Fired Governor's Aide Named to Appeals Board

Friday, December 15, 2017 | 0

Gov. Jim Justice has appointed his fired chief of staff to the Workers’ Compensation Board of Review, a three-member panel that hears appeals of comp claims.

Nick Casey

The Charleston Gazette-Mail reported that Nick Casey will replace W. Jack Stevens as a Democratic member of the board and will be paid nearly $104,000.

Justice fired Casey on Aug. 14, 11 days after he announced at a President Donald Trump rally that he was switching his party affiliation from Democrat to Republican.

After initially saying he would not make significant changes to his leadership team following the switch, Justice fired Casey via a telephone call, telling reporters later that Casey’s wife was a “rock-ribbed” Democrat.

Casey, a former state Democratic Party chairman, said he believes legislative leaders pressured the governor to hire a Republican chief of staff.

Since leaving the governor’s office, Casey has served as a mediator, guardian ad litem and part-time instructor at the University of Charleston.

“I’ve been looking at several options. Then, lo and behold this came along,” he told the newspaper.

Casey faces confirmation from the state Senate during its 2018 regular session.