CHARLESTON — The House of Delegates, at the end of a long day, introduced two resolutions proposing action against Delegate Mike Caputo, D-Marion, regarding his actions over the weekend, when he kicked in a chamber door and allegedly injured an assistant doorkeeper.
HR 20 proposes to censure Caputo. HR 21 proposes to expel him from office. Neither was acted on Thursday night, when they were introduced after 8:30 p.m. Both were placed on Friday’s special (active) calendar as unfinished business.
HR 20 has 29 Republican sponsors. It refers to the March 1 incident and alleges that Caputo injured and verbally abused the doorkeeper.
It says, “The House of Delegates vehemently condemns acts of violence, bullying and verbal assault as a means of expressing political discontent,” and resolves “that the House of Delegates hereby censures Delegate Mike Caputo for his disorderly conduct and physical assault upon an assistant doorkeeper.”
HR 21 has just one sponsor, Delegate Marshall Wilson, R-Berkeley, who on the opening day of the 2018 session unsuccessfully attempted to have then-Speaker Tim Armstead unseated.
It goes into more detail about the incident and Caputo’s alleged profane statements at the time, and sites at length Caputo’s subsequent floor speech where he admitted he kicked the door.
It accuses Minority Leader Tim Miley of taking no action against Caputo, even though granted time by Speaker Roger Hanshaw to do so.
It cites House Rule 32 prohibiting indecorous behavior, but says there is no rule regarding violence.
It says, “When the conduct of a member goes so far outside that which is expected of a representative of the citizens of this state, the remaining members must act to preserve the honor and credibility of that body. Not to act and repudiate such conduct destroys the credibility of the House and the faith of the people in their government.”
It calls for a two-thirds vote of the members (67 votes) to expel Caputo from the remainder of his term of office.
After the session adjourned, Caputo declined comment, saying he’d prefer to see what happens on Friday.
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