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Mooney defends decision to go through with Middle East trip

CLAY, W.Va. — West Virginia Second District Congressman Alex Mooney defended his decision to go through with a trip to visit American soldiers in Egypt last week after learning about the devastating flooding in his home district during an appearance Friday on MetroNews “Talkline.”

“I made a commitment several weeks ago to go to that,” Mooney said while helping Clay County flood victims. “The flight left Friday afternoon. I saw reports of the thunderstorms and the floods and I thought about canceling the trip and I thought, ‘Ya know, the people of West Virginia are very supportive of the military and I don’t think they would want me to cancel the trip,'” Mooney said.

Congressman Alex Mooney, second from right, and staff worked in Clay County Friday.
Congressman Alex Mooney, second from right, and staff worked in Clay County Friday.

The first-term congressman said he was in touch with what was happening in his district and he decided to cut the trip short after additional reports of the flooding came in, he said.

“I was doing my job as a congressman as far as signing a letter for disaster relief on Friday and on Tuesday. My staff was on the ground representing me in various locations at the meetings and helping with the efforts. So I had a presence there,” Mooney said.

Some have criticized Mooney for making the trip. He called it “Monday morning quarterbacking” and said he wouldn’t second guess his decision.

“I don’t think you can go back and second guess those type of decisions. I made it Friday–an on the spot decision–and I’m not going to second guess it,” he said.

Mooney said the trip to Egypt was profitable. He said American troops, including West Virginians, are trying to kept terrorists at bay in the Sinai Desert but their hands are tied.

“The fact is American troops are there–West Virginians are serving in those units–and putting them over there and handcuffing them is not the right thing to do,” Mooney said.





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