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From NBC's Doug Adams and Mark Murray
First Read can confirm, per a Democratic source with knowledge of the pick, that West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin (D) will select former general counsel Carte Goodwin to fill Robert Byrd's Senate seat until November's special election, in which Manchin is expected to run.
So who is Carte Goodwin?
He is 36 years old and currently a practicing attorney in West Virginia. He served as Manchin's general counsel from 2005-2009. He's thought to be a trusted associate of Manchin, and has known the governor since 2004, when Goodwin worked as a volunteer in his campaign.
Goodwin is also a from a prominent West Virginia family -- his uncle is a federal judge, his cousin a U.S. attorney, and his father (who recently died) had chaired the West Virginia university board of governors. Also, Goodwin's wife, Rochelle, is the state director for soon-to-be colleague -- Sen. Jay Rockefeller.
Goodwin left office in January of last year to go back into private practice as an attorney. He's currently a partner at his family's law firm based in Charleston, appropriately named Goodwin & Goodwin.
Here is his bio at Goodwin & Goodwin...
Bio:
-- General Counsel to West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin III, 2005-2009
-- Chairman, School Building Authority Member,
-- Consolidated Public Retirement Board Chairman,
-- Governor's Advisory Committee on Judicial Nominations
-- Clerk for the Honorable Robert B. King, United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, 1999-2000
Practice details:
-- Representing clients in civil litigation throughout West Virginia's state and federal courts.
-- Representing clients in mass and class action litigation.
-- Representing clients in various commercial transactions as well as the formation and organization of business entities.
-- Representing clients in the preparation and registration of federal trademark applications, license agreements and intellectual property litigation.
Education:
-- Marietta College, B.A., Philosophy, magna cum laude 1996
-- The Emory University School of Law, Doctor of Law, 1999
-- Order of the Coif
-- Executive Notes & Comments Editor, Emory International Law Review
-- Authored "Live, In Concert and Beyond: A New Standard of Contributory Copyright Infringement." 13 Emory Int'l L. Rev. 345 (1999)
Leave a Comment:
Practice details:
-- Representing clients in civil litigation throughout West Virginia's state and federal courts.
-- Representing clients in mass and class action litigation.
Great. An ambulance-chasing trial lawyer. He ought to fit right in with the crooks in the Senate.
Why not go to the zoo and pick out a striped ass baboon. Put the banana on the right button when votes come up and he will be a reliable partisan politician. We have the ticket full of them in Illinois on both sides.
A person only thinks a lawyer is an ambulance-chasing crook until he needs an attorney to defend him. Then they are their savior.
I've worked for lawyers for over 18 years. I've never seen a crooked one, but I have seen an attorney ask someone to leave their office when they suggested something questionable.
Don't be so prejudiced against all lawyers - like all prejudices, it is wrong, wrong, wrong.
"Don't be so prejudiced against all lawyers"
I am not "prejudiced against all lawyers". Hell, my father was a lawyer (he worked for the state AG's office doing the legal work on land purchases for parks, roads, etc.). The lawyers that write wills, do real estate transactions, prosecute and defend criminals, write contracts, etc. provide a good and necessary service. I just despise the ambulance-chasers that advertise on TV with 1-800-WESUE4U numbers and then take 33% plus all expenses from the plaintiffs award.
Carte and in fact the entire Goodwin family are honest and good people. I grew up in Ripley, WV - where Carte grew up. I am sure that he will do his best for the state of West Virginia in Washington regardless of the duration of his stay.
I was in an accident once--hired one of those "ambulance chasers". He didn't get me rich, but he got my expenses reimbursed and I was thrilled to let him have 33% of my award.
There are crooks in every profession (AIG anyone? Goldman Sachs? BP?), and yes, there are bound to be crooked lawyers. Just sayin' they're not all crooks.
Joe in Albany-1902257
Hell, my father was a lawyer (he worked for the state AG's office doing the legal work on land purchases for parks, roads, etc.).
So your father filed for immnient domain and took peoples land away from them?
Nice try at taking a shot at my father, but, it's come up lame, just like you.
No. Eminent (not "inmminent") domain proceedings only occur if the property owner refuses to accept the average fair market value price placed on the property by several independent appraisers, which establishes the amount the state is willing to pay. Eminent domain proceedings place the decision-making process in the hands of a judge who is responsible for making sure all parties are dealt with fairly under the law. If eminent domain was considered necessary (it is a legal and constitutionally authorized process), it was handled by another unit that did court work. My father did the real estate title transfer work only, in order to make sure the state got valid title to the property.
Have a nice day, a$$hole.
As a Marieta College graduate, I am glad to see a fellow member of the long blue line in the senate.
Dear Joe in Albany,
Your broad generalization of any attorney that represents clients in civil, mass, or class action litigation as ambulance chasers is as ridiculous as your statement regarding all the "crooks in the senate". Here's an idea, Joe, if you're so upset with the way the government is being run, maybe you should do something about it personally, instead of just baiting an argument on a comments blog. I certainly can't imagine that you would be confident or competent enough to hold a senate seat at the young age of 36. Carte Goodwin comes from a genuinely nice, good family, and his career as an attorney shows nothing but hard work and perseverance. I'm sure he will do his best to represent the people of West Virginia. As a side-note, you would also do well not to use curse words "cleverly" disguised with dollar signs if you ever want anyone to take any of your thoughts seriously, ever.
Love him or hate him, Robert Byrd has some very large shoes to fill. For Democrats, he is young and slim, and this will make him look good when he officially runs to keep his newly appointed Senate seat. For Republicans, young Carte, is a newbee, and may not embrace large scale "Euro sytle solutions", especially if he is savvy enough to detect that the country is decidedly less enamoured with Obama now than back in November of 2008.
Senator-to-be-Goodwin apparently is not going to run, so his political philosophy is largely irrelevant. Governor Manchin is almost certain to run. The governor reflects the general political climate in West Virgina and if he wins the seat he will somewhat to the right within the Democratic spectrum.