ROMNEY -- Former House of Delegates Education Committee Chairman Jerry Mezzatesta was fired from his school job Friday, putting a likely end to a 36-year education career that saw him rise from a history teacher to one of the most powerful politicians in West Virginia.After a six-hour discip…
Former House of Delegates Education Committee Chairman Jerry Mezzatesta has been indicted on a charge that he lied in an affidavit he gave to the state Ethics Commission amid an investigation.A special grand jury in Hampshire County indicted Mezzatesta on a misdemeanor false swearing charge.…
Former House of Delegates Education Chairman Jerry Mezzatesta was reprimanded and fined $2,000 Thursday after West Virginia Ethics Commission investigators determined that he improperly solicited grants and gave a fabricated letter to the commission.Mezzatesta received the ethics agency's ma…
POINT PLEASANT - State Board of Education members declared a "state of emergency" in Hampshire County schools Wednesday, after an audit revealed that top Hampshire school administrators hired employees illegally and misspent state grants that former Delegate Jerry Mezzatesta solicited.Hampsh…
The calls from Delegate Jerry Mezzatesta wouldn't stop.The two House Education Committee employees fielded Mezzatesta's cell phone calls early in the morning, late at night, time after time, through crime, cover-up and investigation.Mezzatesta called the two women shortly before they met wit…
Former House Education Chairman Jerry Mezzatesta wants the state to reimburse him nearly $1,000 for a three-day visit to Charleston during which he cleaned out his office, said goodbye to friends, and pleaded no contest to a criminal charge in Kanawha County Magistrate Court.Mezzatesta has r…
Former House Education Chairman Jerry Mezzatesta took part in an elaborate scheme to fend off allegations that he lied to the state Ethics Commission and Kanawha County prosecutor, according to a report released Thursday.On July 1 of this year, Mezzatesta's wife, Mary Lou, directed a House e…
An 18-month-old letter that House Education Committee Chairman Jerry Mezzatesta released last month to support his statements that he didn't solicit state Department of Education grants was printed on stationery that didn't exist at the time the letter was allegedly written.The Jan. 13, 2003…
Last spring, House Education Chairman Jerry Mezzatesta told the state Ethics Commission he never solicited grant money for Hampshire County Schools, where he works as a board office administrator.He gave his word, and submitted a sworn statement.West Virginia schools Superintendent David Ste…
West Virginia schools Superintendent David Stewart provided a sworn statement that helped House Education Committee Chairman Jerry Mezzatesta get an ethics complaint against him dismissed, according to documents released by the commission last week.Stewart gave the affidavit to Mezzatesta's …
The state Ethics Commission mostly took House Education Chairman Jerry Mezzatesta at his word when the panel dismissed two ethics complaints against him last week.But public documents contradict Mezzatesta's statements to the commission and the reasons agency officials gave for abruptly endi…
House Education Committee Chairman Jerry Mezzatesta privately ordered the Department of Education's finance director to change the way the agency distributes money to counties with student enrollment increases, according to records and interviews with state officials.The change prompted the …
House Education Committee Chairman Jerry Mezzatesta steered a $75,000 state Department of Education grant to eight Hampshire County volunteer fire departments earlier this year, according to records and state officials.Mezzatesta originally requested the grant for a Hampshire County nonprofi…
House Education Committee Chairman Jerry Mezzatesta collects two taxpayer-funded paychecks when he attends legislative sessions, payroll records show.Mezzatesta, D-Hampshire, draws his legislative salary when he's in Charleston for regular and special sessions.At the same time, he also conti…
