CHARLESTON – A statewide legal reform group says a "shady" and "sketchy outside group" is trying to be the state Supreme Court election.
But a spokeswoman for the political action committee in question says it's the group fighting "corrupting influences of out-of-state money."
West Virginia Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse says a political organization called ReSet WV is spending hundreds of thousands of dollars in "dark political cash" to "elect their hand chosen candidates to the West Virginia Supreme Court" with "false and negative advertisements."
According to campaign finance reports, ReSet WV has spent more than $600,000. The ads focus on promoting the Supreme Court candidacies of Kanawha Circuit Judge Joanna Tabit, current Justice John Hutchison and former Justice Richard Neely.
“The fact these outside groups are spending huge political cash to try and buy seats on the West Virginia Supreme Court is as predictable as it is outrageous," said Jordan Burgess, executive director of WV CALA. "It’s the same thing we see personal injury lawyers do every single time West Virginia has a Supreme Court election."
ReSet WV spokeswoman Lynette Maselli said the PAC is "led by West Virginians fighting the corrupting influences of out-of-state money in West Virginia voters."
“Since 2016, out-of-state special interests have spent in excess of $10M in West Virginia elections," Maselli said. "In 2020, these same interests, flush with cash from multi-national pharmaceutical, tobacco, banking, and energy corporations, have spent over $1.5 million trying to buy the West Virginia Supreme Court. Most of this money has been in support of Tim Armstead, who as Speaker of the House pushed through right-to-work and anti-consumer laws sought by these industries.
"It is beyond hypocritical for WV CALA, which is aligned with these out-of-state corporate interests, to criticize a group of true West Virginia citizens attempting to fight back against the onslaught of out-of-state spending in our elections.”
The West Virginia Association for Justice, a group for trial attorneys, also has long been critical of WV CALA for not disclosing its donors.
“It’s an election year, so the personal injury lawyers who have a long history of abusing our court system so they can make millions are at it again," Burgess said. "We are confident West Virginians will stand up once again and tell these far-left liberal special interests that West Virginia is NOT for sale."
Burgess says West Virginia voters are smarter than ReSet WV gives them credit.
"Interestingly, the group doesn’t disclose where they get all this campaign cash from to West Virginia voters,” Burgess said. “(Voters) know who the conservative candidates for Supreme Court are and who will best reflect our West Virginia values."
Maselli said her group is "fighting a David versus Goliath battle."
"ReSet WV PAC supports candidates who believe that government should do more to help hardworking West Virginians and their families," she said. "We may get outspent, but it’s time West Virginians stood up to fight for ourselves and our state.
"In the upcoming election, ReSet WV PAC is supporting supreme court candidates Richard Neely, Joana Tabit and John Hutchison. These candidates understand that West Virginians need safe jobs, healthy communities, and a Supreme Court free from the undue influence of out-of-state corporate money.
"Unlike WV CALA, we are not beholden to out-of-state special interests."
All three of the Supreme Court races on this year's primary ballot are non-partisan. The Division 1 and 2 races are for regular 12-year terms on the Supreme Court. The Division 3 race is to fill the seat formerly held by Allen Loughry. Gov. Jim Justice appointed Hutchison to fill that seat in December 2018. The term for the Division 3 seat will end in 2024
Hutchison is seeking re-election for the Division 3 seat. He was appointed after Loughry resigned. The term is to finish the rest of Loughry's term and will end in 2024. Charleston attorney Bill Schwartz and Fifth Circuit Judge Lora Dyer also are running for the seat.
For the Division 1 seat, incumbent Justice Tim Armstead is being challenged by Neely and Northern Panhandle Circuit Judge David Hummel.
Running for the Division 2 seat currently occupied by Justice Margaet Workman areTabit, Putnam County Assistant Prosecutor Kris Raynes, Kanawha Family Court Judge Jim Douglas and former legislator and Supreme Court candidate Bill Wooton. Workman is not seeking re-election.
In 2018, Tabit finished third in a special election for two seats on the Supreme Court left by the retirements of Robin Jean Davis and Menis Ketchum. Armstead and Justice Evan Jenkins, both of whom had been appointed by Justice to temporarily fill those seats, won those elections. Douglas, Wooton and Schwartz all ran in the 2018 election as well.
The non-partisan court election is part of West Virginia's primary election, which has been rescheduled for June 9 because of the Coronavirus pandemic.