By Ray Downs, UPI
West Virginia's House of Delegates voted to impeach three Supreme Court of Appeals judges Monday on allegations they wasted more than $3 million in taxpayer funds.
State lawmakers were considering whether to put the entire court on trial after all four of the state's highest judges have been charged with "unnecessary and lavish" spending of tax dollars to renovate their offices in the state Capitol, The Charleston Gazette-Mail reported.
[post_ads]Justices Allen Loughry and Robin Davis, who were both suspended last week, are expected to face an impeachment trial in the state Senate for allegedly taking part in the office renovation scheme, which included spending $32,000 for a couch and $42,000 for a desk.
Lawmakers also voted to impeach Chief Justice Margaret Workman. In addition to lavish office renovations, she is accused of paying senior status judges more than they were allowed to be paid under state law.
The fourth justice -- Justice Elizabeth Walker -- also is facing impeachment charges but lawmakers have yet to vote on them.
That leaves all four of the state's highest judges in legal limbo. West Virginia is supposed to have five judges, but Justice Menis Ketchum resigned last month after facing similar allegations.
Republican Gov. Jim Justice could end up appointing a whole slate of judges unless lawmakers trigger a special election for the vacancies before the deadline of 11:59 p.m. Tuesday.
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