CHARLESTON, W.Va. — U.S. Attorney Mike Stuart repeated Thursday public corruption involving any elected official would not be tolerated by his office.
Stuart, during an appearance on MetroNews “Talkline,” was asked about the recent without pay suspension of state Supreme Court Justice Allen Loughry and if there was anything new about a suspected federal investigation involving Loughry or the Court.
“I’m not going to comment except to say elected officials are public servants which means they should be servants of the public and that goes for every elected official. Public corruption we take very seriously,” Stuart said.
Loughry was suspended without pay last Friday by a appointed Supreme Court two days after the state Judicial Investigation Commission alleged he repeatedly lied about court spending and use of state property in a 32-count statement of charges against him.
Gov. Jim Justice, state Senate President Mitch Carmichael and House of Delegates Tim Armstead have all called for Loughry’s resignation. Loughry has not commented.
Loughry has a few weeks to request a hearing in connection with the JIC charges. One of those charges alleged he chose not to tell the rest of the Supreme Court about a federal court subpoena that was served on the Court last year. The subject of that subpoena has not been released. Justices voted to remove Loughry as chief justice after they learned of the subpoena.
Stuart declined to address any specifics about any federal investigation Thursday.
“I’m going to comment with respect to the Court specifically, except to say that this office is very interested in making sure that our society and the people of West Virginia have honest public servants serving them and that goes across the board,” Stuart said.