‘Legislative liaison’ position anything but politics as usual

This isn’t politics as usual and it isn’t personal.
The politics embodied in Joe Statler’s appointment as a “legislative liaison” by the Monongalia County Commission, strictly speaking, is highly unusual.
Not to mention, it smacks of a conflict of interest by the commission and poses a seemingly separate — and potentially contrary — agenda from that of our legislative delegation.
The central conflict in this appointment in mid-December was that Statler had already filed pre-candidacy paperwork to run in our House district in the 2020 election. The official filing period began today and runs through Jan. 25.
As a candidate with all but a formal endorsement by the County Commission is not just inappropriate, it’s a clear conflict of interest, for the commission and Statler.
What are the other candidates to think in both parties about a local government giving one candidate the inside track in an election?
Obviously, Statler is being given an advantage not afforded to other candidates by the county’s governing body.
We also have to wonder will Statler serve at cross purposes to our legislative delegation from Monongalia County.
With the entire House delegation being Democrats and two of three county commissioners being Republicans as well as Stateler, this almost looks to be sending an unelected representative to Charleston.
And though Statler’s not receiving a salary from the county, we are covering his expenses, he is a registered lobbyist. We understand special interests lobbying for their organization or members. By the way, the County Commissioners Association of West Virginia has a lobbyist, which is fine.
However, this arrangement with Statler is not fine. This appointment is contrary to what the voters decided in 2018.
The County Commission needs to lobby and bond with the delegates who the voters elected and also elected them.
Initially we thought this idea of a lobbyist for the County Commission was perhaps a good idea but it just picked the wrong person, in light of his looming candidacy.
However, on second though this is tantamount to our elected leaders naming lobbyists to potentially work against each other rather than with each other.
To be clear, our position on Statler’s appointment to this new post is not personal.
Our newspaper has endorsed Statler any number of times for the House of Delegates and the Board of Education.
We know him well and have nothing but respect for his public service, though we often agreed to disagree with him.
Yet, we urge Statler to resign this position or the County Commission to rethink it immediately.
The voters opted not to elect Statler in 2018 and that should tell the commission something.
If the voters change their minds and think otherwise this year then that would be politics as usual.