Release from the West Virginia House of Delegates:
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia House of Delegates Minority Leader Doug Skaff, Jr. (D-Kanawha) issued the following statement regarding the actions of Delegate Derrick Evans (R-Wayne) at the U.S. Capitol:
I applaud and agree with Speaker Roger Hanshaw’s statement condemning the actions of Delegate Derrick Evans. In his statement, Speaker Hanshaw argued that peaceful protests are a core value of our society but that storming government buildings and participating in a violent, intentional disruption of our nation’s government is a crime and should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
Delegate Derrick Evans not only participated in this violent, intentional disruption of government; he helped lead a group that he organized to travel to Washington, D.C. to cause this chaos. This chaos unfortunately resulted in many people being displaced, hurt and contributed to the death of one woman.
This is unacceptable behavior and conduct unbecoming of an elected official. I am calling on Speaker Hanshaw to suspend Delegate Derrick Evans’ rights, privileges and access to West Virginia State Capitol Building, immediately and indefinitely, to allow for investigation into this incident. Delegate Derrick Evans has made threats on social media directed at other West Virginians, including threats directed at other legislators. Those comments, coupled with his most recent actions at the U.S. Capitol, are cause for alarm and a real safety concern for all those who work at our State Capitol Complex.