A cabinet secretary for Gov. Jim Justice resigned after questions emerged over whether he solicited campaign funds for a conservative super political action committee (PAC) “on government time,” Justice said during a virtual press briefing on Thursday.
Mark Scott has served as cabinet secretary for the West Virginia Department of Administration since November 2021, but news of his departure was made public this week.
In the months before his resignation, Scott served as chairman of a conservative super political action committee that fundraised and endorsed candidates for office in West Virginia.
Scott was announced chairman of Conservative Policy Action, a conservative super PAC, in February. Super PACs are political organizations that can endorse political candidates and fundraise around specific issues.
Kim Webber, executive director for the State Ethics Commission, told MetroNews that it is illegal for public employees to “use public resources for political campaigns.”
This includes soliciting funds while on the clock.
“That’s why I said that I believe that he got out probably over his skis and maybe messed up,” Justice said.
According to Justice, Scott said he did not realize what he was doing was illegal, and chose to resign to avoid causing further issues for the governor’s administration.
His resignation takes effect July 31. Scott’s letter of resignation has not yet been made public, but Justice said it would be released “without a question.”
Scott will be succeeded by John McHugh, who formerly served as deputy secretary of administration and director of the state’s General Service Division, Justice announced in a Thursday press release.