Governor Patrick Morrisey and Attorney General JB McCuskey announced an investigation into the NCAA and the NCAA Men’s Tournament Selection Committee after West Virginia University was expelled from the tournament on Monday, March 17, 2025. (Screenshot from Governor Patrick Morrisey’s briefing)
Since taking office last year, West Virginia Attorney General JB McCuskey has made national headlines by joining other Republican attorneys general across the country in leading lawsuits or filing letters of support. He is following in the footsteps of Governor Patrick Morrisey, who also tried to raise his profile as attorney general.
McCuskey has been particularly interested in attacks on environmental and climate laws. His stances on this — and his lack of action on other vital issues — will ultimately leave West Virginia worse off.
For example in January McCuskey led a letterjoined 23 other attorneys general in challenging the Environmental Protection Agency’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, a key item in the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act. President Trump tried to cancel the $20 billion grant program last year, a move that was held up in court. McCuskey argues that the greenhouse gas program – which was created to do this Help communities address local environmental issuesaddress energy efficiency and affordability and more – “Disadvantages to energy-producing states like West Virginia.”
But in reality, West Virginia is one of the states that can benefit the most from a program like the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund. Everyone has heard how much our gas and electric bills have risen in recent years. The residents live in leaky apartments. Many are retired, unable to work or have a fixed income for other reasons. You need to make every dollar count.
One of the recipients of the fund, the Green Bank for Rural Americawas specifically designed to lend a hand states like West Virginia address these issues. The people behind this program actively worked to lend a hand West Virginia thrive, create jobs and be a game changer for West Virginia’s long-neglected communities.
There is no disadvantage there. But the original grant included the word climate. So of course McCuskey wants it gone.
The order filed Last month it also said: “…the take care clause requires the executive branch to do so.” obey the laws faithfully. The clause requires the President to ensure that appropriated spending actually meets the purposes of Congress….”
That sounds good. I also support the Constitution and the President’s faithful execution of the laws.
However, we all know that McCuskey picks and chooses when he wants to support West Virginians. Remember how his office joined other states’ lawsuits to defend programs that were cut last year, such as AmeriCorps, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, the Coal Workers’ Health Surveillance Program, and university funding?
Me neither. Because he didn’t do it. Did the President faithfully execute laws when he eliminated all programs that directly benefited West Virginia?
He also did not support other attorneys general when they filed a lawsuit to restore the Solar for All program. I want to remind you of this that the West Virginia Department of Energy voluntarily applied for and won a $106 million grant to reduce electric bills. Even some West Virginia cities won a separate amount through the Solar for All program.
The President and the EPA did it. Some states filed suit, recognizing that the subsidy would lower bills and create jobs. McCuskey didn’t get up then for West Virginians.
McCuskey’s unwillingness to support lowering energy costs and facilitating the spread of renewable energy in the state follows the trend of our legislators and statewide elected leaders. After his last legislative period Gov. Jim Justice vetoed it a bill that would have allowed utilities to build more utility-scale solar systems. The legislature has made it almost impossible So that tenants and other people who cannot have solar panels on their home can enjoy the benefits of solar energy and its cheaper energy. Meanwhile, coal-loving state senators like Chris Rose are trying to force coal plants to stay open despite the rising costs that would be imposed on all of us ratepayers.
They believe they will win elections by opposing renewable energy and spreading falsehoods about the future of coal. It turns out that a majority of Trump voters actually support solar energy. according to a recent survey.
All people want is more jobs and cheaper energy and food. The West Virginia GOP is not delivering.
