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| Patrick Morrisey | |
|---|---|
| Name | Patrick Morrisey |
| Birth date | June 21, 1967 |
| Birth place | New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Occupation | Attorney, politician |
| Party | Republican Party |
| Spouse | Michele Morrisey |
| Office | 34th Attorney General of West Virginia |
| Term start | January 14, 2013 |
| Predecessor | Darrell McGraw |
Patrick Morrisey is an American attorney and politician who has served as the Attorney General of West Virginia since 2013. A member of the Republican Party, he is noted for litigation against federal agencies, involvement in national conservative legal networks, and multiple statewide campaigns. Morrisey's tenure intersects with litigation concerning environmental regulation, healthcare, and administrative law.
Morrisey was born in New York City and raised in Goshen, New York, moving to West Virginia for parts of his youth. He attended University of Virginia for undergraduate studies and earned a law degree from the Ohio Northern University Pettit College of Law (formerly Pettit College). His early education included exposure to regional political debates in Appalachia and ties to institutions such as Huntington, West Virginia and legal clinics associated with regional law schools.
Morrisey began his legal career clerking and practicing in private firms and later worked in-house for energy and pharmaceutical clients, aligning with firms and organizations across Washington, D.C. and Appalachian states. He served in the U.S. Department of Justice during the administration of President George W. Bush and was counsel to Republican officials in state and federal roles. His work connected him to legal networks including conservative advocacy organizations like Americans for Prosperity, national legal groups, and state bar associations in Virginia and West Virginia.
Morrisey entered partisan politics as a Republican candidate for statewide office in West Virginia, challenging incumbents from the Democratic Party. He ran for Attorney General in 2012, campaigning on issues such as opposition to Affordable Care Act, regulation of Environmental Protection Agency, and support for energy industry interests including coal mining in Appalachia and natural gas development in the Marcellus Shale. He participated in debates with figures affiliated with the West Virginia Democratic Party and national conservative leaders, drawing endorsements from organizations in the Republican National Committee ecosystem.
As Attorney General, Morrisey led litigation against federal agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Health and Human Services, joining multistate lawsuits with attorneys general from both parties. He prioritized challenges to the Clean Power Plan, regulatory actions related to surface mining control, and aspects of the Affordable Care Act. His office pursued consumer protection actions and issued opinions on state law matters involving the West Virginia Legislature, state executive agencies, and municipal entities in cities like Charleston, West Virginia and Morgantown, West Virginia.
Morrisey has been a named plaintiff or lead counsel in multistate litigation against federal rulemaking from agencies including the Environmental Protection Agency, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the Department of Health and Human Services. His office challenged the Clean Water Rule and contested federal greenhouse gas regulations tied to the Clean Air Act. He participated in litigation related to the Affordable Care Act's contraceptive mandate and opposed aspects of Obamacare along with other state attorneys general. Morrisey also filed suits concerning pharmaceutical pricing, opioid-related claims, and matters implicating interstate commerce law, often coordinating with conservative legal organizations and joining cases at the U.S. Supreme Court and federal circuit courts.
Morrisey won the 2012 election for West Virginia Attorney General, defeating incumbent Darrell McGraw. He was reelected in 2016 and again sought higher office, including a 2018 campaign for the United States Senate from West Virginia, challenging incumbent Democrat Joe Manchin III; he lost that Senate race. Subsequent elections saw Morrisey retaining his statewide office in contests involving Democratic challengers and third-party candidates, reflecting the broader partisan realignment in West Virginia toward the Republican Party during the 2010s and 2020s.
Morrisey is married to Michele Morrisey and has four children. He is affiliated with conservative legal and policy organizations, has appeared at events hosted by groups such as Americans for Prosperity and allied think tanks, and maintains relationships with state Republican officials, national conservative figures, and regional business associations including energy and coal interests. His personal faith and community ties connect him to churches and civic organizations in Charleston, West Virginia and surrounding counties.
Category:1967 births Category:West Virginia Attorneys General Category:West Virginia Republicans