By Stephen Smoot
“Other people remember. They remind me of them asking me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I said ‘a lawyer.’” said Matthew Harvey, the newly invested United States Attorney for the Northern District of West Virginia.
When he first envisioned a life and career as a lawyer way back in his Monroe County childhood, it’s hard to imagine the twists and turns through which that original determination led him. Last week, they brought him to not a pinnacle, but the opening of a new chapter when, surrounded by family, friends, and supporters, Harvey was invested at Shepherd University with his new office.
Much in his early life confirmed the path. Aptitude tests taken in high school, a love of reading and research, enjoyment of studying history and the lessons it teaches, “learning about different things, learning about people who came before us, why they made the decisions that they made.”
“Reading, learning, problem solving, those are the things I enjoy the most,” said Harvey.
Harvey’s investiture had every bit of the appearance of the confirmation of an important federal official. The auditorium stage had chairs flanking a podium, flags honoring America, and a large display on the screen behind.
Also, it had every bit of the feel of a family reunion with Harvey’s wife and daughter standing astride and the presence of old friends and supporters who just happened to include United States Senators, two United States Representatives, a federal judge, the President of Shepherd University, and many others.
Reverend Dr. Sherman Lambert Sr. brought his august presence to support Harvey and to deliver the opening invocation. “Bless him with wisdom to serve wisely in fear of the Lord,” spoke his rich baritone as it opened the ceremony.
Then came forth the actual star of the proceedings, young Miss Evie Harvey, proudly helping to introduce her daddy to the packed auditorium. She led the Pledge of Allegiance, then sang the sweetest rendition of “God Bless America” since Kate Smith once long ago made the tune her own. Next, Senator Shelley Moore Capito took to the stage to read Harvey’s commission, which marks his official entry into the office.
Harvey teased his daughter, saying because Babydog couldn’t accept an invitation, her kitten could have come. In response, his daughter said “he would’ve just run around everywhere.” Then as he took his oath of office, Miss Evie tried to help by following along, but occasionally knocked her father off of his own concentration to the delight of all in attendance.
The law calls some as a job, some as a career, and some as a vocation. Harvey first saw the law as a means to advance, saying “when I began law school, I did not want to go into criminal law as a prosecutor or a defense attorney.” He shared that “I wanted to go into corporate law. My studies focused more on those aspects.”
“I was wrong,” he stated.
Harvey shared how his grandfather “was the only lawyer in town.” As such, the man had to serve in general practice and take a broad spectrum of cases. He also gave his grandson an “opportunity to have exposure to the law at an early age.” Harvey admired his grandfather’s professionalism, saying “what I saw from him, what I took from him, was the way he treated people.”
The other important aspect of the life of a country lawyer is “you don’t know what’s walking through the door.” No matter what, Harvey appreciated that his grandfather could “make people feel welcomed and heard. Those skills don’t leave you when you walk out the door at five o’ clock.”
Senator Capito led the procession of speakers who wanted to shed more light on the man assuming the office. She congratulated him on his work with the West Virginia First Foundation as executive director. United States Senator Jim Justice followed via video, sharing that “Mat, I could not be more proud” and praised the “grounded, rock solid person” and stated “I’ve always been real impressed by you.”
At some point, “somebody left the gate open in Monroe County,” Harvey joked and he went to law school. He took advantage of internship opportunities along the way, including one that he remembered thoroughly enjoying with the Monroe County Prosecuting Attorney’s office. That led to a job in Bluefield, each opportunity pulling him away from corporate law, “what I thought I wanted to do” because “it was pretty apparent I didn’t enjoy that kind of work.”
Harvey remembered that “the people were fantastic whom I worked for” and also that “I enjoyed the courtroom. When you do other types of law, you never get in the courtroom.”
Congressman Riley Moore served in the West Virginia House of Delegates, then as West Virginia State Treasurer during Harvey’s three terms as the elected Jefferson County Prosecutor. That service dovetailed with his role as executive director of the West Virginia First Foundation as well.
Moore commenced his remarks with a word on service, sharing that Harvey often serves as an usher at their mutual church, Saint James the Greater and that their daughters compete on the same soccer team as well. He described Harvey as both “a great friend” and as “a leader in his field.”
Judge Gina M. Groh currently is a federal district court judge appointed by President Barack Obama, but also served as a circuit court judge in Berkeley County. Harvey’s path following the law led him to assistant prosecutor work in Kanawha, then Berkeley counties.
“Matt appeared before me as a circuit court judge,” Groh stated, “both as a public defender and as a prosecuting attorney.” She described Harvey as “mindful of people affected by proceedings” and that he “constantly came prepared” then shared that he was “prepared, thoughtful, and respectful.”
Harvey’s thoughtful and compassionate approach as both a county prosecutor and a defense attorney, as well as his broad experience, led him to another significant role through his vocation in the law.
When then Attorney General, now Governor, Patrick Morrisey successfully secured a share of a national opioid settlement from pharmaceutical companies, he directed that the funds be placed with a West Virginia First Foundation. From there, Harvey helped to shape the growth, direction, and mission of WVFF.
“It was something that called to me,” recalled Harvey of the opportunity with WVFF. Leadership of the foundation involved many questions of direction, including “different ideas on how the money should be spent.” Leadership had to consider these questions at the same time as “starting from scratch” in building up the organization.
Harvey observed the drug epidemic explode from a ground level point of view as the patterns of crime and social issues transformed under the impact of the rapid expansion of addiction. Addiction based on endless supplies of pills gave way to trafficking of more and more potent and dangerous drugs. He saw the impact on his home county and noted “it wasn’t ground zero, but it was certainly in the blast radius.”
“It didn’t stop at the city line,” noted Harvey, who added that it spread into the countryside as well, noting “it was overwhelming.” One of the cultural observations he offered was that “the median age in West Virginia is 44. The younger generation under 44 has little notion of a time before this opioid epidemic. What kind of fingerprint does that leave on your DNA? Your psyche? It’s an unnecessary and tragic burden that becomes a part of you.”
That ability to see one of the major criminal justice and social dysfunction issues of the time from both the ground and the “30,000 foot level” serves as the inspiration for the outpouring of congratulations and goodwill last week.
Harvey himself spoke for only a brief time at the close of the ceremony, reminding all that he must be brief because “we’ve got pepperoni rolls out in the hall!” The ceremony had grown into more than simply a ritual of federal employment. It celebrated family, faith, the strength of West Virginia, and the commitment to forge ahead with strength and purpose against the powerful problems shaping the times.
