CHARLES TOWN, WV (LOOTPRESS) – Two West Virginia county commissioners have been charged after refusing to fulfill duties.
According to a criminal complaint, Jefferson County Commissioners Jennifer Crouse and Tricia Jackson have refused to attend commission meetings with the purpose of denying a quorum.
Their refusal to attend meetings follows disagreement among the commission on who would be selected to fill a vacant seat on the commission.
The commissioners have skipped seven meetings in total.
An investigation was opened into the two commissioners with Grant County Prosecuting Attorney John Ours being appointed as the Special Prosecutor for their failure to fulfill their duties of the county.
The West Virginia State Police (WVSP) has handled the investigation under the supervision of Ours.
Following the investigation, on Friday, March 8, 2024, warrants were issued through Jefferson County Magistrate Court for both Jennifer Krouse and Tricia Jackson.
On Tuesday, March 12, 2024, both were charged with 42 misdemeanor offenses.
Those offenses include:
Failure to Perform Duties – 7 counts
Relief in County Commission from Erroneous Assessments – 7 counts
Vacancies in Offices of County Commissioner and Clerk of County Commission – 7 counts
Conspiracy to commit a misdemeanor against the state – 21 counts
Jackson and Krouse were arraigned on the charges by Jefferson County Magistrate Roper and were given a $42,000 bond which they both posted.
Tricia Jackson, who is also a Republican candidate for state auditor, issued the following statement on her campaign Facebook page on Tuesday:
“TRUMPED UP CHARGES
Yesterday I was made aware that Jefferson County Prosecutor Matt Harvey had filed a criminal complaint against Commissioner Jennifer Krouse and myself. The complaint alleges 42 misdemeanor charges related to our protest and absence at County Commission meetings in late 2023.
While I am limited in what I can say for legal reasons, I wanted you to hear about this news from me first before it is reported in the press. I also want to make it clear that these charges, much like the removal complaint also filed by Prosecutor Harvey, are politically motivated, baseless, and a frivolous waste of taxpayer money and prosecutorial resources.
The intent of these charges may be to break my spirit, but it has had the opposite effect. I take heart in knowing that I now stand in the company of the other men and women, including President Trump, who have been arrested by their political rivals.
I will not run from this fight, and I will never stop fighting for Jefferson County and the great state of West Virginia. To be clear, I will not resign from the county commission, and I will not drop out of the race for state auditor.
MONTANI SEMPER LIBERI”