Three charged in Workforce West Virginia scandal to enter pleas
Plea hearings have been scheduled for three people implicated in a state workforce training grant scandal.
Comar CEO Al Hendershot, former Workforce West Virginia administrator Mary Jane Bowling and West Virginia State University Extension agent Christine Gardner are set to appear in federal court Dec. 8 at 9:30 a.m.
Hendershot, Bowling and Gardner are expected to plead guilty to charges that they misused federal grant money administered by Workforce West Virginia, according to previous court filings.
U.S. District Judge John T. Copenhaver has been assigned the case.
A fourth person involved in the scandal, former Comar Chief Technical Officer Martin Bowling, already has pleaded guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 3.
You can find the Gazette’s ongoing investigation of Workforce West Virginia here.
3 comments
i think you are missing the most interesting aspect of the cases. On Friday, 11/13, the United states Attornry filed a motion for substantial assistance for Martin Bowling. this is a request to the court to reduce a sentence based on a defendan having assisted the government in the prosecution of others.
Mr. Hendershot just recently agreed to plead guilty. When Bowling first got in trouble, Hendershot made numerous public statements supporting and praising Bowling. Mr. Hendershot also made statements expressing his belief that the grant moneys were properly handled by his firm. Now, Hendershot is admitting that the funds were spent for illegal purposes with his knowledge.
Perhaps there is a connection between Bowling getting a break from the government and Hendershot changing his tune?
Was Hendershot’s previous praise of Martin Bowling just a cynical ploy intended to encourage Bowling to stay quiet or did Bowling betray a man who stood up for him in order to get a better deal?
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I am NOT surprised! I’ve watched Al Hendershot operate for years — totally not surprised he’s involved in something like this. Makes his magazine(s) totally worthless. Bonnie would be weeping if she were here now. No one should feel like they are “betraying” Al Hendershot. Everyone just needs to tell the truth.
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