who pushed for the introduction and passage of this legislation — citizen-led lobbying groups, certain businesses, a corporation or anyone else — Hornby's answer was brief. 'Nobody asked for this,' he said. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Honoring Black History: The origin of Savannah's Greenbriar Children's Center
For the past 75 years, Greenbriar Children's Center has been a place of refuge for young people who've often had to deal with circumstances beyond their to understand its mission, you have to consider its past. Greenbriar Children's Center's began with a vision for a brighter future for Black children in started with a charitable donation from local philanthropist, Adeline Graham, who passed away in her will she left $2,200 dollars to be used for an orphanage. Gena Taylor is the center's Executive Director. She says prior to this time, young black children without parental support were placed in local penal facilities like the Brown Farm— a 400 acre Jim Crow era camp surrounding Montgomery Cross Road where inmates labored in poor conditions. With the support of Rev. Dr. Ralph Mark Gilbert— pastor of First African Baptist Church and president of the local chapter of the NAACP– Greenbriar was established by five young women from the Gamma Sigma Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated who saw a cause in need of help. They used the seed money to establish the area's first dedicated center for Black children. Before finding a permanent home, Greenbriar occupied a number of spaces, including the Women's Army Corp (WAC) building on Hunter Army Airfield in 1949, and several houses in the Carver Village community in the early May of 1954, Greenbriar expanded by acquiring a 15-acre property on Hopkins Street. One of the first children to walk through its doors was Carolyn Maynor who recently shared her story at the agency's 75th anniversary gala. She credits the love and support she received at Greenbriar for guiding her an adult, Ms. Maynor became the first Black Telecommunications Operator at the Executive Offices of the President during the Nixon era 1969-1971. She then worked for the US Attorney's Office in Washington, DC, the District Attorney's office in Savannah as a Victim Advocate for the Victim Witness Program, and the Fulton County Courthouse before returning to DC to work for the US Office of Special Counsel until her retirement in 2005. Maynor's lived experience is what Taylor says they strive for every day through its enduring mission of uplifting our most vulnerable children and paving the way for a brighter future. Greenbriar currently provides childcare, accredited and affordable early learning programs, family preservation and counseling services, and an emergency shelter for children and young adults. Greenbriar's first executive director, Doris Roberts, created the agency's very first childcare currently operate three in addition to accredited and affordable early learning programs, family preservation, counseling services, and an emergency shelter for children and young center also operates more than 70 Project Safe Place sites in the Savannah area. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
