CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The day after Secretary of State Mac Warner’s office sent out a number of press releases accusing his predecessor of impeding a smooth transition into office, he claims he wants the feud to end.
“I’m sorry it’s happened. But, when there is purposeful sabotage or an intention to disrupt a new administration it’s not healthy and people need to know there are two sides to the story,” Warner said on WAJR’s Morgantown AM with Dave Wilson and Sunshine Wiles.
Warner claimed former Secretary of State Natalie Tennant delayed the purchase of stationery and other office supplies, disposed of supplies and had the business and licensing portal on the Secretary of State’s website stop functioning at midnight on the night of the transition.
Warner’s office released photos of a recycling can full of papers and indicated the media was invited to photograph the supplies.
“Our intent with that press release was to lay out the facts to folks so people and the press could see it. Then, at the bottom we said it is our intent to stop the media gamesmanship with the attorney and former secretary of state,” Warner said in the radio conversation.
Responding after the first release from Warner’s office went out, Tennant said she was surprised to be the subject of the claims.
“They need to step back, quit making it an election – they won, Natalie’s gone – because they’re going to lose out. They need to step back and just build on the success that we’ve had because they’ll be successful.”
Read more from MetroNews’ Brad McElhinny.