West Virginia legislators vote to impeach state Supreme Court Justices amid spending scandal
West Virginia’s House of Delegates have voted to impeach justices on the state’s Supreme Court over spending.
All four Supreme Court justices – Justices Margaret Workman, Allen Loughry, Elizabeth Walker and Robin Davis – were impeached over allegations that they abused their authority over excessive spending.
Ms Davis announced her retirement hours after impeachment, which was allowed to retroactively take effect from Monday; the other three justices now face impeachment trials in the state Senate.
The House Delegate Committee had announced earlier this month it adopted 14 articles of impeachment on various allegations, including corruption, incompetency and neglect of duty.
The accusations included allegations of wasteful spending of taxpayer funds on “lavish office renovations” allegedly totalling more than $1m , the use of public vehicles for personal use and overpaying senior status judges outside of lawful boundaries, the committee said in a statement.
“This committee did not take this effort lightly,” said Judiciary Committee Chairman John Shott. “After reviewing all the evidence available to us, it became clear that a culture of entitlement and disregard for both the law and taxpayer funds have damaged the reputation of our judicial system – and that all justices had a part in violating the public’s trust.”
Ms Workman has been accused of excessive spending in the remodelling of her office amounting to $111,000 (£80,000), among other accusations. Mr Loughry had allegedly spent approximately $363,000 (£300,00) which included the sum of a couch for $31,924 (£ 25,000).
Ms Davis’ expenditures allegedly amounted to approximately $500,000 (£ 400,000) for the remodeling of her personal office, and Ms Walker has been accused of spending approximately $131,000 (£100,000) on a remodel.
"What we are witnessing is a disaster for the rule of law, the foundation for our state, and indeed our own society,” Ms Davis said during a press conference announcing her resignation. “For when a legislative body attempts to dismantle a separate branch of government, the immediate effects as well as the precedent it sets for the future can only be deemed disastrous."
Mr Loughry faced eight impeachment articles, and was indicted in June on 23 counts of mail fraud, wire fraud, witness tampering and obstruction of justice and lying to federal law enforcement. Mr Loughry has not yet issued a plea for the case, but has denied being involved in the office renovations. Justice Menis Ketchum had previously retired and agreed to plead guilty to a federal wire fraud count. A special election for Mr Ketchum will be held in November.
The deadline to arrange any special election in November is 14 August, otherwise the governor, Republican Governor Jim Justice, can appoint new justices to replace those who have been impeached - with no requirement that they be from the same party as the incumbent. It is unlikely arrangements for any other elections can be made before then.
Delegate Barbara Evans Fleischauer of Monongalia County said Democrats agreed all along there was enough to recommend Mr Loughry's impeachment. But she said going after the other justices "was a power grab, was a takeover of the court and using the impeachment process to take over another branch of government."
"We're taking away from the people," she said.
