Bernie Sanders to hold three events in West Virginia

By RealWV Staff,

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) will be making three appearances in West Virginia next week, as part of his “Fighting Oligarchy” tour. The former presidential candidate will be appearing on Friday, Aug. 8 at the Capitol Theatre in Wheeling. On Saturday, Aug. 9, Sanders will make appearances at both the Lenore Community Center, and the Charleston Convention Center. 

“Senator Sanders’ visit is a welcome reminder of what public service should look like,” stated a Thursday press release from the WV Democratic Party. “While Senator Shelley Moore Capito, Senator Jim Justice, Congressman Riley Moore, and Congresswoman Carol Miller continue to avoid public town halls and shield themselves from accountability, Senator Sanders is once again doing what they refuse to do: meeting directly with the people of West Virginia.”

Sanders’ visit to West Virginia comes on the heels of similar visits to Oklahoma, Texas, and Louisiana, where his events saw attendance reach well into the thousands. According to Sanders’ website, the purpose of the visits is “to have real discussions across America on how we move forward to take on the Oligarchs and corporate interests who have so much power and influence in this country.”

For the Wheeling event, the Capitol Theatre’s doors will open at 3:30 p.m. on Friday, with the program beginning at 6 p.m. On Saturday, doors at the Lenore Community Center will open at 11:30 a.m., with the program beginning at 1 p.m. And in Charleston, the Convention Center’s doors will open at 3:30 p.m. with the program beginning at 6 p.m. 

Attendees must RSVP at https://berniesanders.com/oligarchy/. The website also states that the following items are not permitted inside the venues:

• Signs or flags of any kind.
• Weapons of any kind, including for attendees with open-carry permits.
• Hard water bottles.
• Chairs of any kind. (ADA seating will be provided).
• Bags larger than a fanny pack. (Medical exceptions will be made).

“It is a shame that a senator from Vermont is fighting harder for the people of West Virginia than our own elected members of Congress,” said Democratic National Committee representative Selina Vickers. “Bernie Sanders will be meeting with people that barely survive on their social security check or minimum wage here in West Virginia. He’s going to hear what is going to happen to their children and community when they are kicked off of Medicaid or stop receiving supplemental nutrition assistance.”

“ He’s going to hear about people whose homes were destroyed in flooding and need FEMA assistance,” Vickers added. “He’s going to learn of the anger and pain here and then he’s going to carry those stories back to Washington to help us. When was the last time any of the Republican representatives did that? They don’t.”