Spike & Don: We Went Dutch to Monaco

The Associated Press reports that "Supreme Court Chief Justice Elliott 'Spike'' Maynard's re-election campaign has offered a credit card record to counter questions raised about his 2006 Monaco meet-up with Massey Energy Co. President, Chairman and Chief Executive Don Blankenship."

Maynard had promised to produce "receipts and records" when he stated "I paid my own way" in the wake of the Monaco photos' release.

The document shown to AP "indicates Maynard bought a pair of $2,077 plane tickets six days before the July 2 (2006) departure date, and a $1,393 travel package from Expedia.com two days later," the article said. "The campaign said the latter covered Maynard's hotel expenses."

The article also quotes yet another legal scholar critical of the socializing revealed by the photos. Georgetown University law professor Roy Schotland "said Maynard showed 'zero judgment,'" adding "I'm floored. That's why I go to the word judgment. You don't do that.''

Blankenship is on the board of directors for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and the publication it bankrolls in West Virginia has its own view.