West Virginia lawmakers gear up for their regular session, but not without drama
The West Virginia Weakly Reader for Saturday, January 11, 2025
At the state capitol in Charleston this week, Jim Justice delivered his final address as governor to West Virginia lawmakers as state senators and delegates were sworn in to serve as members of the 87th West Virginia Legislature.
Everything went off without a hitch.
Everything, that is, except for one would-be lawmaker who remains under house arrest and another who is dealing with an incident involving alcohol in which police were called to his home a couple of days before Christmas.
Welcome to the weekend and today’s West Virginia Weakly Reader.
📞 “I regret it, yes,” Delegate Brandon Steele (R-Raleigh) said Wednesday night in a lengthy telephone interview with WVMetroNews. “But at the same time, I’m always going to defend my house.” Steele and his wife Brianne spoke to WVMetroNews about the incident at their home that became public this week.1 A police report posted social media2 says Steele was under the influence of alcohol two days before Christmas and armed himself to confront what he perceived to be stalkers at his home. The incident came to light on the same day Steele was named to the chairmanship of the House Judiciary Committee. He was not sworn-in along with other delegates on Wednesday, telling WVMetroNews that he remained with his kids, who were home from school because of this week’s snowstorm.
(Editor’s Note: The above has been updated to qualify use of the term “stalkers.”)
💺 A fight is brewing over the seat of a delegate-elect who also did not take his oath of office this week. During Wednesday’s brief session, House Republicans voted to vacate Joseph de Soto’s Berkeley County seat3. De Soto remains under house arrest after allegedly making terroristic threats against some of his would-be colleagues. The resolution Republicans adopted allows the GOP to retain control of de Soto’s seat. Democrats argue they should fill it because de Soto switched parties shortly before his arrest and they also take issue with how Republicans are handling the issue. The state Democratic Party is planning a legal challenge and the Berkeley County Democratic Executive Committee says it will nominate three candidates to serve out de Soto’s term.4
🗣️ Before lawmakers approved the de Soto resolution, they heard from Gov. Justice, who delivered a farewell speech thanking lawmakers for “flying” with him for two terms as governor and touting the state’s economy under his administration. He also wished the best for Governor-elect Patrick Morrisey.5 Justice is to take his oath as a U.S. Senator on Monday, the same day Morrisey will be inaugurated as governor.
😲 Not only did Gov. Justice speak to lawmakers, but he also held his final media briefing this week. He spoke to reporters virtually on Friday after Forbes made a splash with a report claiming that his finances are in shambles.6 Forbes says its analysis shows his net worth is “less than zero.”7 Justice did not take questions from reporters.
👀 The Charleston Gazette-Mail reported this week that new House Majority Leader Pat McGeehan (R-Hancock) helped a Catholic school in Steubenville, OH receive up to $5 million in state funding through the West Virginia Water Development Authority. The Gazette-Mail obtained emails about McGeehan’s involvement through a Freedom of Information Act request. The money comes from a fund usually used for grants for water and wastewater infrastructure projects.8 The paper initially reported on the Authority’s approval late last month.9
🏈 As is customary with any new administration, the West Virginia Legislature is now adjourned until February 12, but we did get a preview this week of one of the issues lawmakers may contend with during the regular session. A number of high school athletic directors turned up at the state Capitol during interim meetings on Tuesday to urge lawmakers to revisit the 2023 law that loosened sports transfer rules.10 The easing of restrictions has been linked to blowout football scores.
⚖️ In one of his last acts as state Attorney General, Patrick Morrisey announced this week that charges have been filed against a nurse and a nursing assistant at the state-run Hopemont Hospital in Preston County in the death of a nonverbal man who was left in scalding water for 47 minutes. The two have been charged with felony neglect of an incapacitated adult by a caregiver resulting in the 61-year-old man’s death. They are to make an initial court appearance on January 29th in Preston County.11
⚖️ Former state Senator Mike Maroney (R-Marshall) was in court this week for a pretrial hearing on charges of indecent exposure, disorderly conduct and driving under the influence. The charges stem from his two arrests in August and September. A Marshall County magistrate ruled that Maroney will face a jury trial and ordered ordered him to seek a drug treatment program within a week from Wednesday’s pretrial hearing.12
🤔 The state’s troubled foster care system will remain under federal scrutiny for the time being. A 2019 agreement with the Justice Department had been set to expire last month, but Mountain State Spotlight reported this week that it’s been extended indefinitely.13 A class action lawsuit filed in 2019 is scheduled to go to a bench trial in March.
😔 A home once owned by country music star and West Virginia native Brad Paisley is among those destroyed by the wildfires in California. On Facebook, Paisley said he and his wife, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, lived in Pacific Palisades for years and the home was the first they bought together.14
💡 Appalachian Power says more than 100,000 customers in its West Virginia and Virginia service areas lost electricity during that winter storm that began on Sunday. But that most should now have the lights back on, including in the hardest area around Bluefield. In the final update on restoration efforts, the company said “workers have so far found 45 miles of downed wire, 150 damaged or broken poles and 105 transformers needing maintenance.”15 The company says its crews remain ready to respond if there are more outages from the storm that began moving into southern West Virginia on Friday.
Opinion and whatnot
Violations: Answers needed on $5M grant ~ Editorial, Parkersburg News and Sentinel
Musical Chairs ~ Steven Allen Adams, Wheeling Intelligencer
The Legacy of Patricia White outside the box ~ Carol Weston and John David, Charleston Gazette-Mail
Just as delegate is named Judiciary chairman, story breaks about drinks, rifle, 911 calls and deputy report ~ Brad McElhinny, WVMetroNews
WV House Republicans vacate seat of Joseph de Soto, lawmaker accused of threatening to kill members ~ Amelia Ferrell Knisely, West Virginia Watch
‘It’s been a real honor flying with you’: Justice gives farewell speech to WV lawmakers ~ Lori Kersey, West Virginia Watch
This former billionaire, and new U.S. Senator, is now broke ~ Forbes (paywall)
McGeehan, helping WV fund Ohio college, has right-wing bent ~ Mike Tony, Charleston Gazette-Mail
WV board approves $5M for out-of-state Catholic school from infrastructure fund ~ Mike Tony, Charleston Gazette-Mail
Athletic directors tell lawmakers the sports transfer rule is out of whack ~ Brad McElhinny, WVMetroNews
Former Sen. Maroney to face jury trial ~ Emma Delk, The Wheeling Intelligencer
Department of Justice extends scrutiny of West Virginia’s foster care programs as state fails to show required improvements ~ Erica Peterson, Mountain State Spotlight
Thank you, sir!