Greear says legislative effort to slow Attorney General did not go far enough

For Immediate Release
March 25, 2008

Contact:
Greear for AG Committee
Suzette Raines, 304-437-1306

Huntington, WV – Charleston attorney and former member of the House of Delegates, Dan Greear, spoke to the Cabell County Republican Women's Club today as he campaigns for the office of Attorney General. The meeting will take place at noon at the Pullman Plaza Hotel in Huntington.

Greear discussed the constant struggle the West Virginia Legislature has encountered with Attorney General Darrell McGraw. McGraw has dispersed settlement money at his own discretion rather than allowing the Legislature to appropriate the money as is their constitutional duty.

In response to the conflict with the Attorney General, H.B. 104 was passed during a recent Special Session and requires McGraw to inform the Legislature of potential monetary settlements.

Greear stated it will not prevent McGraw from employing his normal practice of distributing settlement money, but will only require him to disclose that information to the Legislature. Greear praised the Governor and Legislature for taking the first step, but said HB 104 did not go nearly far enough.

"The Attorney General should be solving legal problems, not creating them," said Greear. "Once again, McGraw is forcing the Legislature to pass legislation to try to curb his abuses. Considering all the problems our state faces, the Legislature should not be forced to fix the messes of a constitutional officer," said Greear.

"This bill was supported by Democrats and Republicans alike. I believe the bi-partisan support says a great deal about the dissatisfaction with McGraw, but much more must be done to reign in his abuses," added Greear.

Greear is a lifelong resident of Kanawha County, graduating from South Charleston High School in 1986 as a National Merit Scholar. He graduated from the WVU School of Law in the spring of 1992 where he also served as associate manuscript editor for the West Virginia Law Review. He served in the West Virginia House of Delegates representing Kanawha County’s 30th District in 1995 and 1996. Dan currently resides in South Charleston with his wife Amy, a social worker for Kanawha Hospice Care, and their two children, Joshua, 8 and Ben, 6.