W.Va. journalist let go after reporting on abuse allegations

The state of West Virginia. A journalist in West Virginia lost her job after reporting on alleged abuse of people with disabilities within the agency that runs the state's foster care and mental health facilities.

Amelia Knisely, a reporter at West Virginia Public Broadcasting, said she was told to stop reporting on the Department of Health and Human Resources after they threatened to ruin the public's faith in them. Her part-time position was going to be eliminated.

The news director told Knisely that the order came from the executive director. Justice replaced the agency's governing board after the previous executive director was ousted.

Justice was accused of appointing partisan operatives to the board and trying to eliminate state funding. State funding for WVPB is $4 million annually.

Other officials denied any attempt to influence coverage. William H. File III said that Antolini told the board that he was not coerced or pressured.

File said in a statement that Knisely was never fired and is still on the payroll.

During a time of turmoil for West Virginia media, Knisely left. Three reporters for the Pulitzer Prize-winning Charleston Gazette-Mail were fired days before she left, after they criticized an editorial decision by the company's president. Skaff led a video interview with Don Blankenship, a coal company executive convicted of safety violations connected to one of the worst coal mining disasters in US history.

The upcoming legislative session will be covered by a diminished press corps.

People with disabilities were mistreated under state care. Some of the most vulnerable people in the US are cared for by the department.

Both Republican Senate President Craig Blair and Democratic Party Chair Mike Pushkin were disturbed by the circumstances surrounding Knisely's departure.

The coverage of the glaring issues at DHHR was detailed, in depth, and most importantly true.

Blair said there was a difference between not liking what the media reported and actively working to silence them.

In September, Knisely was hired as a part time reporter. In November, she was copied on an email from Bill Crouch, the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Resources.

In early December, Knisely said she was told that she couldn't cover the Department of Health and Human Resources because of threats.

He announced his resignation a week later.

Douglas told The Associated Press that he was told to tell Knisely that she wouldn't be reporting on the health department.

He said he wouldn't comment on the threats from the Department of Health and Human Resources.

The human resources complaint was filed by Knisely.

Emails obtained by the AP and first reported by TheParkersburg News and Sentinel show that things came to a head later that day over Knisely's press credentials.

Douglas told legislative staffers that Knisely would be an important part of the coverage. The station's COO left him off an email that said she wouldn't need credentials after all.

It was a troubled Senate spokesman who asked Douglas about it.

She wrote that it felt gross and shady to say that one of your reporters wouldn't have any assignments related to the session.

She said she wanted you to be aware that the two men were trying to stick their fingers in the pie.

Douglas said he was told things had changed with Amelia after he responded. For now, he said, it is out of his control.

He said it felt gross and shady.

She said she was told part-time positions were going to be eliminated. Around that time, her email and key card were no longer active.

Knisely was hired by The Register-Herald to report on the upcoming legislative session. She said that her coverage would include developments with the department.