Charleston, WV – Charleston attorney and former member of the House of Delegates, Dan Greear, responded to the latest political hires of Attorney General Darrell McGraw. McGraw appointed four Special Assistant Attorney Generals to aid in an investigation of Variable Annuity Life Insurance Company (VALIC), questioning if the company misled teachers to invest in its low interest fixed-rate annuities.

Jim Lees, Anthony Majestro, James Peterson and Jonathan Turak were the four Special Assistant Attorney Generals appointed by McGraw. Majestro, Peterson and Turak have each donated to McGraw’s political campaign and directed contributions from their respective law firms and family members. Historically, Peterson’s firm has delivered over $20,000 in campaign contributions to McGraw. McGraw has also received contributions from Majestro’s and Turak’s law firms in the past.

Greear weighed in by citing that this is not a first for McGraw, “If you review McGraw’s campaign finance reports and the corresponding appointments he has made during his tenure you will easily spot the parallel.”

“McGraw receives contributions from a number of trial lawyer firms and in return hires those same contributors rewarding them with lucrative employment at taxpayers’ expense,” stated Greear.

“I absolutely refuse to believe the only capable attorneys in this state are those who contribute to Darrell McGraw,” added Greear. “This is yet another example of the arrogant practices of our current Attorney General. He continues to abuse the powers of the Attorney General’s office and most notably, it is always at taxpayers’ expense.”

The West Virginia Legislature has scrutinized McGraw’s office for its history of awarding settlement money at their discretion rather than affording it to the appropriate government agency involved in the case. HB 104 was passed in a special legislative session this year immediately following the regular legislative session. The bill requires McGraw’s office notify the Legislature before dispersing any funds obtained by the office for the people of West Virginia.

Greear cited his continuous position on appointments, “Since day one of my campaign, I have stated our office will only appoint Special Assistant Attorney Generals when absolutely necessary. If there is ever a need for a expertise in a specific area of law, I will implement a fair and open bidding process, open to all attorneys of West Virginia. This will ensure that West Virginians get the best possible legal representation for their dollar.“

Greear is a lifelong resident of Kanawha County, graduating from South Charleston High School in 1986 as a National Merit Scholar. He graduated third in his class from the WVU school of Law in the spring of 1992 where he also served as associate manuscript editor for the West Virginia Law Review. He served in the West Virginia House of Delegates representing Kanawha County’s 30th District in 1995 and 1996. Dan is currently a law partner at the Charleston law firm Kesner, Kesner & Bramble where he has worked for 16 years. Dan currently resides in South Charleston with his wife Amy, a social worker for Kanawha Hospice Care, and their two children, Joshua, 9 and Ben, 6.