Tag: Attorney General Patrick Morrisey

Charleston Targets Gun Group Over New Firearms Law

  The city of Charleston is targeting a gun rights group to get court clarification on allowing firearms in some city recreational facilities.

The city amended its motion Monday by naming the state Citizens Defense League as a defendant.

Attorney General Patrick Morrisey wanted Charleston’s initial request in Kanawha County Circuit Court dismissed, saying it sued no one.

Last year, the league sued the city over gun ordinances. It adjusted the lawsuit after a new law passed this year.

The law allows concealed carry permit owners bring guns to city rec facilities, like swimming pools and after-school centers. Guns must be out of people’s sight and access.

The city argues bringing guns to school grounds or school event locations is a felony, so some city venues should be shielded.

W. Va. Attorney General Files Lawsuit Against School Officials in Mingo County

The West Virginia attorney general has filed a lawsuit against Mingo County school officials claiming they brushed aside allegations that two male students sexually abused female classmates.
 
The lawsuit also claims school officials interfered with a state police investigation of the incidents.
 
The lawsuit says administrators at Burch Middle School retaliated against the girls for reporting the allegations.

 
Defendants named in the 32-page complaint are Burch Middle School Principal Melissa Webb, Burch Middle School Vice Principal Deanna Maynard, guidance counselor Hester Keatley, teacher and athletic coach Melvin Cunningham, Mingo County Schools Superintendent Randy Keathley, the Mingo County Board of Education, two un-named juveniles
and their parents.
 
The lawsuit alleged the abuses occurred on a school bus, at the school and on a field trip.
 
School officials and a state police spokesman did not immediately return telephone messages Thursday.
 

The lawsuit filed Wednesday asks Mingo County Circuit Court to prevent further abuse and retaliation, and to bar defendants from interfering with the police investigation.

W.Va. to Get Nearly $700,000 in E-Book Settlement

West Virginia consumers who might have overpaid for e-books will receive nearly $700,000 from the partial settlement of a national lawsuit.
 
Attorney General Patrick Morrisey’s office announced Wednesday the refunds are being paid out to consumers who purchased electronic books from some publishers from April 2010 to May 2012. The refunds are in the form of account credits, coupons or checks.
 
The lawsuit was filed by 33 states against Apple Inc. and five of the nation’s six largest e-book publishers. The publishers settled claims against them for a total payment of $166 million.  
 
Apple is battling claims in district court that it violated antitrust laws.
 

W.Va. House Passes Attorney General Conflicts Bill

West Virginia delegates have approved a proposal with stricter conflict of interest requirements when the attorney general oversees cases.
 
The proposal would require the attorney general to step aside in cases against companies that paid him or his family in the last five years. The attorney general couldn’t take legal stances conflicting with state entities or officials.
 
The Democratic House passed the bill 52-44 Monday largely on party lines.

The proposal stems from Republican Attorney General Patrick Morrisey’s ties to two pharmaceutical companies his office was suing. The case dealt with claims arising from prescription pill profits the companies made in West Virginia. Morrisey recused himself. Two other state agencies are now overseeing the case.
 
Morrisey inherited the cases from the previous attorney general.
 
The proposal moves to the Senate.

Update: Monday, February 24, 2014 at 7:20 p.m.

The Attorney General’s office responded to the passage of the bill in the House with the following:

“The Office of the Attorney General is deeply disappointed that the West Virginia House of Delegates today passed unconstitutional and highly partisan legislation. This bill targets one person in state government while not imposing similar standards on legislators or other Constitutional offices. House Bill 4490, as it currently stands, will cost the state many millions of dollars, jeopardize existing investigations and lawsuits, and compromises the Attorney General’s ability to fight for the Second Amendment and jobs in West Virginia. If this bill passes, it will plunge the state into a constitutional crisis.”      

Lawyer: Putnam Business Owner Didn't Price Gouge After W.Va. Spill

A Putnam County store owner’s lawyer says his client didn’t illegally raise water prices following a chemical spill.
 
Lawyer Tom Peyton tells the Charleston Gazette that Achraf Assi gave away water after the Jan. 9 spill left 300,000 people in nine counties without useable tap water.
 
Attorney General Patrick Morrissey filed an enforcement action on Friday in Putnam County Circuit Court against Assi’s business, Hurricane-based Mid Valley Mart LLC. Morrisey alleges that Mid Valley Mart more than doubled prices for one-gallon water jugs at two Hurricane stores.
 
It’s illegal in West Virginia to raise prices on essential products and services by more than 10 percent in a state of emergency.

W.Va. House Judiciary Committee Clears Bill About Attorney General Conflicts

A legislative committee has cleared stiffer conflict-of-interest standards for West Virginia’s attorney general.

The House Judiciary Committee voted 13-7 in favor of a bill that would prohibit the attorney general from overseeing cases involving any company that donated money to his election campaign or from which the attorney previously benefited.
 
The bill came after it was revealed that Republican Attorney General Patrick Morrisey had ties to two pharmaceutical companies his office was suing. The case dealt with claims arising from prescription pill profits the companies made in West Virginia. Morrisey recused himself, and two other state agencies are now overseeing the case.
 
Morrisey inherited the cases from the previous attorney general.
 
A Morrisey spokeswoman called the bill “partisan politics” by House Democrats.
 

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