UPDATE (6:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 12): A West Virginia delegate-elect remains in jail Thursday night, charged with allegedly threatening to kill five of his colleagues. This incident also raises a potential dispute over which party controls this seat.
Joseph De Soto, a 61-year-old doctor, was elected to the West Virginia House of Representatives in November. He ran as a Republican for a Berkeley County seat. He is now accused of making terrorist threats against colleagues at a Republican caucus meeting in the Capitol.
According to a West Virginia State Police report, De Soto allegedly threatened to kill Rep. Bill Ridenour, House Speaker Roger Hanshaw, Rep. Pat McGeehan, Rep. Michael Hite and Rep. Chuck Horst. The complaint said that when De Soto was asked what he meant by his alleged statements, he allegedly said that God had called him to kill her.
WOWK 13 News also confirmed that De Soto switched from the Republican Party to the Democrat Party the day before his arrest. That could lead to a legal dispute over which party retains the House seat.
“The Republican Party could challenge that and say he was elected as a Republican and therefore it should be a Republican. So I’m sure there will be litigation,” said Tom Susman, political analyst for WMOV Radio. “If he runs as a Democrat, that means the Democrats in the caucus can now demand roll-call votes, whereas since they only had nine, they couldn’t demand roll-call votes.”
Sources tell WOWK 13 News that De Soto was under investigation for allegedly falsifying his medical and military career information during his campaign. That’s why Republicans voted to expel him from the caucus.
De Soto remains in the Eastern Regional Jail on a $300,000 bond.
West Virginia GOP Chairman Matt Herridge released a statement today, which can be found later in this article in the original version of the story.
West Virginia Democratic Party Chairman Mike Pushkin has now also released the following statement:
“Our thoughts are first and foremost with the delegates and their families who were subjected to these alleged threats. No one – especially those working in the public sector – should ever have to fear for their safety or the safety of their loved ones. These allegations are deeply serious and should be dealt with to the fullest extent of the law.
Violence and intimidation have no place in our government and our democracy. Public service is about resolving differences through dialogue, not threats. We trust that law enforcement will conduct a thorough investigation and hope for a quick resolution that prioritizes the safety and well-being of everyone involved.
At a time when political rhetoric is already heightened, it is important that our elected officials and those seeking public office conduct themselves with integrity, respect and responsibility. We will continue to support efforts to ensure the safety of those who work to serve the people of West Virginia.”
UPDATE (Thursday, Dec. 12, 11:02 a.m.): Joseph De Soto threatened to kill delegates, including House Speaker Roger Hanshaw (R-Clay), after he walked out of his office during a Republican caucus meeting, according to a criminal was voted out of office was a complaint.
The complaint said De Soto was upset and felt like he was being attacked and pushed out of his position.
According to the complaint, De Soto said on the phone that he was Del. Michael Hite (R-Berkeley), Del. Pat McGeehan (R-Hancock), Del. Chuck Horst (R-Berkeley) and Del. Bill would kill Ridenour (R-Jefferson) and House Speaker Hanshaw.
The complaint said that when De Soto was asked what he meant, he said that God had called him to kill her.
According to the complaint, De Soto also sent emails between Tuesday and Wednesday. An email brought up Dels. Hite and Horst as well as Del. Wayne Clark (R-Jefferson) and Del. Joe Funkhouser (R-Jefferson). The email said he had “just begun… and will not stop. I had a vision of destroying them before the angel of Moroni,” the complaint states.
A text message was also sent in which one person asked De Soto to stop saying he would kill people, to which he replied: “I said I was going to kill people. “I said I would do whatever it took to get her out of office,” the complaint says.
De Soto was elected to represent West Virginia’s District 91, which includes part of Berkeley County, in the 2024 general election.
UPDATE (Thursday, Dec. 12, 10:15 a.m.): West Virginia Delegate-elect Joseph De Soto, who was arrested for allegedly making threats against government officials, switched from the Republican Party to the Democratic Party before his arrest, according to a spokesman for the West Virginia GOP.
BERKELEY COUNTY, WV (WOWK) – A West Virginia delegate-elect was arrested for making threats against government officials, according to West Virginia State Police.
Joseph De Soto, elected to represent District 91, was arrested by the Martinsburg Detachment of the West Virginia State Police in the early hours of Thursday. He is accused of making terroristic threats.
Law enforcement officials said this arrest followed an investigation that revealed that De Soto made several menacing and intimidating threats against government officials.
“Any individual who makes these threats to intimidate, disrupt or coerce members of our West Virginia Legislature or other government agencies will not be tolerated,” West Virginia State Police said in a news release.
He was booked into the Eastern Regional Jail, according to the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation website. This investigation is ongoing.
West Virginia GOP Chairman Matt Herridge said in a statement: “We are aware of these and other troubling facts and allegations, as well as the steps the House GOP Caucus has taken toward expulsion. Our elected officials sacrifice much to serve their communities, and it is a travesty for anyone to subject themselves to the added burden of threats to themselves and their families. The West Virginia Republican Party supports our House leadership and their expungement efforts. We disavow and condemn the behavior of the former Republican representative. We continue to thank all those who are willing to serve their communities and their state, despite the great challenges that all too often entails.”
A spokesman for the West Virginia House of Delegates said there was no comment available at this time.
West Virginia District 91 is part of Berkeley County. De Soto defeated Constitution Party candidate Rick Thomson in the general election with more than three-quarters of the vote.
