WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE STATE CAPITOL CHARLESTON, WEST VIRGINIA 25305 June 8, 2018 VIA HAND DELIVERY VIA HAND DELIVERY The Honorable Governor The Honorable Mitch Carmichael, West Virginia State Senate James C. Justice State of West Virginia 1900 Kanawha Boulevard, Charleston, WV 25305 1900 Kanawha Boulevard, Building 1, Room 227-M Charleston, WV 25301 East President East VIA HAND DELIVERY The Honorable Tim Armstead, Speaker West Virginia House of Delegates 1900 Kanawha Boulevard, East Building 1, Room 228-M Charleston, WV 25301 Dear Governor Justice, President Carmichael On behalf of the Democratic and Speaker Armstead: Caucuses in the West Virginia Legislature, we are writing to ask for each of you to support a call for the immediate resignation of Supreme Court Justice Allen Loughry. Should Justice Loughry refuse to resign, we urge the Governor or, alternatively, members of the Legislature proceedings. This corruption call for a special session immediately and continued disruption to our judicial to begin impeachment process must come to an end. The Legislature as an institution must act immediately to show the people of our great state that checks and balances do exist in our form of government. We as elected officials must take this corruption and our duties seriously. Our citizens deserve to be protected against corruption- and the Legislature must stand strong against Justice Loughry's abuse of power. If the Legislature fails to act promptly with impeachment proceedings, Justice Loughry will remain a Supreme Court Justice beginning the fall term of the Court, as the maximum penalty of any judicial proceedings is merely suspension. Only the Legislature can remove him from office prior to the expiration of his term. We also believe that Justice Loughry is undeserving of his judicial pension- and should be disqualified from receiving it due to his corrupt actions. Impeachment ensures that he will not receive this undeserved pension. We believe that Justice Loughry has already benefited enough at the expense of West Virginia tax payers. There is no legitimate reason to delay this process. In fact, this proceeding should have already been initiated. As you may recall, resolutions regarding the impeachment of }ustice Loughry were introduced in both the Senate (SR 44) and the House of Delegates (HR 4) during the 2018 Regular Session. The proceeding to begin during regular House resolution would have allowed the impeachment session, at minimal or no cost to the taxpayers. To wait for the further judicial action and of the Legislature before shirking the Legislature takes action our constitutional will only appear as a delay of justice duties. Many of the assertions of HR 4 and SR 44 are identical to the 32 counts of the Judicial Investigation Delegate Commission Mike dismiss complaint. Pushkin's the seriousness President political stunt allegations of this Carmichael, In fact, the Commission, with seriously, situation. your quote: when others, Specifically, "I think personal attack made against this initiative to help us restore integrity for Delegate a member his complaint, whatever Pushkin it may be the single that I've seen in my time in the Legislature." to retractthis upon receiving reasons, was most We call on you, President of the House in our state judicial of Delegates, system, tried ridiculed dumbest, took ridiculous Carmichael, and instead especially to by you, in light join of the fact that the Judicial Investigation Commission has confirmed what we should have already knownthat Justice Loughry must resign or be impeached. There is no reason to wait for the results of the Judicial Investigation Commission process. The facts have been clearly established. Should Justice Loughry decide to defend his actions, we believe that he should do it in a public forum where he can again be placed under oath, face public justice, and be publicly held accountable for his actions. Justice Loughry's outrageous necessity behavior In Delegate you consider system the and unacceptable, Pushkin's his request, Legislature letter stating as a body to act will what afraid we should it is our hope that you will also recognize the he expressed that action. hangs in the balance". considering when is illegal for immediate give make Armstead that it appear requires. the judicial be working to Speaker he feared "the We as a caucus are in total the constitution to upset directed that towards that on April 16', public's agreement we are not confidence with applecart - because protecting of political our citizens, accountable system of government free of corruption judiciary and government operations. his view, a deliberative We fear that the Legislature will or other working and preserving in our as failure body instead motives- to create judicial for carefully be viewed at a time a transparent, the integrity of our state We call upon each of you to demand the immediate resignation of Justice Allen Loughry and support calling the Legislature into session to conduct an impeachment possible, should Justice Loughry refuse to resign. Sincerely, Leader Senate Democratic Caucus House Democratic Caucus hearing as soon as