After a recently elected state lawmaker was arrested for making death threats to other state officials, West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrissey has appointed someone very familiar with the gun control debate to complete the term.
According to a report at cbsnews.com, last week Gov. Morrissey appointed attorney Ian Masters, president of the pro-gun West Virginia Citizens Defense League (WVCDL), to fill the seat of Joseph de Soto in the West Virginia House of Delegates. DeSoto, a medical doctor, was elected back in November but in December was arrested for saying God had called on him to kill several members of the state legislature, is free on bond awaiting grand jury deliberations.
To make things even weirder, according to the report, De Soto was a Republican when elected but became a Democrat the day before his arrest for threatening to kill two top Republicans in the legislature. The state Democratic Party tried to prevent a Republican from being appointed to De Soto’s seat but failed.
“We’re incredibly disappointed but not at all surprised when Republicans obey a law only when it works to their advantage but ignore it when it doesn’t,” Democrat West Virginia Delegate Mike Pushkin said in a statement following Masters’ appointment.
Masters, a 2011 graduate of the West Virginia University College of Law who opened his own law firm, Masters Law, in 2020, was one of three names submitted to the Berkeley County Republican Executive Committee for consideration for the seat. New Delegate Masters took the oath of office on January 24 in Charleston.
Gov. Morrisey’s appointment of Masters will help bolster the strong pro-gun majority Republicans have in the House of Delegates.
“Ian’s experience leading the WVCDL makes him exceptionally prepared to step in and represent the people of the 91st District,” Gov. Morrisey said in a released statement. “I’m confident he’ll bring experienced conservative leadership and be an effective legislator for southern Berkeley County.”
According to a report at therealwv.com, Masters, who has headed the WVCDL since 2018, will represent the 91st House District for at least the 2025 60-day legislative session. The Supreme Court of Appeals will review the matter sometime after the session ends and if they rule in favor of Republicans, Masters will return as a delegate for the second session of the 87th Legislature in 2026.
Master’s organization, the WVCDL, is a non-partisan, non-profit, all-volunteer, grassroots organization of concerned West Virginians who support the individual right to keep and bear arms for the defense of self, family, home and state, as well as lawful hunting and recreational use.
