Some members of the House of Delegates continue to question new state Attorney General Patrick Morrisey about how he chose his solicitor general.
Morrisey was before the House Finance Committee for his budget presentation Friday just a week after he criticized some of the delegates on the committee for sponsoring a bill last week that takes aim at Elbert Lin.
Del. Richard Iaquinta, D-Harrison, told Morrisey he was setting a precedent by hiring someone for a top job from outside the state.
“Do you know what he does in the office?” Morrisey asked.
“No, I do not,” Del. Iaquinta responded. “I just know that we’ve already started a precedent.”
“But it’s a good precedent,” Morrisey said.
Lin, the highest paid member of Morrisey’s staff, is in the process of getting a law license to practice law in West Virginia. The House of Delegates bill would amend state code to say any lawyer hired by the state to make more than $100,000 has to have a license to practice in West Virginia before he or she is hired.
AG Morrisey told the committee he jumped at the opportunity to hire Lin given his credentials, which includes clerking for a U.S. Supreme Court justice.
Morrisey added he has and will hire the best attorneys in West Virginia for his office. He says 95 percent of his staff is from the state.
“But when you find a first round draft pick, who can help the state of West Virginia, you don’t say, ‘Where are you from?’ You say, ‘You come in,’ because we want to make sure we give this state every bit of help it deserves,” Morrisey told the committee.
AG Morrisey presented his budget plan including a request for a supplemental appropriation of about $1.8 million to make technology improvements in the office including the hiring of six additional employees. Morrisey says the state Attorney General’s Office needs a major update. He says it falls short of what a major law firm should be.
Del. Iaquinta had a final comment for Morrisey.
“I hope you’ll learn there’s a big difference between the private sector and the state of West Virginia,” he said.
To which Morrisey answered.
“And I think the private sector’s background would be better applicable for state government. We could all learn in that regard,” Morrisey said.