CHARLESTON, WV (WOWK) – In the state capital, lawmakers continued to tackle some of the most debated issues across West Virginia, such as funding for child care and reducing the income tax, during a special session Monday. However, with less than a month until the 2024 presidential election, House Concurrent Resolution 203 has particularly attracted the attention of legislators.
This resolution has no impact because it is parallel, but in writing it details how West Virginia could declare an election fraudulent under certain conditions. It has created a “controversial” mood among many lawmakers. Some said it cast doubt on the presidential election before people even had a chance to cast their votes.
“It really doesn’t help. It’s just much ado about nothing. When we’re under the Legislature, I want to do something productive that makes a difference in people’s lives,” Del. Larry Kump (R) said Berkeley. “I understand the concern about the last presidential election and I understand how upset people were about it, but I don’t think this resolution will be productive. I think she just makes us look bad. I can’t vote for that.”
The resolution states that West Virginia could decide not to recognize the presidential election if “the Republican presidential or vice presidential nominee is assassinated, seriously injured in an assassination attempt, imprisoned, de facto eliminated, or disqualified from voting in any state, or the.” Case is “subject to legal action that precludes effective campaigning.”
Five delegates supported the resolution, including Del. William Ridenour (R) Jefferson.
“I think it’s important to everyone in the country and the state of West Virginia. We do not want our political leaders, the chairman of the federal executive branch, to be selected through assassination or imprisonment, political prosecution or any kind of illegitimate political process. I think it’s the job of the Legislature to make sure that we actually select our leaders based on legitimate processes,” Ridenour said.
The resolution goes into more detail, claiming that “the federal government…has failed and continues to fail” to protect the Republican nominee for president, former President Donald Trump. It also says, “There is evidence that non-citizens have been and are being registered to vote in the presidential election,” although that claim has been repeatedly rejected by U.S. officials.
Del. Mike Pushkin, (D) Kanawha, said that claim is baseless.
“This case has been tried approximately 60 times before many judges appointed by former President Trump, and there has been no real evidence of any election misconduct.” This decision is unconstitutional. I have a feeling that Del. Ridenour and the other delegates who signed their names on it really violated their oath of office. You should be ashamed of yourself.”
Data from AP stated that, according to 2017 data, there were just over two dozen cases of non-citizens registering to vote and that those cases were prosecuted.
In response to arguments against the claim that non-citizens are registering to vote in the United States, which is illegal in all 50 states, Ridenour said it had been reported.
“We’ve seen this in several states. Not necessarily in West Virginia, but we’ve seen evidence of this in several states.”
The resolution also repeatedly refers to the protection and security of the Republican candidate in the presidential election. When asked why it frequently mentions the Republican over the Democrat, Ridenour replied that it is because the executive branch is currently under Democratic leadership, the Biden administration.
“It is their responsibility to protect other presidential candidates and vice presidential candidates. The Republican nominee has no authority over the Secret Service or anything that would facilitate protection. So it’s incumbent upon these entities, the Democratic side of the aisle, to protect all of these presidential candidates, not just the Republican, but the Republican in particular is the one who was attacked twice,” Ridenour said. “The other parts of the resolution frankly do not name any party. So this only refers in the first part to assassination, imprisonment and political prosecution, as these are currently being pursued against the Republican candidate.”
Pushkin and other lawmakers said the special session should be used to focus on more pressing issues in West Virginia and not this resolution.
“We’re in a special session that’s costing taxpayers money every time we’re here, and I can’t believe that there’s a group of legislators who are using this time to campaign and say that “The law will be overturned.” election if their candidate is not elected. I just can’t believe this,” Del said. Kayla Young (D) Kanawha.
