PARKERSBURG — Melody Potter, the chairwoman of the West Virginia Republican Party, this week notified members of the Wood County GOP Executive Committee that she is removing Rob Cornelius as head of the county party.

A copy of the letter was provided to The Parkersburg News and Sentinel Thursday afternoon by Cornelius, who has been outspoken in his criticism of Gov. Jim Justice and Potter.

“I am absolutely astounded that in a play of misguided arrogance, the chairwoman of the West Virginia Republican Party has attempted to invalidate the will of numerous Wood County voters in retaliation to my fervent criticism of her and of her chosen Republican leader, Jim Justice,” Cornelius said via email. “Despite what she or the governor believes, a poorly-written letter cannot invalidate an election or established West Virginia Code.”

Justice was elected in 2016 as a Democrat and switched his party affiliation to Republican just under a year later. In June 2018, the Wood County GOP passed a resolution seeking Justice’s impeachment. A committee member said in April the resolution had been rescinded. Cornelius said this morning the vote to rescind did not receive the required two-thirds majority to pass.

A copy of the letter was requested from Potter Thursday. An emailed statement was provided by Brett Tubbs, the party’s director of operations, in response.

“This matter is an internal issue for me as the chairman of the West Virginia Republican Party and our State Executive Committee to handle,” Potter said in the statement. “Upon the advice of legal counsel and the leadership of our State Executive Committee, the actions you are inquiring about have long been discussed, and we recently utilized remedies that are available to us in our bylaws to address this matter.

“There will be no further public comments from us,” she said.

Two Wood County Republican executive committee members said they received notices of certified letters to pick up at the post office but had not been able to get them Thursday afternoon. Two other members contacted earlier in the day said they had not received a notice about Cornelius’ status as chairman.

Mike Queen, deputy secretary and director of communications for the West Virginia Secretary of State, said a letter was hand-delivered to his office Wednesday in which Potter said she was removing Cornelius as Wood County executive committee chairman.

“The Secretary of State’s office also received a copy of that letter, I think, just as a courtesy,” he said.

Because the office was closed for West Virginia Day, Queen said he could not provide a copy of the letter Thursday afternoon.

The copy of the letter provided by Cornelius says Potter is removing him as both county chairman and “A5 Precinct Committeeman effective immediately.” That appears to be a reference to his position on the county executive committee as voted on by Wood County Republicans, but Queen said it was his understanding Cornelius was being removed as chairman, but not from the committee itself. He said it appeared the other position referred to his status as a member of the state executive committee.

“That’s how I read the letter,” Queen said.

The letter cites Republican State Executive Committee bylaws saying that “in the interest of effective organization and party harmony,” the state committee and its chairperson can exercise authority over lower committees in relation to the filling of vacancies, tie votes for officers and “any other matter of business of any such committee which in the opinion of the State Executive Committee or the state chairman shall be of sufficient importance to the Republican Party to require removal from local consideration and action by the State Executive Committee.”

Another section cited in the letter says the chairperson may resolve an issue in a lower committee by filling any vacancy, naming any officer “or taking what other action may be provident” and shall notify members of the committee affected.

Cornelius said Potter is attempting “to set a dangerous precedent that should strike fear into the hearts of every member of every county Republican Executive Committee.

“This letter clearly states that she believes through an organization’s bylaws, she can punish anybody she wants, in any manner she wants, in any county she wants,” he said.

In the letter Cornelius provided, Potter says Cornelius “has engaged in multiple acts of constant disunity within the Wood County Republican Executive Committee and the Republican State Executive Committee of West Virginia that have disrupted the effective organization and party harmony of those organizations.”

The letter says Cornelius has conducted an “extensive smear campaign … misled the public and said I have accepted political contributions in exchange for ‘betraying the values of our entire team.'” It also claims Cornelius called Potter a “disappointing liar” and referred to her online and in public appearances as “a prostitute.” The latter reference could not be immediately located online in Cornelius’ public Facebook and Twitter posts Thursday afternoon.

Not addressing the specific language in the letter, Cornelius said he has been exercising his First Amendment rights.

“I have chosen, quite publicly, to stand against a crooked governor and a dishonest party chair whose loyalty was purchased last summer,” he said. “Our First Amendment not only protects this precious right, it encourages it, and thousands of brave men and women have fought for this country to protect it. Our freedom to speak against our government is what separates us from places like North Korea.”

State GOP executive committee bylaws say the chair’s decision will “become final and binding” unless a written appeal from at least 50 percent of the local committee’s members is filed with the state committee secretary within 10 days of the notice being mailed.

Queen said Cornelius has a right to formally contest the decision through the Secretary of State’s office.

“What we would have to rule on is what the state code allows us to do or not do,” he said. “I think that our involvement would be very limited because we don’t get down into the management of the party.”

Asked whether he planned to contest Potter’s action and how, Cornelius said, “We are examining all legal options to defend this committee and the Republican voters of this county from these acts that disregard or violate West Virginia code.”

Wood County GOP Executive Committee member Lewis Rexroad said he believes it’s “time for a change.”

“He’s (Cornelius) been very disrespectful to Miss Potter and the governor in letters he’s sent out … and referred to Melody in very derogatory terms,” Rexroad said.

“The shame of it is, he has the ability to be a good chairman, but he just didn’t know when to say when,” he said.

Rexroad was among committee members supporting Cornelius’ removal as county chairman four years ago related to actions taken in connection with efforts to remove then-Parkersburg Mayor Bob Newell from office. The state party said it would continue to recognize Cornelius as chairman while it investigated, then ultimately ruled the decision to remove him was improper on procedural grounds.

At that time, the state party chairman was Conrad Lucas. Potter was elected to the position after Lucas resigned to run for Congress.