West Virginia Governor Appoints New Acting Cabinet Secretary Amid Conflict of Interest Allegations
- West Virginia Governor Jim Justice appointed an acting cabinet secretary following the resignation of the previous secretary.
- The resignation was triggered by allegations of conflict of interest that were raised when the official was approached.
- This incident raises questions about transparency and ethical conduct in state agencies.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — West Virginia Governor Jim Justice announced the appointment of John McHugh as the acting cabinet secretary for the Department of Administration, effective July 31. This decision follows the resignation of Mark Scott, who stepped down after being confronted with allegations of conflict of interest related to his involvement with a political action committee. Scott's resignation came after the Conservative Policy Action group, which aims to support conservative candidates in West Virginia, publicly appointed him as its board chairman. The announcement was made on February 27 but was later removed from social media. Governor Justice emphasized that Scott chose to resign to avoid causing embarrassment to his administration, stating, “So he resigned. That’s the end of the story.” Mark Scott, who had been serving as cabinet secretary since November 2021, was unavailable for comment, as he is reportedly on a previously scheduled vacation. The Department of Administration, which he oversaw, is responsible for managing 16 state agencies, divisions, and boards, making the role significant in the state's governance. Governor Justice's swift action to appoint McHugh reflects the administration's commitment to maintaining ethical standards within state agencies, particularly in light of West Virginia's ethics laws that prohibit state employees from leveraging their positions for personal gain.