HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — Gov. Patrick Morrisey says he’s concerned about possible fraud in the school clothing voucher program where the money is possibly being spent on things like beer and cigarettes.
Morrisey mentioned that for the first time Tuesday after this year’s program began late and the application period was cut off after being opened for just a week.
Reporters questioned Morrisey during an event in Huntington about the ongoing controversy with the voucher program decisions and funding issues with TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families).
Morrisey said fraud could be an issue.
“This is actually used as an EBT card, so they’re cash benefits,” Morrisey said. “One thing we’re doing is we’re trying to ascertain the exact amount of money that’s in cash because I don’t want a penny of the money that should go for school clothing to spent for cigarettes to spent for beer to be spent for all these things,” Morrisey said.
House of Delegates Finance Committee Chairman Vernon Criss, R-Wood, said Tuesday on MetroNews “Talkline” the cards can’t be spent on those items.
“Those cards already have bans on cigarettes and beer,” Criss said.
MetroNews reached out to the governor’s office for clarification but has yet to receive a response. New Department of Human Services Secretary Carl Ayers did post a response on X to West Virginia Watch reporter Amelia Knisely, “While ATMs inside of liquor stores or casinos are restricted by law, standard bank ATMs allow withdrawals that can be used on anything including tobacco and alcohol,” Ayers wrote. “The governor and I remain focused on ensuring every dollar is used to purchase children’s clothing.”
While ATMs inside of liquor stores or casinos are restricted by law, standard bank ATMs allow withdrawals that can be used on anything including tobacco or alcohol. The Governor and I remain focused on ensuring every dollar is used to purchase children’s clothing.
— Carl Ayers (@carleayers) August 4, 2026
Morrisey said the current program has cash cards without restraints.
“I am worried about some of these benefit systems if they don’t have some of the fraud and abuse checks in them,” Morrisey said.
Gov. Morrisey did not provide any specific examples Tuesday of fraud when it comes to the clothing voucher program. He repeated the state is expected to spend about the same amount, $11 million, this year as it did last year.
Criss said Tuesday Morrisey’s decision to shutdown the application period is keeping 5,000 children from getting new clothes and shoes for school.
“Why did you pick on 5,000 kids on clothing vouchers and make an artificial deadline? Normally it’s the middle of August and you cut it off on the 27th of July,” Criss said.
The Morrisey administration continues to express concern about TANF spending, saying a TANF savings account is down to $41 million. The administration said Monday the governor plans to seek $15 million supplemental spending from the legislature to keep programs funded at their current level this fiscal year.
Criss said Morrisey’s public concerns about TANF is a made up crisis.
“This is an administrative problem of an everyday thing for him,” Criss said. “He has elected to make it an artificial crisis so he can come in and ‘rescue the situation.'”