By Evan Bevins, The Parkersburg News and Sentinel
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice said Friday it would be premature to discuss how he might vote as a senator on appointments by President-elect Donald Trump, but his goal in Washington, D.C., will be to “do the right thing for the people of West Virginia and the right thing for the people of this country.”
Justice answered questions about the upcoming transition with Attorney General Patrick Morrisey stepping into the governor’s office and his own move to the U.S. Senate during an online briefing in which he also announced the end to the state’s ban on outdoor burning due to recent rains.
Trump’s appointments in recent days have raised eyebrows, particularly former Congressman Matt Gaetz as attorney general and attorney and vaccine critic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.
Asked for his thoughts on those announcements, Justice, a Republican and friend of Trump’s who won the election to succeed U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, I-W.Va., handily in last week’s election, said he thought it was too early to comment. He said he believes Trump’s team has done a thorough job of vetting candidates and “we’ll do the same thing in the Senate.”
“I’ll do the same thing,” Justice said.
Some of Trump’s picks may surprise observers who think there’s a more qualified option out there, Justice said.