CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The West Virginia Ethics Commission issued public reprimands and assessed $750.00 in fines as part of Conciliation (i.e. settlement) Agreements approved on August 6, 2020.
Hardwick Johnson and Charlotte Thompson, council members for the Town of Harpers Ferry, admitted that they had violated the voting provisions of the West Virginia Governmental Ethics Act by participating in the Harpers Ferry Election Contest trial as a member of the Contest Tribunal on August 24, 2019.
The Ethics Act prohibits public officials from voting on matters in which they or a business with which they are associated has a financial interest. The election contest could have resulted in the council members losing their council seats.
Johnson and Thompson were ordered to undergo training on the Ethics Act as part of the settlement of the ethics complaints against them.
The Conciliation Agreements may be viewed on the Commission’s website at ethics.wv.gov.
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