CHARLESTON, W.Va. — House of Delegates Speaker Tim Armstead removed Delegate Mike Folk from the vice chairmanship of the House Pensions & Retirement Committee after Folk challenged a ruling Armstead made during last week’s special session.
“You can’t be a part of the leadership team in the sense of being a vice-chair or chair of a committee while at the same time continuing to throw rocks and act like you are in the minority,” Armstead (R-Kanawha) said Tuesday during an appearance on MetroNews “Talkline.”
Folk (R-Berkeley) wanted to expand the number of state residents to receive a tax exemption under the bill that would exempt veterans from state taxes. Armstead ruled Folk’s amendment and a similar amendment from Del. Isaac Sponaugle (D-Pendleton) were not germane to the bill but Folk took the rare step of formally challenging the ruling. Armstead’s decision was upheld in a floor vote.
Folk said Tuesday he was allowed to do what he did under the rules of the House.
“I didn’t think using the rules of the House would be construed as throwing stones,” Folk said. “I think the Speaker has let his emotions get in the way of good judgment the last three, four or five years.”
Armstead said it wasn’t just the one incident that lead to his decision.
“You have to kind of make a choice,” Armstead said. “You have to decide whether you want to work with the team or want to throw rocks at the team. When you decide to throw rocks at the team you can’t expect to be a chair or a vice-chair of a committee.”
Folk, who said the Pensions & Retirement Committee hasn’t done much the last few years anyway, doesn’t plan on changing his style.
“I think when you have a set of rules that are available to you in the House of Delegates then every member should be allowed to use those rules if it promotes a principle or policy that you believe in,” Folk said.