Canterbury: Loughry should resign or be impeached, other justices censured

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Former state Supreme Court Administrator Steve Cantebury says it’s becoming more and more apparent suspended Supreme Court Justice Allen Loughry won’t be a member of the Court much longer.

During an appearance on MetroNews “Talkline” Friday, Canterbury said Loughry should remove himself or be removed from the Court.

“Justice Loughry should be impeached, frankly he should resign. I can’t imagine why he’s putting his wife through testimony for goodness sake,” Canterbury said. “This has only one outcome–he will be removed from the bench and he should resign. In fact, if he doesn’t he should be impeached.”

Canterbury said he doesn’t feel the same way about Chief Justice Margaret Workman, Justice Robin Davis and Justice Beth Walker.

“I don’t think any of the three should be impeached because I don’t think that their actions lead to an impeachable offense. But I believe, however, the legislature would feel better and the people would feel better if they got letters of censure,” Canterbury said.

Canterbury spent more than eight hours testifying before the House of Delegates Judiciary Committee Thursday. The committee is exploring possible impeachment charges against one or more members of the Court. Canterbury’s exhaustive testimony focused on court spending, travel and atmosphere at the Court.

Loughry was suspended after being named in a statement of charges by the state Judicial Investigation Commission alleging he violated the Judicial Code of Conduct nearly three dozen times. He’s also been named in 23 federal criminal counts in connection with spending along with alleged lying to a federal agent and obstruction of justice. The JIC cleared Workman, Davis and Walker of any wrongdoing in connection with several years including money spent for working lunches. The three along with Justice Menis Ketchum have not been named in criminal charges although U.S. Attorney Mike Stuart has said the federal investigation is continuing.

Ketchum recently resigned. His last day was Friday.

Part of Canterbury’s testimony Thursday focused on the spend down of a surplus fund that had $29 million in it when lawmakers criticized the Court in 2011. Canterbury said instruction from the Court was to eliminate the surplus in hopes the legislature would back off any attempt to pursue a constitutional amendment to take over the Court’s budget. He said again Friday Justice Workman wasn’t being truthful when she later said she didn’t know anything about the spend down directive.

Canterbury also said Friday the legislature should be in charge of the Court’s budget.

“I just always had problems with it. I think the legislature should control the purse as they do in 49 other states. I think it would be so much healthier for the Court to have interaction about every line in the budget every year with legislators,” he said.

Voters will get that chance in the November General Election. The budget control issue will be on the ballot in the form of a constitutional amendment.





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