Posted on 08/14/2018 1:30:21 PM PDT by Hojczyk
NBC News reported the state lawmakers voted to impeach all four justices over spending issues and abuse of authority.
The state lawmakers first voted to impeach Justice Allen Loughry on eight articles after he spent $363,000 in renovations to his office, according to the network. He was reportedly found to have lied to the House Finance Committee about having a $42,000 antique desk and computers, owned by the state, transferred to his home and using state vehicles for his personal use. Justice Robin Davis was impeached after using $500,000 for office renovations, the network added.
State lawmakers initially overlooked Chief Justice Margaret Workman’s spending of $111,000 on office renovations, according to NBC News, but she was later impeached for her role in allowing senior-status judges to receive higher wages than allowed, as were Davis and Loughry.
Justice Beth Walker was the final justice whom lawmakers voted to impeach after she was found to be guilty of abusing her authority, an article that also counted against the other justices. Lawmakers had previously decided to look past her spending $131,000 on office renovations, the network added.
Former Justice Menis Ketchum reportedly resigned from the bench last month and pleaded guilty to one count of federal wire fraud.
West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice (R) will reportedly be allowed to appoint new justices to replace those who were impeached. He is not required to appoint justices from the same party as the incumbent as well.
(Excerpt) Read more at thehill.com ...
Idiocracy
“For many years the press has reported impeachment as if it was a one and done process.”
So that’s why I asked. Then I found this:
“2017-2018 expenses scandal
In late 2017, WCHS-TV and other media outlets began reporting on spending by the court. Eventually, an ongoing investigation by the office of the United States Attorney for the Southern District of West Virginia was launched, and the court was audited by the state’s legislative auditor.
The legislative auditor found multiple irregularities in the court’s practices including undocumented and commuting use of court-owned vehicles and the improper purchase of gift cards. Significant public attention was centered on spending for expensive office renovations, including a $32,000 couch for Loughry, and Loughry’s use of an original Cass Gilbert-designed desk from the State Capitol at his home. Justice Ketchum was reported to have used a state vehicle to travel from his home in Huntington to work, and for several vacation trips, without paying tax on the fringe benefit. Justice Ketchum then had his income tax amended to pay the back tax and repaid the state over $1600 for the issue.
Early in 2018, the other four justices voted to remove Allen Loughry from his position as chief justice when they became aware he had withheld the existence of a federal grand jury subpoena from them. On June 6, 2018, Loughry was charged with 32 violations of the state Code of Judicial Conduct. The Supreme Court, reconstituted with four circuit judges and a retired circuit judge appointed for that purpose, suspended Loughry without pay until further notice as a result of these charges.
On June 20, 2018 (West Virginia Day), Michael B. Stuart, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of West Virginia, announced a 22 count indictment against Loughry. He faces nearly 400 years in prison.
On June 26, 2018, the West Virginia House of Delegates assembled in special session to consider Loughry’s or any other justice’s impeachment. The matter was referred to the House Judiciary Committee. In the course of its investigation, additional issues were discovered relative to splitting the pay of “senior status judges”, who are retired judges filling in certain circumstances and who can make no more than 25% of an active judges’ salary, between IRS Form W-2 and Form 1099 in order to circumvent that rule; and of the court purchasing “working lunches” at taxpayer expense on a regular basis.
On July 11, 2018, Justice Ketchum resigned from the court. On July 31, 2018, he entered a guilty plea in the United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia in Charleston to one count of wire fraud.
On August 7, 2018, the House Judiciary Committee recommended that all four remaining justices be impeached. Loughery for lack of oversight, improper removal of the desk to his home, improper use of a government computer, improper use of state owned cars for personal travel, overspending on his office decorations, the overpaying of “senior status judges” and lying to the Legislature; Workman and Davis for overpaying of “senior status judges”, lack of oversight, and overspending; and Walker for lack of oversight and overspending. On August 13, 2018, the full House of Delegates impeached the four remaining members of the court. On August 14, 2018, Justice Davis retired, effective August 13, 2018, rather than face trial on the impeachment. [5] Loughery, Walker and Workman currently await trial on the impeachment in the West Virginia Senate.
Justice Ketchum’s seat and Justice Davis’ seat will be filled in separate special elections which will be held alongside the 2018 general election on November 6, 2018. In accordance with Chapter 3, Section 10 of the West Virginia Code, as there currently less than 84 days before the November 6 election, any further vacancies will be filled by interim justices appointed by Governor Jim Justice. Barring any changes by the Legislature, these interim justices would likely serve until the primary election in May 2020, when a special election would be held.
Under the West Virginia Constitution as exists presently, the budget of the judicial branch is not subject to outside review like that of the legislative and executive branches. In November 2018, voters will consider a constitutional amendment that would subject the judiciary’s budget to oversight as part of the budget process used by the rest of state government.”
This last paragraph is the kicker! These criminals in black robes had no oversight on their budget! WTF? Evidently though, all of them have resigned so their “trial” in the WVA Upper House is moot. But they will be tried for their criminal acts according to what this says.
Pigs at the trough. Great to see these criminals fired.
Gee, no respect for the law.
It’s a great first step message.
$363K for office renovations is $100K more than I paid for my house!
For citizens, it’s not called impeachment...
Workman is a RAT
Loughry is a Pubbie ( hope he gets the 400 years in jail)
Walker is an Indy
Unlikely.
Have you seen the "Oath Keepers" and "Snake Eaters" videos on YouTube RE: their response if Trump is impeached, removed, or otherwise undone?
There will be blood in the streets knee-deep. All they need do is convince us that we can no longer receive succor at the ballot-box. At that point we are obligated to excise the tumor and any metastasized peripheral dermis.
State court judges are elected.
Great post, thanks “for the rest of the story”.
Greedy, self-entitled, narcissistic asshats!
Thanks good info
You just have to ask yourself “how many other “WVA Supreme Courts” are there around the country? Further, how many renegade Federal Judges to we have? We know that there are enough of them “out of the judicial closet” trying to screw President Trump, so what is our remedy? I suppose, at the end of the day they remedy is the ballot box, but too many of our number “aren’t interested enough to get off their asses once or twice a year and go out and vote!”
Now the case goes to the WV Senate for trial.
In order to remove the justices, a 2/3 vote is needed. Republicans have 22 of 34 seats in the Senate. They will need all Republicans and one Democrat to remove any justice.
In Reply # 15, it says “Evidently though, all of them have resigned so their “trial” in the WVA Upper House is moot.”
I don’t know if that’s true or not, but that’s what it says.
Oooo, a multipartisan smackdown
Wonder if we’ll see some _federal_ judge try to rule this impeachment illegitimate.
Davis said their impeachment was a travesty of justice and a brazen attempt by one branch of government to seize control over another.Link to VOA newsJustice Menis Ketchum retired earlier this year. Any of the three remaining justices who are considering resigning must do so by the Tuesday deadline in order for their replacements to be decided in a November special election. Gov. Jim Justice will appoint replacements who will serve until the election.
All four justices were impeached for failing to control expenses and for not maintaining policies over matters involving state vehicles, working lunches and the use of office computers at home.
Can we do this with several US Supreme Court justices please?
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