CHARLESTON – A state lawmaker has raised the idea of impeaching West Virginia Chief Justice Allen Loughry.
Delegate Mike Pushkin, D-Kanawha, made the suggestion during a House floor session, saying the Judiciary Committee should take the idea under consideration.
That’s on top of a proposed amendment for a state constitutional amendment that would give the Legislature more oversight of the court system’s purse. State Senators Greg Boso and Sue Cline introduced that amendment, as did Delegate Michael Folk.
Pushkin said he plans to introduce his impeachment resolution.
“The legislative branch is a separate branch of government, and it should be a check against other branches of government,” Pushkin said. “And, there is an appearance of impropriety of spending.”
In November, WCHS/WVAH Eyewitness News reporter Kennie Bass first detailed the state Supreme Court expenditures. Since 2009, court offices have undergone extensive renovations. The original price tag was about $900,000 for the first round of renovations. But it since has grown to more than $3.7 million and include more areas of renovations.
Loughry’s chambers saw renovations to the tune of $363,000. That includes a sectional sofa that cost nearly $32,000, $1,700 for throw pillows and $7,500 for a wooden inlay in the shape of the state for the floor of the office.
Others have focused on spending for Justice Robin Jean Davis’s office. The renovation of her office was the most expensive of all of the justices' chambers at $500,278. Most of that, $433,105, went to construction costs. The highest ticket state-owned items in Davis’ office are an $8,098 office chair and two floor rugs worth a total of $28,194.
Loughry has placed the blame for the expenditures on former Court Administrator Steve Canterbury, saying he was a “rogue employee” who hid the actual cost of the renovations. When Loughry became chief justice in January 2017, his first action was to fire Canterbury. Canterbury, on the other hand, has said he simply was following orders of the five justices.
Pushkin said the entire situation has caused an eroding of public trust in the judiciary.
“He (Loughry) has taken no responsibility, no accountability for what’s happened on his watch in his office and in his home while he’s been chief justice,” Pushkin said. “He’s just shifted blame.”
Pushkin said his resolution would direct the House Judiciary Committee to make inquiries, investigate the situation and bring recommendations. He also said he would hope the investigation would find out exactly who is to blame for the excessive spending.
“There are different, conflicting stories,” Pushkin said “But, let’s face it. It would appear to me that only the chief justice from Tucker County would want that map on the floor with Tucker County in a different type of tile.
“And, there was a desk that was original property of the state Capitol that made its way into the chief justice’s home. And he claims there were rules in regard to home offices, but we’ve not seen any. Maybe it was a custom over there, but nothing allows for the chief justice to take a desk home. Most West Virginians would get in trouble if they take a stapler.”
Pushkin also said he agrees with the idea of the Legislature having more control over the Supreme Court budget.
“I think we’re going to take that up,” he said. “All other 49 states do it that way. In the rest of the country, the state legislatures have power of the purse.”
Pushkin said the bottom line is that the people of West Virginia deserve to know what’s going on in government.
“It’s been going on over the years,” he said. “I don’t know if this will stop it, but it does need to stop.
“There have been a lot of cuts from this court … important and vital programs. But, the biggest problem has been erosion of public trust in courts. An investigation could restore some confidence and trust in the courts.
“We owe it to the taxpayers to find out what happened. Most West Virginians can’t even fathom what a $32,000 couch might even look like. Those offices aren’t open to the public. School kids aren’t going to come in and look at this map on the floor of his office.
“That’s not how we do things in West Virginia. That’s not how we do things in America.”
Loughry declined to comment on Pushkin's plan.