WILLIAMSON, W.Va.
– The U.S. Attorney
for West Virginia ’s Southern District is
expected to talk more this afternoon about a corruption investigation focused
on elected officials in Mingo
County
Mingo County Commissioner David Baisden,
66, was arrested Thursday morning. He’s been indicted by a federal grand
jury on charges of attempted extortion.
U.S. Attorney Booth Goodwin has
scheduled a 2 p.m. press conference for this afternoon at the Charleston
Federal Courthouse.
A federal grand jury has been meeting in
Charleston since last year to investigate Mingo County
Commissioner Baisden allegedly
demanded Appalachian Tire to sell him tires at the discounted
rate the company sold tires to the county. The indictment also says
Baisden threatened to cut off the business the county did with the company
unless Appalachian Tire gave him the same deal. Appalachian Tire refused.
The Mingo County Commission did cut-off
business with Appalachian Tire in 2009. The company says it lost thousands of
dollars.
Baisden is scheduled to appear for a
hearing in federal magistrate court at 3 p.m.
