West Virginia Aviation Division Under Federal Investigation

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – An ongoing federal grand jury investigation of the Manchin administration took a new turn Monday, with sources confirming that federal subpoenas were issued for the state Aviation Division director and for records maintained by the Aviation Division.

The subpoenas were issued for director Keith Wood and for division flight records.

Both Melvin Smith, spokesman for Gov. Joe Manchin, and Diane Holley-Brown, spokeswoman for the Department of Administration, which oversees the Aviation Division, referred all questions regarding the subpoenas to Charleston lawyer Dwane Tinsley.

The state Aviation Division maintains flight logs for all state aircraft.
The division keeps records for each flight on the state’s King Air and Cessna Caravan airplanes, as well as for the state’s helicopters.

The flight logs list each flight’s destination or destinations, and all passengers on board.

The flight logs are public record.Manchin also leases space in the Aviation Division’s hanger at Yeager Airport for his personal Piper Saratoga airplane, at a rate of $115 a month.

Interesting. Just a few months ago governor Joe Manchin had the state owned aircraft tail numbers blocked… Interesting !

The fact the the Feds are “investigating” a state aviation unit means very little when taken at face value. Aircraft are always a big target and politicians are always looking for ways to smear their opponents.

I’m not saying that there is or is not anything illegal going on, just that the existence of an investigation doesn’t really carry much weight.

I understand, but the investigation entails more than just the West Virginia Aviation Division. They are just one part of this investigation.

More to come.

Are you suggesting there might be some corrupt politicians out there?!? Perish the though! Thanks for the update.

Yes, that is the American way corrupt politicians- :laughing:

But I have never heard of a federal investigation of a state politician where it involved the states aircraft division.

The rumor is that flight plans were filed for a state business trip,but turned in to a pleasure trip for friends of the governor who was on board and there was no record of state business at the point where the state plane landed.