Judiciary
W. Va. Chief Justice Loses Primary After Vacation Controversy
Posted May 14, 2008, 09:29 am CST
By Debra Cassens Weiss
The chief justice of the West Virginia Supreme Court has lost his primary bid for a new term after vacation photos surfaced that led to his recusal in a case involving a large coal company.
Elliott "Spike" Maynard finished in third place out of four candidates, the Associated Press reports.
The photos showed Maynard vacationing in Monte Carlo with the CEO of Massey Energy Co., which had a pending case before the court. The court later overturned a $50 million verdict against the company without Maynard’s participation.