CHARLESTON, W.Va. — There’s an oddity that will likely put state Treasurer-elect Larry Pack in office 10 days early.
Current Treasurer Riley Moore, a newly-elected member to the U.S. House, will resign as state Treasurer at the end of business this Thursday. Moore will then be sworn-in as the state’s Second District congressman along with other members of Congress on Friday.
Pack isn’t scheduled to be sworn-in for his four-year term until Jan. 13 when the members of the Board of Public Workers, including Governor-elect Patrick Morrisey, will take their oaths of office.
So what happens from Jan. 3 to the Jan. 13?
Gov. Jim Justice will likely appoint Pack to serve those 10 days.
There is a process to be followed, Pack said.
“The West Virginia Republican Party will submit three names to the governor. They will be submitted to the governor sometime after Treasurer Moore resigns Thursday evening,” Pack, who currently serves as Justice’s revenue secretary, told MetroNews Monday. “Then sometime Thursday evening or Friday I’ll take the office and have the blessing of being West Virginia’s 26th treasurer and be very excited for that.”
Pack’s four-year term will begin 10 days later on Jan. 13. He said they had to come up with a way from keeping the office from being empty for those 10 days.
“In the West Virginia Code there’s no provision like we have for the governor, like when the governor resigns the Senate president takes over, there’s no provision for treasurer for that, so in order for us to do business for the next 10 days we have to go through this process,” Pack said.
Pack admitted it’s a little clunky.
“But the Secretary of State’s Office, Treasurer’s Office, the Governor’s Office and the Attorney General’s Office have all been involved in it to make sure it’s a smooth process over the next few days,” Pack said.
Pack, who was unopposed in the November General Election, said he’s been meeting weekly with Moore’s office since the May Primary Election. He predicted a smooth transition.
Gov. Jim Justice announced last week that he would not take his seat in the U.S. Senate until after Morrisey takes office on Jan. 13. Justice being sworn-in this Friday would give the state four governors in four days because of a change in leadership in the state Senate.