Betty Ireland Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

State Workers Can Attend Conference at Governor's Resort

The West Virginia Ethics Commission says state employees can attend a business conference at a resort owned by the Republican governor.

The Charleston Gazette-Mail reports the commission says state workers can attend the conference at The Greenbrier, but they can’t spend state money on food and lodging at the upscale resort.

Gov. Jim Justice owns The Greenbrier resort and has not placed it into a blind trust. He has placed his ownership of two other resorts into a blind trust.

It will cost the state about $5,000 for eight tourism employees to attend the conference. Some of that money will go to the resort.

Commissioner Betty Ireland said the governor needs to put The Greenbrier into a blind trust immediately. A spokesman for Justice did not respond to the newspaper’s request for comment.

W.Va. Ethics Panel Interviews Director Candidates

More than a dozen people have applied to become the next executive director of the West Virginia Ethics Commission.

Commissioner Betty Ireland is chairwoman of the commission’s personnel committee. She tells The Charleston Gazette that the committee is interviewing 15 applicants.

Ireland says the applicants have a wide variety of legal experience and backgrounds. She says some are living out of state and want to return to West Virginia.

State law requires the executive director to be a lawyer and a member of the West Virginia bar for at least five years.

The commission fired former executive director Joan Parker on June 5. Charleston attorney Rebecca Stepto has been serving as interim executive director.

W.Va. Ethics Commission Rules on Legislator Mailings

The West Virginia Ethics Commission says state lawmakers can’t use targeted lists of likely voters when sending letters to constituents prior to elections.

The Charleston Gazette reports the commission’s ruling applies to mailings paid for by the Legislature.

The commission ruling says targeted lists of likely voters can’t be used in the state-funded mailings within 60 days of an election.

Commissioner Betty Ireland says the commission can’t restrict legislators’ ability to correspond with constituents, but the use of likely voter lists clearly constitutes campaigning.