West Virginia Legislature This Week debuts with West Virginia leaders Carmichael, Queen and Morrisey

The debut episode features interviews with state Secretary of Economic Development Mitch Carmichael, state Sen. Ben Queen, R-Harrison, and state Attorney General Patrick Morrisey.

Carmichael, who previously served as state Senate president, discussed the slew of economic developments that West Virginia has seen over the last year.

A total of 29 companies announced planned investments in the state in 2022, Carmichael said.

“We attracted $6.5 billion worth of investment,� he said. “This past year, we did more than the previous four years combined.�

Each company his office struck deals with provides health care and retirement benefits to its employees, Carmichael said.

“These are life-changing opportunities for our citizens that can provide great, middle-class homes,� he said. “Which is what we need in America. We need the middle class to rise up.�

Queen, who just began his first legislative session in the Senate after previously serving in the House of Delegates, discussed settling into his new role.

“My previous six years in the House has allowed me to prepare for what I thought the Senate was going to be,� he said. “So far, we’ve passed 28 or 29 bills (out of the Senate) in week No. 1 — that’s something that’s kind of unheard of on the House side.�

Morrisey joined the show minutes after announcing his office’s latest settlement related to the opioid crisis, an $83 million agreement with Walgreens.

“We’ve now signed the settlement agreement, and we’ve sent it out to the political subdivisions to be ratified,� Morrisey said.

The settlement resolves a lawsuit that alleged the pharmacy chain, as a distributor and dispenser, failed to maintain effective controls against diversion that contributed to oversupply of opioids in the state.

In September, Walmart agreed to a $65,070,000 settlement and CVS agreed to an $82.5 million settlement. In August 2021, Rite Aid agreed to a $30 million settlement.

The state has one opioid case still in progress — against Kroger.

“I think it’s pretty clear that we’re going to go over $1 billion in total recoveries,� Morrisey said. “West Virginia will be No. 1 in the nation per capita settlements.�

Morrisey, who has been hinting at a potential 2024 campaign without specifying which office he plans to pursue, said he’s getting closer to making an official announcement.

“I think you’re going to start to hear something in the next few weeks,� he said. “Please hold the line. In the next few weeks you’re going to start hearing more and more.�