Governor Patrick Morrisey appointed a Republican gun rights activist on Thursday to fill the house seat that was held briefly Joseph de SotoWHO was arrested last month for terrorist threats to co -habits of the delegate of the State House of Delegates.
Ian Masters, a lawyer from Berkeley County, who also acts as President of the West Virginia Citizens Defense League, will fill the seat.
“Ian’s experience that the WVCDL led is exceptionally prepared to represent the people of the 91st district. I am confident that he will bring experienced conservative leadership and be an effective legislator for Southern Berkeley County, ”said Morrisey in a press release on Thursday.
However, the appointment of the masters to the seat is not without controversy.
The seat he fills was cleared over a home resolution At the beginning of this month, republicans adopted who decided not to exclude the threats of murder against members. De Soto was arrested in December for these threats. He currently serves at home in Berkeley County and there are protection orders that prohibit him to speak to several members of the house that he has threatened.
On January 8th – almost a month after his arrest – de Soto did not arrive in the house to take off the oath of office, and due to his homeland and the existing protection instructions, he is not reasonable every point in the future, ”the decision passed on that day .
De Soto was elected as a Republican in November, but switched to the Democratic Party hours before his arrest. The change had prompted the Democrats to fill the free seat if it was not served.
However, the resolution that cleared the seat ordered the Republican Executive Committee from Berkeley County to offer Morrisey a selection list for candidates for the appointment.
A Week after This resolution said goodbye, the West Virginia Democratic Party sent a petition The Supreme Court of the State and asks to determine whether the Republicans of the house, who have a super majority, followed the laws and constitution of the state in the filling of the seat.
The Democrats argued that elected delegates had not declared their seats freely in earlier meetings, which were unable to take part in their office on the first day of the session. And she continued, several other members were absent for this year’s swearing in the ceremony, including DEL. Brandon Steele, R-Raleigh, who did not participate After 911 ligaments he is leaked around him Drunk handling of assault rifles and supposedly his family frightened at home. None of these members had their seats cleared, the Democrats wrote.
And the legitimacy to leave the seat aside State code Representation that a vacancy in the house must be filled by a list of three candidates, which was submitted by the party conductor’s committee of the same political party with which the person was connected at the time of the position. In view of the party age of de Sotos, this would mean that the seat is filled by a democrat.
On January 20, the Supreme Court published a planning order In the case and the procedure, the procedure has not yet been completed. The spokesman for the house, Roger Hanshaw, R-Clay and Morrisey, submitted an answer to the petition of the Democrats in accordance with the schedule by Monday.
As soon as these answers have been submitted, the court will later issue a written decision on the case that could possibly question the position of the Masters.
