CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The head of the West Virginia Citizens Defense League has been appointed to a legislative position previously held by a lawmaker who was ousted on serious charges concerning threats against fellow legislators.
Ian Masters, an attorney from Gerrardstown and president of the state’s largest gun rights organization, has stepped into the role that was vacated by Joseph de Soto, who represented a region in southern Berkeley County in the West Virginia House of Delegates. The appointment was announced by Republican Governor Patrick Morrisey on Thursday.
Governor Morrisey expressed confidence that Masters’ background in advocating for gun owners’ rights would enable him to fulfill the responsibilities of the office effectively. “I’m certain he’ll deliver seasoned conservative leadership and function as a competent legislator,” the governor stated.
Joseph de Soto, 61, was elected just last November but was arrested in December after making alarming comments suggesting that he had been divinely instructed to harm specific members of the Legislature, including prominent Republicans House Speaker Roger Hanshaw and House Majority Leader Pat McGeehan.
Following his arrest, de Soto was granted bond on December 23 but was placed under house arrest while awaiting a grand jury’s decision. His confinement conditions prevent him from contacting the individuals he allegedly threatened and prohibit him from accessing any firearms.
Earlier this month, a vote taken by the Republican majority in the House of Delegates resulted in de Soto’s seat being declared vacant. Initially a Republican, de Soto switched his party affiliation to Democrat just one day before his arrest, a move that sparked controversy. The West Virginia Democratic Party attempted without success to halt a Republican from filling the vacancy by petitioning the state Supreme Court.
According to West Virginia’s Constitution, when a vacancy occurs, the governor must appoint someone from a list of three individuals proposed by the party executive committee corresponding to the political affiliation of the ousted official at the time of the vacancy.
Delegate Mike Pushkin expressed disappointment, asserting that a Democrat should have rightfully replaced de Soto. “It’s disheartening but not astonishing to witness how Republicans selectively adhere to laws that serve their needs while dismissing those that do not,” Pushkin remarked in a text message following Masters’ appointment.
West Virginia showcases a significant Republican majority, with 91 of the 100 seats in the House of Delegates and all but two of the 34 seats in the state Senate occupied by Republican representatives, making it one of the most Republican-dominated state legislatures in the United States.
De Soto’s term commenced as a Republican, during which he garnered 72% of the votes in the general election, overcoming two other Republican candidates in the preceding primary. If convicted of the charges against him, de Soto could face severe penalties, including a potential maximum fine of $25,000 and a sentence of up to three years in prison.
