Comment on Despite staff firings, hospital visit, Gov. Justice says all is well

By Phil Kabler In his first meeting with the press since he fired his chief of staff and spent two days in Johns Hopkins Hospital, Gov. Jim Justice insisted Monday that all is well in the governor's office. Justice said he after his recent switch from Democrat to Republican, he expects that more staffers may resign or be fired, but said he expects all cabinet secretaries will remain - including Revenue Secretary Dave Hardy, a Democrat and longtime Kanawha County commissioner before joining the administration. "I have no intention of asking Dave Hardy to leave," Justice said, drawing a distinction between department heads "who have a job to do," and his gubernatorial staff, who have to work with and represent the governor. Justice said he decided to fire Casey, a former state Democratic chairman, after it became clear that Justice's change of party registration on Aug.