umed ▁his ▁teaching ▁career ▁at ▁Marshall ▁University , ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Char l eston ▁and ▁West ▁Virginia ▁State ▁University . ▁ ▁Later ▁career ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 4 ▁He ch ler ▁ran ▁for ▁West ▁Virginia ▁Secretary ▁of ▁State ▁and ▁won . ▁He ▁was ▁re - elect ed ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 8 , ▁ 1 9 9 2 , ▁and ▁ 1 9 9 6 . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 0 , ▁he ▁again ▁ran , ▁in ▁the ▁middle ▁of ▁his ▁Secret arial ▁term , ▁for ▁his ▁old ▁Cong r essional ▁seat , ▁but ▁was ▁defeated ▁by ▁Rah all ▁in ▁the ▁primary . ▁His ▁term ▁as ▁Secretary ▁of ▁State ▁is ▁most ▁known ▁for ▁his ▁successful ▁pro sec ution ▁of ▁John ie ▁O w ens , ▁who ▁sold ▁his ▁position ▁as ▁Sher iff ▁of ▁M ingo ▁County ▁for ▁$ 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 ▁and ▁was ▁sent enced ▁to ▁four teen ▁years ▁in ▁federal ▁prison . ▁He ▁also ▁persu aded ▁the ▁West ▁Virginia ▁State ▁Legisl ature ▁to ▁require ▁that ▁candidates ▁public ly ▁register ▁lo ans , ▁with ▁specific ▁terms ▁of ▁rep ay ment . ▁There ▁was ▁a ▁growing ▁r ift ▁between ▁him ▁and ▁union ▁leaders ▁over ▁his ▁support ▁of ▁t ough ▁environmental ▁laws , ▁thought ▁by ▁union ▁leaders ▁to ▁be ▁at ▁the ▁cost ▁of ▁jobs . ▁ ▁As ▁secretary ▁of ▁state , ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 5 ▁he ▁moved ▁his ▁legal ▁residence ▁to ▁Char l eston . ▁Char l eston ▁is ▁located ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 nd ▁District