For years, West Virginians have sent Republicans to the State Capitol with a mandate for reform, accountability, and adherence to the values that define this state. We trusted them to stand up for working families, advocate for the backbone industries of coal, timber, and natural gas, and defend the principles that have long made the Mountain State a wonderful place to call home. Instead, the House of Delegates, under Speaker Roger Hanshaw, has become a cesspool of corporate influence, backroom deals, and a shameful abandonment of the Republican Party’s true mission.
In the last legislative session, Speaker Hanshaw prioritized two bills that should have never seen the light of day. These bills serve as glaring examples of how the House has become a haven for corporate sell-outs, operating in bad faith while ignoring the best interests of West Virginians.
The first of these, House Bill 3412, is an audacious attempt to exempt the legislature from the state’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). This bill would give lawmakers a free pass to hide behind secrecy and block any attempts to shine a light on their dealings and decision-making. For the Speaker of the House to push for such an egregious measure is a betrayal of the transparency and accountability that West Virginians rightfully expect from their elected officials. This bill isn’t about “efficiency”; it’s about protecting the powerful, enabling corporate interests to operate in the shadows without fear of public scrutiny. House leadership was worried journalists would FOIA delegates’ emails and find drafts of bills that were written by lobbyists. So, to hide these emails, Hanshaw wanted to allow his leadership team to determine what documents are available for public disclosure.
The second measure, House Bill 3516, is even more appalling. This bill seeks to strip away the rights of children who have been victims of sexual assault, limiting their ability to seek justice in the courts. Under current law, survivors can file claims up to 18 years after turning 18. Hanshaw’s bill would slash that time frame down to a mere two years. In what twisted world does a Republican leader champion such a harmful bill, one that makes it more difficult for vulnerable children to pursue justice? By writing this bill, Speaker Hanshaw is tarnishing the credibility of the Republican Party in the eyes of everyday West Virginians.
To make this even more scandalous, the entire justification for House Bill 3516 rests on the claim that BRIM (the state’s insurance fund) was being overwhelmed with civil lawsuits. Rather than addressing the root causes of these lawsuits—namely, the ongoing abuse of children and the failure of state systems to protect them—Hanshaw’s response is to simply reduce the time victims have to seek justice. But this is not just a policy failure; it’s a deliberate attempt to shield the state from accountability.
It has since been revealed that the real reason BRIM is being overwhelmed with claims is that the state has been refusing to settle these cases. By denying settlement offers, BRIM has forced victims to go through the lengthy and painful process of court battles, only for BRIM to lose and be forced to pay out substantial sums in damages. This isn’t about protecting the state’s finances; it’s about protecting a system that is more concerned with minimizing payouts than delivering justice to victims. By prioritizing BRIM’s bottom line over the rights of children, Speaker Hanshaw has once again shown where his true loyalties lie — with corporations and state agencies, not the people of West Virginia.
At the heart of these two pieces of legislation lies a disturbing pattern of behavior. Speaker Hanshaw’s priorities are no longer about West Virginia’s children or hardworking families. They are about pleasing corporate backers, making deals that fill his campaign accounts and secure his re-election prospects. These bills do not serve the people of West Virginia — they serve the powerful, the wealthy, and the politically connected.
It is not just Hanshaw to blame for this legislative debacle. Every delegate who enables his power and participates in this obstruction of the legitimate Republican agenda is complicit. The failure to pass meaningful reforms and protect the rights of the people of West Virginia has become a hallmark of the Hanshaw-led House. The legislative stalemate, the lack of progress, and the erosion of the House’s credibility have all been a direct result of his leadership.
Let us be clear: these betrayals aren’t just about one man or a few bad actors. This is a systemic problem. Hanshaw’s actions are the product of a larger, insidious agenda at play — one where corporate interests, far-left activists, and career politicians work hand-in-hand to dismantle the values that the Republican Party has long championed. It is the people of West Virginia who are suffering, not the elite who stand behind closed doors making decisions for their own benefit.
Meanwhile, in the Senate, Republican leaders are pushing forward legislation to protect children and create a safer future for all West Virginians. The stark contrast is undeniable: while the Senate focuses on strengthening protections for our most vulnerable, the House is working tirelessly to roll back those same protections. The disconnect between the two chambers could not be clearer, and the damage Hanshaw has caused to the Republican Party’s reputation grows with every passing day.
Speaker Hanshaw’s leadership is a stain on the Republican Party, and it is time for all West Virginians to ask themselves: who are these legislators working for? The people of this state, or the corporate interests that fund their campaigns? If they are not working for the people, they should not be in office.
The Republican Party, a champion of transparency, integrity, and accountability, now finds itself at a crossroads. It is up to every delegate, every legislator, and every voter in West Virginia to hold those in power accountable and demand a return to the values that make our state great.
The House has several corrupt corporate sell-outs, and Speaker Roger Hanshaw is the ringleader. If we are ever to move forward and restore the Republican Party to its true purpose — serving the people of West Virginia — then we must break free from the grip of corporate corruption and put an end to the shell game in the State Capitol. It is time to stand up for West Virginia, before it’s too late.
