06 April 2007

Who Knew Wisteria Lane Was In West Virginia?

Or in Charleston, for that matter.

Mike Callaghan has become the latest state political figure to see his private life spill onto the public stage.

As the Charleston Daily Mail reports today, Callaghan's estranged wife took to the street outside his law office in an apparent protest stemming from their pending divorce.


(Photo Courtesy of Charleston Daily Mail)

Through his lawyer, Callaghan responded with a statement. "It greatly pains me that our children must endure her public exploitation of our private pain, and I ask for your prayers for my family in this difficult time period," it reads in part.

"The Callaghans have been married for 17 years and have three children, ages 10 to 16," the article said.

Callaghan unsuccessfully challenged U.S. Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, R-2nd, last year. He was previously state Democratic Party chairman, Environmental Protection secretary under then-Gov. Bob Wise and chief criminal prosecutor for southern West Virginia's federal court district.

Callaghan has also been touted as a possible 2008 candidate for state attorney general, as the article notes.

Friday's news comes one day after thrice-divorced state Sen. Vic Spouse, R-Kanawha, announced that he would not run for re-election in 2008. His most recent divorce, and the surrounding circumstances, have also become public fodder.

And then there's former Delegate Jon Amores, D-Kanawha, whose divorce made the news before he quit the Legislature to take a post in the state Commerce Department.

In a recent column in The Charleston Gazette, Phil Kabler wrote that "It was pretty obvious to everyone at the statehouse that (Amores) was running around with a legislative intern last session, and continues to date her to this day, and presumably, that was a precipitating factor leading up to his divorce."


7 comments:

pinhick said...

This one doesn't amount to much outside of the Springereque tactics of the estranged wife wanting to get paid.

Sounds a lot like extortion, doesn't it? Did she want the 50K in small, non-sequential bills? Doesn't seem a smart move in a divorce proceeding to commit a felony (esp one involving the newspaper.

BTW is that a Vette or Mercedes ragtop behind her?

And, in listing the sex stories, you forgot the delegate painting his ass purple.

The Film Geek said...

Un-freakin-believable.

(And un-freakin'-dignified.)

Anonymous said...

Well, Callghan was running on the "family" theme, at least up here in the Eastern Panhandle, so it does seem relevant to his past and future(?) campaigns.

Anonymous said...

It was pretty clear to a lot of party activists during the election cycle that Callaghan was openly engaging in an affair with one of his campaign staffers. I'm sure this development, while unexpected, won't take too many Dem insiders by surprise.

Anonymous said...

Looks like ol' Forrest Gump is getting a divorce...

James Agee said...

Regarding Callaghan, it's kinda funny that it wasn't highlighted more in the news. The Gazette had all kinds of stories RE Sprouse's wandering eye...I guess they didn't think that Callaghan deserved equal time.

RE the Amores deal that Kabler reported, I'm mystified that chicks dig the bow tie.

Anonymous said...

It's too bad Callaghan's a Democrat, doesn't Bush have a thing for bald men?