MORGANTOWN – J.B. McCuskey, Republican candidate for state attorney general, met with The Dominion Post Editorial Board to field some questions about issues related to the office. (Democratic candidate Teresa Toriseva was invited but did not join in on the Zoom meeting.)
McCuskey and his wife, Wendy, co-own a small business in Charleston. He currently serves as state auditor, and prior to his election to his first term in 2016 he served two terms in the House of Delegates.
“We have committed ourselves to making West Virginia the most transparent state in the entire country” and the premier fraud-fighting unit in the state, he said. The unit has secured 60 felony fraud convictions across eight years. The office has expanded audit times by 300% and redrafted state land sale policies to help local governments tear down dilapidated buildings.
He was asked what legal actions his office would focus on. Its first priority, he said, is how protect the state’s residents. As AG, he would be able to participate in the West Virginia First Foundation’s oversight of opioid settlement funds, to aid those suffering now and help bring the crisis to a halt.
And during his first months in office, he would get a feel for the needs of the state and use his background in government and law to see where West Virginians are being targeted. “I have a very open mind.”
He was asked about legal action against transgender athletes. The board cited action brought by transgender athlete Becky Pepper-Jackson, 12, against the state’s Save Women’s Sports Act that prohibits biological males from participating on female sports teams. A federal appeals court in April blocked enforcement of the law, and current Attorney General Patrick Morrisey continues litigating the case.
McCuskey said he wasn’t familiar with the case. “As the father of two young girls I think it is vitally important that we protect women’s sports,” but do so in a fair and kind way that doesn’t disparage anyone. The law must ensure all can participate on a fair playing field, and that girls aren’t losing opportunities. “I don’t think we have to be hateful about this.”
Another role of the AG’s office is consumer protection and McCuskey took a question about that.
The office, he said, is meant “to give a voice to the voiceless and give power to the powerless.”
Regarding the defendants in consumer protection cases, he said, it’s important to distinguish between bad people doing bad things and good people who’ve just made a mistake, to punish the offenders and help correct those who’ve simply shown bad judgment.
On the related topic of scammers, he said it’s important to build coalitions with interest groups that have a vested interest. As auditor, he’s worked with AARP and other groups to learn how and why scammers are effective and learn ways to reach out to potential victims. He originated legislation that created a victim advocate fund to repay those who have fallen prey – because it’s nearly impossible to recover stolen money from the scammers.
McCuskey led the creation of the state financial transparency website and took a question on that topic.
“The people of West Virginia have more access to their financial data than they do in any other place in the United States. The information and the money of the state government is owned by the people of the state of West Virginia, it is not owned by us.”
And on the subject of goals for his possible tenure, he said the AG serves as general counsel for state agencies and as such he could help lead reforms and fix problems, such as oversize bureaucracies, education challenges and infrastructure issues. “I know I have the skill set to be part of that reform,” and the data to work with, he said.
“I am looking forward to being the general counsel for that organization and being a partner in what I believe is going to be a revolutionary four years in West Virginia’s history, as we truly make West Virginia the place that every young family in America is going to try to move to.”
Email: dbeard@dominionpost.com
