Attorney General
Michael Sharley – Mountain
Patrick Morrisey – Republican
(Incumbent)
Tell us about your professional background and how
it has prepared you for the role of attorney general.
Tell us about your professional background and how
it has prepared you for the role of attorney general.
I graduated from West Virginia University (WVU) in 1990 with a
bachelor’s degree in philosophy and from the WVU College of Law
in 1993. I opened my own office in Monongalia County in 1995,
where I practice in the areas of criminal defense and civil rights.
I’m on the court appointment list for both state and federal court,
and I also handle cases under the Americans with Disabilities Act
and the West Virginia Human Rights Act. I serve on Westover’s
planning council. I am also the treasurer for the West Virginia
Senior Legal Aid and serve on the board of the Morgantown
Community Coalition for Social Justice.
I have taken my 24 years of private sector and government
experience and used it to work to transform the office of the
attorney general into a high-quality law firm. First, I implemented
new policies and procedures that increased efficiency and saved
taxpayer dollars. In 2015, we worked with the Social Security
Administration to form a federal-state collaborative disability unit to
take on disability fraud, and in 2014, I called on the West Virginia
Legislature to audit and review the performance of all state agencies
in order to identify and eliminate any abuse of taxpayer dollars.
What do see as WV’s biggest challenges?
The two biggest challenges in West Virginia are drug addiction
and education. Whereas the attorney general’s office cannot
directly improve the education challenges in this state, it can deal
with the drug addiction problem. There need to be more drug
rehabilitation programs in West Virginia. As a defense attorney, I
know what it’s like to have a client on a waiting list for drug rehab.
Additionally, I would like to follow up on the lawsuit by the McGraw
administration against opioid manufacturing. These lawsuits have
not been prosecuted by the current attorney general, and, prior
to becoming attorney general, Morrisey was a lobbyist for the
pharmaceutical industry.
What will be your number one priority if elected
in November?
The first thing I would do as attorney general is drop the lawsuit
against the EPA about the environmental regulations. I will not
run the attorney general’s office as a legal aid for big business.
If the coal companies want to fight the EPA, they have legal
departments and do not need to rely on the attorney general’s
office. I will also drop the case against the Obama administration
over transgender bathroom use. I will not use the attorney
general’s office to oppose anyone’s civil rights.
What do you see as WV’s biggest challenges?
We need to protect and promote West Virginia jobs and
supercharge economi c growth in our state. The regulations
coming out of Washington have made it difficult for West Virginia
businesses to survive. We also must remain committed to the
fight against substance abuse. Experience matters, and we need
an attorney general who has the expertise and work ethic to help
West Virginia reach her potential.
What will be your number one priority if elected
in November?
My top priorities will continue to be combating this terrible
substance abuse epidemic and protecting West Virginia jobs. In
2015, our office established a partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s
Office in West Virginia’s Northern District that designated two
special federal prosecutors to help prosecute drug traffickers.
In May 2016, we announced a comprehensive best practices
initiative aimed at dramatically reducing the use of opioids in West
Virginia by 25 percent.
Additionally, we will continue fighting for our state’s economic health
and jobs for our people. We obtained an unprecedented stay of the
Obama Power Plan, the president’s illegal amnesty program and
other illegal regulations that targeted West Virginia job creators. I
look forward to winning more victories for our great state.
www.wvexecutive.com
summer 2016
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