A. James Manchin
[1] He was educated in the schools of Marion County and was elected to the West Virginia House of Delegates in 1948 at age 21, but was defeated for re-election in 1950.[5] After the election, Governor Arch A. Moore Jr. in 1973 appointed him to direct the Rehabilitation Environmental Action Program (REAP), a successful effort which rid the State of more than 100,000 junked cars[3] as well as numerous appliances.He would visit schools and ask students for help by joining his “REAP Regiment.”[6][7] In 1976, Manchin ran again for Secretary of State and defeated incumbent Republican James R. McCartney 55%–45%.[3] He was impeached by the House of Delegates on March 30, 1989, amid a controversy over bad investments that lost the state $279 million mainly during the time period between April and June 1987.[13][14] The House of Delegates called him "a flamboyant character of the first magnitude" and praised his love of ceremony in their resolution honoring him after his death.