Bastress Throws Down in Supreme Court Race

WVU law professor Robert Bastress came out swinging Wednesday after filing candidacy papers for the state Supreme Court.

As The Associated Press reports, Bastress pointed to the MonacoGate scandal to declare that "public confidence in the courts is at a low ebb, and for good reason."

Bastress faulted his would-be primary opponent, fellow Democrat and Chief Justice Elliott "Spike" Maynard, both for his Riviera rendezvous with Massey Energy's Don Blankenship and for insisting that the ensuing concerns raised were "nonsense."

But Bastress also said that Justices Larry Starcher and Brent Benjamin should recuse themselves from the pending matter involving Massey as well. Law enforcement should also investigate the allegations raised by Starcher on Tuesday, Bastress said.

"At least a half-dozen legislators were on hand for Bastress' filing. They included wife Barbara Evans Fleischauer, a Monongalia County delegate," AP reports. "His campaign treasurer is Frank Cleckley, a former Supreme Court justice and a fellow WVU law professor."

Update: MetroNews reports both on Bastress' splash plus the latest in the case from which Maynard has recused himself.