WHEELING - Republican Patrick Morrisey has logged 30,000 miles on his car after visiting all 55 counties in West Virginia as he seeks to be the state's next attorney general.
Morrisey has been traveling across the Mountain State to "ensure folks will know what a real attorney general will be like after he's elected." He is running against incumbent Attorney General Darrel McGraw, a Democrat.
"It's been wonderful to see this beautiful state and to think about how a good attorney general can make this state even better by protecting our jobs. We want to have a presence in all 55 counties and be responsive to voters' concerns. Right now voters' top concerns are how do we take on the EPA and preserve our jobs. We know Darrell McGraw won't do it - I will," Morrisey said in reference to McGraw's unwillingness to join lawsuits that would limit the EPA's regulatory authority.
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Patrick Morrisey, a Republican running for Attorney General for West Virginia, just put 30,000 miles on his car traveling to all 55 counties in the state as part of his campaign efforts.
During a stop in Wheeling, Morrisey said he wants to focus on ethics issues regarding the attorney general's office including reducing wasteful spending. He said addressing such issues will "restore integrity" to the office.
"We have to begin leading on issues that impact West Virginia jobs. Virginia, Texas, Ohio and other states seem to understand that you have to challenge the federal government - why shouldn't the West Virginia Attorney General's office be a leader on energy issues, especially when the EPA has so over-reached?" Morrisey said. "We want to focus on ethics issues and then we want to ensure that we are challenging the EPA and the Obama job-killing policies."
Morrisey's plan includes eliminating "trinkets" the current attorney general has been handing out for years that he believes McGraw has used to promote himself instead of the office. He also wants to ensure that all settlement funds are returned to taxpayers and the state Legislature. He also wants to improve the method by which the attorney general's office hires outside legal services.
"Once we accomplish those things we will do a thorough review of an audit of the Attorney General's office so that we can reprioritize how precious resources are spent," Morrisey said. "By conducting the audit and saving money, we'll be able to redirect resources to start challenging the EPA and other federal agencies that are destroying our jobs in the state of West Virginia."
Morrisey is a prominent health care attorney who has been practicing since 1992. Morrisey served as partner and co-chairman of King & Spalding's Food and Drug and Life Science Group. He also has worked on many high-profile health care matters and is experienced with regulatory issues, Medicare, Medicaid, policy, fraud and abuse investigations, legislative, strategic counseling, and legal and policy challenges to federal statutes and regulations.
Morrisey also said he had enjoyed his experiences in Wheeling including celebrating at the Italian Festival, Wheeling's Fourth of July celebration and listening to the Wheeling Symphony Orchestra which he described as "terrific."
"We've been trying to spend a lot of time in Wheeling and really enjoyed the experience here. I've really enjoyed getting to know many people here in Wheeling," he said.
