An incoming West Virginia state lawmaker was arrested Thursday on suspicion of threatening to kill another state lawmaker.
Joseph De Soto, who was elected to the West Virginia House of Representatives in November, was investigated and found to have “made several threatening/threatening threats against government officials.” West Virginia State Police Lt. Leslie T. Goldie, Jr., who was arrested by police early Thursday morning, said in a statement:
“West Virginia State Police and the West Virginia State Capitol Police take all threats to government processes seriously,” Goldie Jr. said. “We will not tolerate individuals who make such threats to intimidate, disrupt, or coerce members of the West Virginia State Legislature or any other government agency.”
He was charged with one count of terroristic threats, a felony, and bail was set at $300,000.
According to a complaint shared with NBC News by Berkeley County Commission officials, a witness told police Wednesday that after a recent meeting in which Republican state legislators discussed whether to expel DeSoto from their caucus. DeSoto told police he was upset. It’s unclear what sparked the controversy, as De Soto had not yet taken office.
DeSoto was elected as a Republican, but the West Virginia Secretary of State’s Office confirmed to NBC News on Friday that he switched his affiliation to Democratic on Wednesday.
A witness who spoke to police had a phone conversation with Mr. de Soto on Tuesday in which Mr. de Soto detailed details of the meeting and said he was “going to kill the delegates,” according to the complaint. . The complaint targets several Republican state legislators, including Roger Hanshaw, chairman of the West Virginia House of Delegates.
Mr. Hanshaw did not respond to requests for comment.
“When asked what he meant when he used the word ‘kill,’ he advised that God called him to kill them,” the complaint states.
In an email provided to police by a witness, Mr. de Soto wrote that the delegation “could all go to hell. We will send you there as ordered.” Text messages provided to police by witnesses also show DeSoto saying, “I did say I was going to kill the people I needed to remove from office.”
Witnesses told police that De Soto “has a short temper and can get very angry,” according to the complaint.
“Mr. DeSoto is very angry about what he believes is happening within his political community and what is being said about him, and he feels that he is being attacked and forced from his position,” the complaint states. “I feel it,” he said.
Defense attorney Jacob Mills told NBC News that his firm, Criminal Law Center Kevin D. Mills & Associates, is representing De Soto, who is “presumed innocent.” He said he was there.
“He maintains his innocence. My office will present his case in court and look forward to his being proven innocent,” Mills said.
West Virginia Republican Party Chairman Matt Herridge criticized DeSoto’s actions in a statement and said the party supports his expulsion.
“Our elected officials make tremendous sacrifices to serve our communities, but it is a travesty for anyone to face the additional burden of threats against themselves or their families,” Herridge said in a statement. Ta.
Contributed by Dareh Gregorian.
