Truth to Power

Buying votes…with pork rinds?

Ex-mayor pleads guilty to 243 felonies

WISE, Va. – The former mayor of a tiny coal town who prosecutors say masterminded a scheme to buy votes with beer, cigarettes and even pork rinds, pleaded guilty Thursday to 243 felonies, including vote-rigging and corruption.

Wise County Circuit Judge Tammy McElyea made former Appalachia mayor Ben Cooper plead individually to each of the charges against him, which included stealing election records, forging ballots, hindering the rights of citizens to vote freely, voting more than once in an election and violating absentee voting procedures.

By the time she reached the 11th charge, Cooper, 64, was saying “guilty” before she had finished reading the charge.

“You’re getting ahead of me,” she said, to which Cooper apologized.</i>

Please note the name of the town in question. Ha.


Recently on Ink 19...

Creation Rebel

Creation Rebel

Features

High Above Harlesden 1978 - 2023 from On-U Sound collects 60 dub and reggae tracks from Creation Rebel, an astounding set of musicians.

The Valiant Ones

The Valiant Ones

Screen Reviews

One of the last of the classic wuxia swordplay films stands as a fitting coda to the grand period of the genre. Phil Bailey reviews a new Blu-ray release of the 1975 film The Valiant Ones.

Best of Five

Best of Five

Screen Reviews

Not everyone can be excited by blocks spinning on a screen, but if you are, Ian Koss recommends you pay attention to Best of Five.

CAKE

CAKE

Event Reviews

Jeremy Glazier shoots a CAKE headline show at McGrath Amphitheater.