DISCUSSION — State Senator Ryan Weld, R-Brooke, speaks throughout an interview Friday with The Parkersburg Information and Sentinel. Weld has been touring the state since he introduced his candidacy for West Virginia lawyer normal in April. –Evan Bevins
PARKERSBURG – State Senator Ryan Weld is on the marketing campaign path for West Virginia’s lawyer normal, each figuratively and actually.
“There are all the time occasions happening everywhere in the state, so I have never been residence on Saturdays in fairly some time,” he mentioned.
The Republican senator, in his second time period representing Brooke, Hancock, Ohio and a portion of Marshall County, introduced his candidacy to turn into the state’s prime lawyer in April. He’s set to face fellow senator and former federal prosecutor Mike Stuart in subsequent spring’s Republican major.
“Basically I’ve one job between now and subsequent Could, and that’s to exit and discuss to as many West Virginians as attainable,” Weld mentioned.
He was doing simply that Friday in Parkersburg, planning to fulfill with folks within the space after talking on the Mountaineer Breakfast Membership hosted by state Sen. Donna Boley, R-Pleasants.
“Everyone can say, ‘I’ll defend West Virginia. I’ll defend the coal. I’ll defend our folks,’” Weld mentioned. “Once I say I’ll do one thing, I do it.”
Weld pointed to his legislative file on points like substance abuse, psychological well being, legal legislation and veterans’ affairs to again up that declare. For example, he pointed to laws he sponsored to reestablish a particular court docket to cope with veterans within the legal justice system.
Essentially the most seen a part of the lawyer normal’s job, Weld mentioned, is to guard the state’s pursuits within the authorized realm.
“It is crucial that the DA’s workplace battle in opposition to Washington making an attempt to dictate phrases to us as an alternative of West Virginia with the ability to decide its personal future,” he mentioned, including that the identical is true with regards to exterior entities difficult legal guidelines handed by the State Legislature and enacted by the Governor. “As a lawyer, I actually cannot consider a larger honor… than to have the ability to function this state’s lawyer.”
However Weld additionally acknowledges that not everyone seems to be conversant in what the job entails. After asserting his candidacy, he mentioned, a neighbor requested him what the lawyer normal does.
“How will we ensure that folks right here in West Virginia know that the lawyer normal’s workplace isn’t just this workplace in Charleston suing DC?” Weld mentioned, noting that the workplace investigates Medicaid fraud and offers with shopper safety points, amongst different points.
