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Gov. Justice: Loughry should consider resignation

PARKERSBURG — The governor also is encouraging a suspended West Virginia Supreme Court justice to resign if the allegations are accurate he repeatedly lied over costly renovations to offices.

“While all of us are innocent until proven guilty, the allegations against Supreme Court Justice Loughry are extremely troubling,” Gov. Jim Justice said in a statement on Friday. “At the very least, this has cast a very negative shadow on the state of West Virginia.”

Allen Loughry was suspended without pay on Friday by five temporary justices appointed to hear the proceedings against him after the state Judicial Investigations Commission filed a 32-count complaint against him, alleging he lied about his involvement in the renovations to the Supreme Court offices totaling more than $360,000, including in newspaper articles, opinion pieces and before the Finance Committee of the House of Delegates.

The Judicial Disciplinary Counsel moved to suspend Loughry without pay, but the temporary justices deferred a decision on Loughry’s law license pending the outcome of the proceedings.

A message seeking comment from Loughry’s attorney, John A. Carr of Charleston, was not immediately returned.

The Supreme Court “understood the seriousness of this situation and suspended him without pay,” Justice said.

“If the charges are accurate, I would urge Justice Loughry to resign and spare the court and state any further embarrassment,” Justice’s statement said.

The governor said he will continue to speak with the legislative leadership about the “desire to initiate impeachment proceedings.

“In the event of sufficient interest, I would be open to calling a special session,” Justice said.

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