Protests scheduled as Pence, Trump plan West Virginia visits
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WCHS/WVAH) - While President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence plan to attend a GOP congressional retreat in West Virginia, some health care advocates plan to attend rallies to protest Medicaid and health care cuts.
Pence is scheduled to tour a Greenbrier County business on Wednesday afternoon and then make remarks later at the retreat at The Greenbrier. The president is scheduled to make remarks at the West Virginia resort in White Sulphur Springs on Thursday.
Organizers said in a news release that West Virginia health care advocates would join more than 500 people gathering to protest and send a message "that any cuts to health care -- the issue expected to top the GOP's agenda -- will be met with a fierce nationwide fight.”
From 3 to 4 p.m. Wednesday, the Invest in West Virginia Rally is planned outside the office of U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., on Virginia Street East in Charleston. Organizations listed as participating in that rally are WV Working Families Party, WV Citizen Action Group, Rise Up WV and County Indivisible.
Later, from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, a Speak-out Rally is planned at the Charleston Marriott Town Center, featuring local and national organizations.
Meanwhile, there will be a send-off rally at 8:30 a.m. Thursday at Capitol Market on Smith Street in Charleston for those making a bus trip for a protest rally planned later that day in White Sulphur Springs.
At noon Thursday, there will be a rally at Dick Gunnoe Memorial Park in White Sulphur Springs and then a march at 12:30 p.m. to The Greenbrier. Organizers said there would be a rally at 1:30 p.m. in front of the resort.
