Senate President Loses Job as Frontier Executive

West Virginia’s top state senator has lost his other job as a Frontier Communications executive, which follows legislation authorizing some new competition for the internet provider.

Senate President Mitch Carmichael, a Jackson County Republican, says he was laid off two weeks ago after six years as a sales manager for West Virginia’s dominant provider.

He tells the Charleston Gazette-Mail he has no regrets though it may have cost his other job, saying his Senate role “is to facilitate the will of the members and advance good public policy.”

The law passed in April authorizes high-speed internet service by new cooperatives for unreached and underserved parts of the state.

Carmichael voted for the law.

Frontier says his position was cut in a wider reduction in force due to market conditions.