A Democrat West Virginia state representative has been arrested for making “terroristic threats” to kill five of his Republican colleagues.
Joseph De Soto, 61, was elected to the West Virginia House of Delegates in November after running as a Republican but switched parties one day before his arrest.
West Virginia’s 59 News reports:
According to a West Virginia State Police report, De Soto allegedly threatened to kill Delegate Bill Ridenour, House Speaker Roger Hanshaw, Delegate Pat McGeehan, Delegate Michael Hite and Delegate Chuck Horst. The complaint said that when De Soto was asked what he meant by what he’d allegedly said, he allegedly said that God called him to kill them.
WOWK 13 News has also confirmed that the day before his arrest, De Soto switched parties from Republican to Democrat. That could cause a legal fight over which party retains the House seat.
“The Republican Party may contest that and say he was elected as a Republican, and so it should be a Republican, so I am sure there is going to be some litigation,” Tom Susman, a political analyst for WMOV Radio, told the station. “If he does come in as a Democrat, then that means that the Democrats in the caucus can now demand roll call votes, where as with only nine, they couldn’t demand roll call votes.”
De Soto was upset because Republicans had voted to expel him from the caucus for allegedly falsifying his medical and military career information while on the campaign trail.
The disgraced politician claimed that God had called on him to kill the other delegates.
West Virginia GOP Chairman Matt Herridge said in a statement obtained by the outlet:
“We are aware of these and other concerning facts and allegations, as well as the steps the House GOP Caucus has taken toward expulsion. Our elected officials sacrifice a lot to serve their communities, and it is a travesty for anyone to face the additional burden of threats made against themselves and their families. The West Virginia Republican Party supports our House leadership and their expulsion efforts. We disavow and condemn the behavior of the former Republican Delegate-elect and continue to thank all those who are willing to serve their communities and state, in spite of the serious challenges it too often poses.”
A spokesperson for the West Virginia House of Delegates declined to comment.
