CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia Auditor Glen Gainer has settled an ethics complaint stemming from his participation in online Visa commercials.
Mondays agreement follows an investigation conducted by the state Ethics Commission into whether the auditor violated the state Ethics Act when he appeared in a series of online Visa commercials that promote the state’s purchasing card, or “P-card,” program.
As part of the agreement, Gainer will donate $1,000
to CAMC’s Child Advocacy Center and contact Visa and have the ads removed from the company’s website permanently.
In addition, Gainer also agreed to deliver a copy of the video to the Ethics Commission.
The Ethics Commission cited Gainer’s cooperation in the investigation and and the fact he previously never faced an ethics complaint during his 20 years of public service as some of the reasons for not rebuking him.
Citibank provides Visa purchasing cards under a state contract. Gainer’s office manages the program.