CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) – West Virginia Governor Jim Justice appointed his wife to the state school board, about a day after a decisive victory in a U.S. Senate race against his Democratic opponent.
The 73-year-old Republican governor announced the appointment of First Lady Cathy Justice to the West Virginia State Board of Education during a press conference on Thursday, after submitting a letter informing the secretary of state’s office on Wednesday brought.
“She’ll do a great job,” Justice said. “And really, Cathy loves children more than common sense.”
Cathy Justice, 71, will serve a nine-year term on the board, taking over from Dr. Daniel Snavely, a Huntington cardiologist whose term ended this week. Justice said his wife was initially unsure about the position, but after some convincing, “she is now excited and ready to get the job done.”
When asked by a reporter whether nepotism played a role in the appointment, Justice emphasized that Cathy Justice is more than qualified.
“How could you possibly think that Cathy isn’t just under-qualified?” he asked.
Justice cited the work of his wife, who earned a secondary education degree from Marshall University, within the state’s Communities In School program. As first lady, Cathy Justice helped launch the nonprofit Dropout Prevention Program in 2018 and expand it to 285 schools in all 55 of the state’s counties.
According to the governor’s office, West Virginia is the only state in the country where the program is active in every county.
Cathy Justice also led the Friends With Paws program, which places certified therapy dogs in schools to provide comfort and companionship to students. More than 40 such dogs have been placed across the state.
“There is no way I could find anyone – wherever they are – more qualified than Cathy Justice for this job,” Justice told reporters.
Cathy Justice has taught as a substitute teacher in Raleigh County schools and is involved in an elementary school program affiliated with a local church. She previously served as president of Comer Electric, Inc., a company founded by her father and mother. She also served on the board of directors of First National Bank in Ronverte for five years.
In 2007, former Democratic Gov. Joe Manchin — whose seat Justice takes over in the Senate — appointed his wife Gayle Manchin to the state school board. Gayle Manchin, a former public school teacher in Marion County, was later elected chairman of the board for a two-year term.
In January, Justice heads to Washington, D.C., to begin a six-year term as U.S. senator after easily defeating Democrat Glenn Elliott.
Justice, a businessman whose family owns dozens of businesses and the historic resort The Greenbrier, has in the past donated his $150,000 annual salary as governor to the Communities In Schools program.
