CHARLESTON – House of Delegates member Geoff Foster is among the founders of the Freedom Caucus within the West Virginia legislature.
Foster (R-Putnam) is set to chair, while Sen. Patricia Rucker (R-Berkeley) is vice chair.
“Mountaineers have made it clear that they will be free, and we will do everything in our power to preserve that freedom,” Foster said.
Other Caucus leaders are Bill Ridenour (R-Jefferson) and Geno Chiarelli (R-Monongalia).
"I am excited to see a Freedom Caucus rise up in the legislature and form a block of solid conservatives who are willing to take a stand on important conservative issues," said Barry Holstein, a 2016 Republican candidate for Secretary of State. "West Virginia has moved to a Republican supermajority, and many elections will be decided in the primary. Therefore, separating conservatives from non-conservatives has never been more critical."
The West Virginia Freedom Caucus aims to spearhead the state Legislature’s conservative movement, according to a press release.
“The WVFC will serve and defend the people of West Virginia, and begin to usher in the promise of our Republican government,” Foster said. “We will obey our oaths to defend the Constitutions of the United States and West Virginia against all enemies.”
The hardline conservative group states on its website it wants to identify and elect true conservatives.
“Too many politicians claim they stand for conservative values but truly care only about their own political power,” the website states. “The West Virginia Freedom Caucus will expose these politicians to West Virginia voters regardless of party affiliation. Many legislators claim to be conservative, but their votes are anything but.”
Holstein launched a legislative scorecard three years ago to track how lawmakers vote.
"Some legislators claim they are pro-life, but then vote counter to a pro-life position," Holstein told the West Viginia Record. "Similarly, some self-proclaimed conservatives are not fiscally conservative or are not socially conservative. This single scorecard covers the conservative position spectrum without interference from outside interest."
CNN describes the House Freedom Caucus in Congress as being a 'band of 40 rabble-rousers' who gained power by coming up against Republican leaders.
It was widely reported that House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-California) agreed to certain House Freedom Caucus concessions when he was elected to lead the House of Representatives in January. Those concessions include appointments to the House Rules Committee and House Appropriations Committee as well as the ability of any one member to initiate McCarthy’s removal.
“We will uphold the Founding Fathers' vision of Liberty, representative democracy, limited government, free enterprise and truth,” Foster added. “We will combat tyranny, corruption, and waste, to shepherd in a revitalization of West Virginia and our economic well-being. We will stand for the rights of all states to govern themselves, and will fight federal despotism.”
Other states that have a local Freedom Caucus include Texas, North Carolina, New Hampshire, Washington and Michigan.
