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U.S. NEWS Monday 12 noveMber 2018

Special session canceled after West Virginia justice resigns

decision to stop Workman’s Carmichael said in a state- pointed to the court after
impeachment hearing also ment. Judicial elections the scandal broke won
applies to retired Justice in West Virginia became election to continue on
Robin Davis and Loughry, nonpartisan in 2016, but the bench: Former House
who had petitioned the the court’s impeachment speaker Tim Armstead and
court to intervene. scandal this year stirred ex-Congressman Evan Jen-
Senate President Mitch political attacks. Some kins won those races Tues-
Carmichael, a Republican, Democrats argued that day night, each defeat-
lauded the resignation an- the court’s shakeup over ing nine other candidates.
nouncement Saturday. spending and other issues They had originally been
“We appreciate that Jus- was a power grab by the appointed by Justice to
tice Loughry has decided Republican-led legislature. fill two of the seats on the
to do the right thing and On Election Day, two state state’s court pending the
step down from the Court,” Supreme Court justices ap- midterm election. q

In this Tuesday, Oct. 2, 2018 file photo, West Virginia Supreme
Court Justice Allen Loughry leaves the Robert C. Byrd United
States Courthouse in Charleston, W.Va. after a federal jury was
selected for his criminal trial.
Associated Press
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — consider removing Loughry
The resignation of a West from his post. Another
Virginia Supreme Court jus- proclamation Sunday can-
tice recently convicted of celed the special session in
federal charges prompted light of Loughry’s resigna-
the governor Sunday to tion. Loughry couldn’t be
cancel a special legislative reached for comment. His
session that was to consid- attorney, John A. Carr, said
er the justice’s removal. in an email he would have
It was the latest develop- no comment.Loughry and
ment in an impeachment three other justices were
scandal miring some past impeached by the West
and present justices in Virginia House in August
varying accusations includ- over questions involving
ing abuse of authority and lavish office renovations
failure to rein in excessive that evolved into varying
spending that engulfed accusations of corruption,
the state’s highest court for incompetence and ne-
months. Republican Gov. glect of duty. One of them,
Jim Juestice’s office said Justice Beth Walker, was
late Saturday he received cleared of an impeach-
a letter from Justice Allen ment charge at a Senate
Loughry and accepted his trial last month.
resignation effective at the The West Virginia Supreme
close of business Monday. Court last month effectively
Justice had no further com- halted the Legislature’s re-
ment and Loughry’s one- maining efforts to impeach
sentence resignation letter the state’s justices as a vio-
didn’t elaborate. lation of the separate of
Loughry was convicted power doctrine. The court
last month of federal crimi- ruled that the Senate lacks
nal charges including wire jurisdiction to pursue its im-
fraud involving his personal peachment trial of Justice
use of state cars and fuel Margaret Workman.
cards and mail fraud. He The Senate had postponed
has requested a new trial. Workman’s trial after the
Last week Justice had presiding judge didn’t
called the special session show up following the
for Tuesday, saying in a court ruling. A panel of act-
proclamation that it would ing justices said the court’s