Despite a smear campaign that lasted more than a year, Dr. Mike Maroney claimed sweet victory Tuesday evening against his Democratic opponent, Josh Gary, by more than 5,000 votes in the state’s second Senatorial District.
Maroney will return to the West Virginia Senate as one of 23 Republicans in the 34-member chamber after winning in seven of nine counties. The senator, a resident of Marshall County, is the current chair of the Health Committee and a member of Finance.
“I believe I did a good job the past four years, and people know it. I worked hard and was rewarded the past two years with leadership roles and thus more power,” Maroney explained. “That is a huge plus for the counties that I represent because I can help them achieve what they need. Plus, I ran a real campaign and talked about some real issues in West Virginia, but my opponent ran the worst campaign that I have ever witnessed. The irony of it is that he actually teaches civics classes, and that’s a bit scary.
“The people of District 2 know me pretty well, and many of them were appalled by my opponent’s tactics,” the senator continued. “And the third reason I believe I was re-elected is that our conservative platform resonates with West Virginians. The Democrats refuse to talk issues and have one approach, and that is mudslinging slander because they are on the wrong side of the issues for the people of our state. People are smart and figured it out.”
One Difficult Year
Maroney was arrested by Glen Dale police in August 2019 and was charged with misdemeanor solicitation by the Marshall County Prosecutor’s Office after authorities allegedly discovered his contact information and text messages between him and a prostitute on the female’s phone.
Several men also were charged in the case, but after Maroney was arraigned by Magistrate Mark Kerwood, the lawmaker never received his day in court, and his attorney’s attempts to gain access to the evidence against his client repeatedly failed.
The defense did file for the first continuance because Maroney’s counsel, Wheeling attorney Paul Harris, was involved in a federal trial at the time, but three more delays occurred after filings by the county prosecutor’s office.
“It has been a tough year for me and my kids after I was charged with solicitation,” the state senator said. “I am innocent of that charge, and it was purposely delayed by a corrupt prosecutor in Marshall County in an attempt to hurt my re-election. They refused to turn over evidence, requested multiple continuances of the trial requested by them, and several of them gave my opponent campaign money and actually campaigned with him while going door-to-door. All of these egregious acts forced the Marshall County Prosecutor to be disqualified from the case.
“I understand it is fair game to bring that up in a campaign, but that was my opponent’s entire campaign. It was constant slander and mudslinging, and 100 percent of it will be proven to be lies and misinformation. It was a pathetic and beyond ignorant campaign, and 24,000 voters in District 2 figured that out,” he said. “My opponent’s ignorance was hurtful to my family, but the victory was a rout, and that’s a good first step for me and my family to start the healing process. It’s getting better for them every day.”
Pleasants County?
Maroney represents residents in all or parts of nine counties in the Mountain State, including Calhoun, Doddridge, Gilmer (part), Marion (part), Marshall (part), Monongalia (part), Ritchie, Tyler, and Wetzel.
That is why Maroney, his attorney, and his supporters were surprised when an arrest warrant was issued on Oct. 26 by the Pleasants County Magistrate’s Office for four misdemeanor counts of unlawful use of the prefix, “Dr.” on campaign signs. The charges were dropped about 48 hours later.
“Someone came up with a plan to arrest me for prefix violations concerning my signs, and there had to be a lawyer involved,” Maroney explained. “Those signs were not even in my district but were planted in Pleasants County. They actually put out an arrest warrant for me but couldn’t find me to arrest me.
“This was the most egregious and very ignorant strategy,” he said. “It blew up in their faces and helped wake the people up. They totally discredited themselves and all their prior lies. The people figured it out.”
Day in Court?
Sen. Maroney has insisted all along that he is not guilty of the charges and continues to look forward to proving his innocence when finally given the opportunity. When that will be, however, remains an unknown, and assistant prosecutor Joe Canestraro will take over as the county’s prosecutor on Jan. 1, 2021, after winning in an uncontested campaign cycle. The case, however, is now being handled by prosecutors from Wood County.
Over the last few months the lawmaker has revealed some information about the process navigated by him and his attorney since his arrest in late August 2019.
“Well, first, I am not guilty of the misdemeanor solicitation that I was charged with 13 months ago. My cell number and texts are claimed to be on a phone of a girl charged with prostitution, and the Marshall County Prosecutor was supposed to turn over that phone over six months ago. That’s required by law, but it still has not taken place,” Maroney explained. “There is no evidence because there was no crime committed. I expect the charges to be dropped now that the case is out of the hands of corrupt Marshall County. We will know that soon.
“I didn’t back down because they have no evidence to convict me. Glen Dale police came up with a very ignorant, corrupt, and coercive plan that I can prove is all lies,” he insisted. “It hurt me and my kids badly, and they are going to have to answer for that ignorance soon.”
For now, though, Maroney plans to enjoy his victory and continue his preparation for the Legislature’s regular session that is scheduled to begin in February.
“Winning was such a huge deal for me and my family because it was a statement of trust and belief from the people of Senate District 2,” the re-elected senator said. “The margin of victory helped us even more, but my kids and were hurt this past year.
“I am a man, and I can handle it, but they are innocent kids and became collateral damage,” Maroney added. “The weight of the world has been lifted, and now our healing begins.”
