On Oct. 2, we were scheduled to meet (virtually) with current West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey and AG-hopeful Sam Petsonk. Alas, Morrisey was a no call, no show. So instead of conducting a joint interview, we posed our questions to Petsonk. Over the course of the conversation, Petsonk earned our endorsement for attorney general.
Petsonk’s biggest selling point is, once elected, he would immediately withdraw West Virginia from the lawsuit that seeks to repeal the Affordable Care Act. He could not say enough how devastating the overturning of Obamacare could be for West Virginians. By a 2017 estimate, 184,000 — close enough to the “1 in 10” Petsonk referenced — West Virginians could lose their health insurance without the ACA.
In regard to the lawsuits against opioid producers and distributors, Petsonk noted the settlements under Morrisey have been much lower than they should be. Morrisey settled for “pennies on the dollar.” Petsonk would prefer to take a collaborative approach to opioid lawsuits, working across state lines to leverage the best outcome, but also work with local government to get a full accounting of the impacts of the opioid epidemic. Petsonk suggested that county and municipal governments should keep a record of all the money spent responding to opioid-related emergencies; these losses should be reimbursed through the lawsuits.
Petsonk would also like to play a more active role in marketplace management and resource planning. The attorney general is supposed to be the regulator of the health care marketplace. Petsonk pointed to an agreement between the Pennsylvania attorney general and UPMC that saved coverage for many Pennsylvanians — the type of agreement Petsonk would like to broker if he gets the office. In regard to resource planning, Petsonk cited the attorney general’s obligation to support broadband expansion/access, including facilitating private-public partnerships. He also referenced a settlement with Frontier Communications, the terms of which Morrisey has not enforced.
Despite Morrisey’s claims that Petsonk is a “socialist,” we can attest from our conversation with Petsonk that he is most definitely not a socialist. Based on his policies and stances on certain key issues, we think he would be better described as a moderate — perhaps even a centrist. He is very pro-coal and pro-coal miner. One of his primary concerns related to repealing the ACA is the subsequent loss of black lung benefits. Petsonk learned under Sen. Robert C. Byrd as a legislative assistant — and Byrd’s influence on Petsonk is apparent. That said, Petsonk has an obvious respect for the law, and he brings warmth, vitality and enthusiasm to the table. We think he would make an excellent attorney general for West Virginia.
