The man who helped build Trump’s Supreme Court has spent a quarter of a million dollars to sway West Virginia courts

Conservative activist Leonard Leo's First Principles PAC has spent $269,000 to support Judge Dan Greear's re-election to the West Virginia Intermediate Court of Appeals. Leo, known for his influence on the U.S. Supreme Court, funds the PAC through the Lexington Fund. Judge Greear, appointed by then-Gov. Jim Justice in 2022, is running for a full 10-year term on the state's newest appeals court. The Intermediate Court of Appeals handles civil cases, including discrimination and property disputes. Recently, Greear recused himself from a data center air quality permit appeal due to public criticism regarding his political and financial ties to House Speaker Roger Hanshaw, who represents data center clients in the case. Greear maintains he is unaware of Leo or his PAC's support. Critics, such as Evan Vorpahl of True North Research, highlight Leo's long-standing strategy of influencing state courts to advance a conservative agenda. Kanawha County Family Court Judge Jim Douglas, running for Greear's seat, expressed concern about the significant outside money in the race, suggesting it's not aimed at helping families but rather at securing a "conservative judgment" in what is often the "last court of last resort."