House Majority Leader Pat McGeehan, seen here in April during a House of Delegates floor session, came to the defense Friday of Del. Ian Masters, who is accused of making an antisemitic Instagram comment which he denies. (Photo courtesy of WV Legislative Photography)

CHARLESTON — The leader of Republicans in the West Virginia House of Delegates is standing by a fellow lawmaker accused of making antisemitic comments on social media, while the House Democratic caucus called for more action to be taken.

House Majority Leader Pat McGeehan, R-Hancock, released a statement Friday morning defending Del. Ian Masters, R-Berkeley, whose Instagram account was linked to an antisemitic comment made over the weekend on another account’s post according to reporting by West Virginia Watch.

While denying making the comment to West Virginia Watch reporter Caity Coyne, Masters has not responded to requests for comment to date. In an interview on WV MetroNews Talkline, House Speaker Roger Hanshaw, R-Clay, said Masters admitted that the Instagram account in question was his, but also denied making the comment.

The matter is now being investigated by the House Speaker’s office. However, the account in question – @NoQuarterMasters – was listed as belonging to Ian T. Masters; linked to a phone number connected to Masters; included a link to the pro-gun rights group West Virginia Citizens Defense League, where Masters was president between 2015 and 2025; and included a profile photo with an envelope addressed to Masters.

The profile, which is now private, now includes the name I. Masters and no longer links back to the Citizens Defense League. But the profile photo still includes the letter addressed to Masters from his son, as well as runes used today by groups connected to white supremacy.

Del. Ian Masters was sworn in to his seat in the West Virginia House of Delegates on Jan. 24 following his appointment by Gov. Patrick Morrisey. (Photo courtesy of WV Legislative Photography)

In his statement, McGeehan explained that Masters had provided him a screenshot of his Instagram account showing “irregular activity.” Masters told McGeehan that he had not used his account recently and that a person had been identified behind the alleged comment, though no further details were provided.

“I’ve known Ian Masters for some two decades,” McGeehan said. “I don’t need anything more than Ian Master’s word to know he didn’t make the comment that is being used to unjustly attack him.”

Del. Mike Pushkin, a Kanawha County lawmaker and chairman of the West Virginia Democratic Party, condemned the alleged comments and called on Hanshaw to conduct a thorough investigation of the matter. The nine-member House Democratic caucus also wrote a joint letter to Hanshaw on Wednesday demanding action.

“While we as Americans are free to express our own opinions, no matter how repugnant they may be, all elected officials should be held to the highest ethical standards,” the caucus wrote. “This behavior cannot be tolerated by a sitting West Virginia delegate. We call on you, Mr. Speaker, to take swift action against Delegate Masters regarding his use of white supremacist, neo-Nazi, and antisemitic comments and images.”

In their letter, the House Democratic caucus pointed to recent incidents — including the murder of state lawmakers in Minnesota earlier in June, the firebombing of the Governor’s Mansion in Pennsylvania aimed at Gov. Josh Shapiro in April, and another firebomb attack aimed at a pro-Jewish demonstration in Colorado — as reason to take the Masters controversy seriously. Two members of the House Democratic caucus — Pushkin and Del. Evan Hanson, D-Monongalia — are Jewish.

“At a time when legislators are being killed by those who disagree with their politics, it is urgent to root out, and disqualify from service, any white supremacist and neo-Nazi members of our Legislature,” according to the letter. “We are concerned for the safety of the Jewish members of the Legislature at the Capitol and their homes. We are also concerned for the safety of all West Virginians who may be targeted by white supremacists and neo-Nazis.”

“I waited a couple of days to post about this, with the hope that it would be addressed appropriately. But it hasn’t,” Hansen said in a social media post Thursday. “I wish this delegate would just own up to it and face the consequences. There’s no place in the Legislature for white supremacists, neo-Nazis, or antisemitism.”

McGeehan accused Pushkin, Hansen, and the House Democratic caucus of using this alleged comment as a way to pressure Masters to resign from the House or be removed while Democrats are fighting to have the courts require a Democrat be appointed to the seat.

“Democrats Pushkin and Hansen are not interested in the truth. They make these deceptive accusations because they desire power and social status at the expense of others,” McGeehan said.

Masters, a Gerrardstown attorney, was appointed by Gov. Patrick Morrisey to the 91st District House of Delegates seat forfeited by Joseph de Soto, who was elected as a Republican in November to the 91st District House seat but switched to the Democratic Party on Dec. 11 following a closed-door meeting of the House Republican caucus on Dec. 8.

De Soto’s Republican colleagues voted to move forward with his expulsion at their Jan. 8 organizational session over alleged falsehoods he spread about his military record. De Soto was arrested by the West Virginia State Police on Dec. 12 following an investigation into threats he allegedly made regarding several lawmakers. He was charged with making terroristic threats against fellow Republican House members and placed on home confinement. That case is still pending.

The House adopted House Resolution 4 during its Jan. 8 organizational session declaring the 91st House seat forfeited after de Soto was unable to be sworn in, declaring that the seat remained in Republican hands despite de Soto’s party switch, requiring the vacancy with Morrisey appointing a Republican. However, the Berkeley County Democratic Executive Committee submitted its own slate of three candidates to succeed de Soto.

The West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals dismissed a second lawsuit filed at the end of January by Pushkin and Berkeley County resident Jill Michaels asking the court to declare that de Soto was the lawfully elected delegate and is entitled to the seat or order Morrisey to rescind his appointment of Masters.

“One feature that comes with playing a professional victim is constant manipulation. Ian Masters has strong character and cannot be manipulated,” McGeehan said. “Fanatics such as Democrat Mike Pushkin resent this kind of strong character, real virtue, and genuine integrity.

“Resentment drives the Democrat Mike Pushkin’s of the world to justify any means — including demented efforts to damage the reputations of good people like Ian Masters — to gain status and power,” McGeehan continued. “I’m quite sure the good people of our state can see right through it.”

Pushkin responded to McGeehan’s press release Friday afternoon in a separate statement, pointing out that McGeehan failed to condemn the alleged comment.

“Nowhere in Delegate Pat McGeehan’s statement does he condemn the antisemitic and white supremacist content that appeared on Delegate Ian Masters’ Instagram account,” Pushkin said. “That silence is loud – and it’s telling. Rather than joining calls for a full and independent investigation into how this hateful material ended up on a sitting legislator’s social media account, Delegate McGeehan chose to attack those demanding answers. That does nothing to resolve the very real questions facing Delegate Masters or to restore public trust.”

Pushkin said McGeehan’s statement does not provide evidence proving that Masters did not make the antisemetic comment and fails to answer key questions surrounded the Instagram account and post. Pushkin said if Masters’ account had been accessed by a third party, it could warrant criminal charges under State Code.

“Delegate McGeehan’s refusal to call for accountability raises even more troubling questions,” Pushkin said. “If a culprit has truly been identified, will charges be filed? If not, why not? If Delegate Masters provided the login information to this person, why is he associating with someone who harbors these reprehensible views?

“If Delegate McGeehan truly wants to exonerate his colleague, he should welcome a thorough, complete, independent forensic investigation,” Pushkin continued. “Anything less looks like a coordinated effort to sweep a serious issue under the rug. West Virginians deserve better.”

Steven Allen Adams can be reached at sadams@newsandsentinel.com.